.net dynamically refresh app.config

Question

How do I dynamically reload the app.config in a .net Windows application? I need to turn logging on and off dynamically and not just based upon the value at application sta

Answer 1

I have tried using the RefreshSection method and got it to work using the following code sample:

class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string value = string.Empty, key = "mySetting";
            Program program = new Program();

            program.GetValue(program, key);
            Console.WriteLine("--------------------------------------------------------------");
            Console.WriteLine("Press any key to exit...");
            Console.ReadLine();
        }

        /// 

        /// Gets the value of the specified key from app.config file.
        /// 
        /// The instance of the program.
        /// The key.
        private void GetValue(Program program, string key)
        {
            string value;
            if (ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.AllKeys.Contains(key))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("--------------------------------------------------------------");
                Console.WriteLine("Key found, evaluating value...");
                value = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings[key];
                Console.WriteLine("Value read from app.confg for Key = {0} is {1}", key, value);
                Console.WriteLine("--------------------------------------------------------------");

                //// Update the value
                program.UpdateAppSettings(key, "newValue");
                //// Re-read from config file
                value = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings[key];
                Console.WriteLine("New Value read from app.confg for Key = {0} is {1}", key, value);
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Specified key not found in app.config");
            }
        }

        /// 

        /// Updates the app settings.
        /// 
        /// The key.
        /// The value.
        public void UpdateAppSettings(string key, string value)
        {
            Configuration configuration = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);

            if (configuration.AppSettings.Settings.AllKeys.Contains(key))
            {
                configuration.AppSettings.Settings[key].Value = value;
            }

            configuration.Save(ConfigurationSaveMode.Modified);
            ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection("appSettings");
        }