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Try to create a custom section in Web.config

I am trying to create a custom section in my web.config. I have a custom class and a declaration section in my web.config.
when I run my code however I am getting this error "...does not inherit from System.Configuration.IConfigurationSectionHandler'."
MSDN documentation states that this Interface is now deprecated.
I don't understand what cold be happening.
FYI I used this (http://blogs.perficient.com/microsoft/2017/01/4-easy-steps-to-custom-sections-in-web-config/ as my guide to create my custom section.
Here is my web.config
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="nlog" type="NLog.Config.ConfigSectionHandler, NLog" />
<!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
<section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
<section name ="BDKConfigs" type="SPS.CardDecryption.Services.BDKConfigs" allowLocation="true" allowDefinition="Everywhere" />
</configSections>
Here is my custom section in the web.config
<BDKConfigs>
<!--collection-->
<BDK>
<!--elements-->
<add name="IDTechPublicBDK" value="0123456789ABCDEFFEDCBA9876543210"/>
<add name="IDTechProdBDK" value=""/>
</BDK>
</BDKConfigs>
this is my custom class
using System.Configuration;
namespace myNameSpace
{
//This class reads the defined config section (if available) and stores it locally in the static _Config variable.
public class BDKConfigs
{
public static BDKConfigsSection _Config = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("BDKConfigs") as BDKConfigsSection;
public static BDKElementCollection GetBDKGroups()
{
return _Config.BDKConfigs;
}
}
public class BDKConfigsSection : ConfigurationSection
{
//Decorate the property with the tag for your collection.
[ConfigurationProperty("BDK")]
public BDKElementCollection BDKConfigs
{
get { return (BDKElementCollection)this["BDK"]; }
}
}
//Extend the ConfigurationElementCollection class.
//Decorate the class with the class that represents a single element in the collection.
[ConfigurationCollection(typeof(BDKElement))]
public class BDKElementCollection : ConfigurationElementCollection
{
public BDKElement this[int index]
{
get { return (BDKElement)BaseGet(index); }
set
{
if (BaseGet(index) != null)
BaseRemoveAt(index);
BaseAdd(index, value);
}
}
protected override ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new BDKElement();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((BDKElement)element).Name;
}
}
//Extend the ConfigurationElement class. This class represents a single element in the collection.
//Create a property for each xml attribute in your element.
//Decorate each property with the ConfigurationProperty decorator. See MSDN for all available options.
public class BDKElement : ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("name", IsRequired = true)]
public string Name
{
get { return (string)this["name"]; }
set { this["name"] = value; }
}
[ConfigurationProperty("queryString", IsRequired = false)]
public string Value
{
get { return (string)this["Value"]; }
set { this["Value"] = value; }
}
}
}

The issue was that I had the wrong type specified in the web.config. When I changed my web.config to
type="SPS.CardDecryption.Services.BDKConfigsSection , worked like a charm.

I have updated answer:
public class BDKConfigsSection : ConfigurationSection
{
[ConfigurationProperty("BDK")]
public BDKElementCollection BDKConfigs
{
get { return (BDKElementCollection) base["BDK"]; }
}
}
[ConfigurationCollection(typeof(BDKElement))]
public class BDKElementCollection : ConfigurationElementCollection
{
public BDKElement this[int index]
{
get { return (BDKElement)BaseGet(index); }
set
{
if (BaseGet(index) != null)
BaseRemoveAt(index);
BaseAdd(index, value);
}
}
protected override ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new BDKElement();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((BDKElement)element).Name;
}
public override ConfigurationElementCollectionType CollectionType
{
get { return ConfigurationElementCollectionType.BasicMapAlternate; }
}
protected override string ElementName => "BDKItem";
}
public class BDKElement : ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("name", IsRequired = true)]
public string Name
{
get { return (string)this["name"]; }
set { this["name"] = value; }
}
[ConfigurationProperty("queryString", IsRequired = false)]
public string Value
{
get { return (string)this["queryString"]; }
set { this["queryString"] = value; }
}
}
that one working fine :
<BDKConfigsSection>
<BDK>
<BDKItem name="IDTechPublicBDK" queryString="0123456789ABCDEFFEDCBA9876543210"/>
<BDKItem name="IDTechProdBDK" queryString=""/>
</BDK> </BDKConfigsSection>

Custom app.config section error "Unrecognized element add"

