Question

For a long time I used:

ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["sqlconnectionstring"].ConnectionString

to get the connection string from the app.config file

<configuration>
   <connectionStrings>
       <add name="sqlconnectionstring" connectionString="Data  Source=ggg;Initial Catalog =DB;User ID=sa;Password=sa" />
   </connectionStrings>
</configuration>

Lately I found that I canget the string using

global::myProj.Properties.Settings.Default.sqlconnectionstring;

1. What is the difference?
2. Can I access a key under appSetting?
3. How come I don’t need to import System.Configuration?

Thanks Asaf

Answer 1

The global::myProj.Properties.Settings.Default.sqlconnectionstring; stuff is generated by the settings designer in Visual Studio.

The settings can be found in the solution explorer under Properties->Settings.settings, typesafe wrapper methods are automatically generated for all your properties defined in the settings designer.

This only works for settings defined in the settings designer (connection strings are automatically added to the settings designer).

Edit, to answer your specific questions

1. The second is a generated wrapper of the first one.
2. Nope, but if you create your own settings in the settings designer they are stored in another section called “applicationSettings”.
3. The import (or rather used by fully qualified name is done in the generated wrapper class).