I have a small app that searches my SQL Server database for the given value in all of the fields where it could be used. Part of that is a custom app.config section to hold all of these fields. However I'm getting an error on this line in the app:
var section = (DatabaseFieldSection)ConfigurationManager.GetSection("DatabaseFields");
app.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="DatabaseFields" type="PartyFinder.DataAccess.DatabaseFieldSection, DataAccess"/>
</configSections>
<connectionStrings>
<!-- Data removed for security purposes -->
</connectionStrings>
<DatabaseFields>
<add Key="Person.FirstName (SV)" TableName="dbo.Person" ColumnName="FirstName" FieldType="SV" />
</DatabaseFields>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5.2" />
</startup>
</configuration>
Classes:
using System;
using System.Configuration;
namespace PartyFinder.DataAccess
{
public class DatabaseFieldElement : ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("Key", IsKey = true, IsRequired = true)]
public string Key
{
get { return (string)base["Key"]; }
}
[ConfigurationProperty("TableName", IsKey = false, IsRequired = true)]
public string TableName
{
get { return (string)base["TableName"]; }
}
[ConfigurationProperty("ColumnName", IsKey = false, IsRequired = true)]
public string ColumnName
{
get { return (string)base["ColumnName"]; }
}
[ConfigurationProperty("FieldType", IsKey = false, IsRequired = true)]
public string FieldType
{
get { return (string)base["FieldType"]; }
}
}
public class DatabaseFieldSection : ConfigurationSection
{
[ConfigurationProperty("DatabaseFields", IsDefaultCollection = true)]
[ConfigurationCollection(typeof(DatabaseFieldCollection), AddItemName = "add", ClearItemsName = "clear", RemoveItemName = "remove")]
public DatabaseFieldCollection DatabaseFields
{
get { return ((DatabaseFieldCollection)base["DatabaseFields"]); }
}
}
public class DatabaseFieldCollection : ConfigurationElementCollection
{
internal const string PropertyName = "Fields";
public override ConfigurationElementCollectionType CollectionType
{
get
{
return ConfigurationElementCollectionType.AddRemoveClearMap;
}
}
protected override string ElementName
{
get
{
return PropertyName;
}
}
protected override bool IsElementName(string elementName)
{
return elementName.Equals(PropertyName, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase);
}
public override bool IsReadOnly()
{
return false;
}
protected override ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new DatabaseFieldElement();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((DatabaseFieldElement)(element)).Key;
}
public DatabaseFieldElement this[int id]
{
get
{
return (DatabaseFieldElement)BaseGet(id);
}
}
}
}
I have done a ton of searches and nothing has worked so far. Any advice is much appreciated!

I managed to get the following to work in a console app by adding a parent DatabaseConfig node:
The DatabaseFieldSection class:
public class DatabaseFieldSection : ConfigurationSection
{
public static DatabaseFieldSection GetConfig()
{
return (DatabaseFieldSection)System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection("DatabaseConfig") ?? new DatabaseFieldSection();
}
[System.Configuration.ConfigurationProperty("DatabaseFields")]
[ConfigurationCollection(typeof(DatabaseFieldCollection), AddItemName = "add")]
public DatabaseFieldCollection DatabaseFields
{
get
{
object o = this["DatabaseFields"];
return o as DatabaseFieldCollection;
}
}
}
And the App.config:
<configSections>
<section name="DatabaseConfig" type="TestEnvironment.DBConfig.DatabaseFieldSection, TestEnvironment"/>
</configSections>
<DatabaseConfig>
<DatabaseFields>
<add Key="Person.FirstName (SV)" TableName="dbo.Person" ColumnName="FirstName" FieldType="SV" />
</DatabaseFields>
</DatabaseConfig>
Usage:
var config = DatabaseFieldSection.GetConfig();
It seems as though the config <section /> cannot be the same as the config element collection name. e.g DatabaseFields, it needs to be:
Section > Collection > Items
Or:
DatabaseConfig > DatabaseFields > add

Custom App.Config Section - Unrecognized element Exception

I'm trying to create a Custom Section in the app.config and run into the following exception:
ConfigurationErrorsException
Unrecognized element 'EncryptedUserCredential'. (C:\My Documents\Hachette.CRM\test_app_appsettings\bin\Debug\test_app_appsettings.vshost.exe.Config line 11)
Now I'm at a complete loss. I have stepped into the RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig.GetConfig(), and found the Section is null from the propery RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig.EncryptedUserCredentials. I have also checked all the usual suspects I when investigating online, like:
Making sure the type includes the assembly name in the app.config configSection when declaring the custom section.
is at the beginning of in the app.config.
The custom section is written in:
Class Library
C#/.NET 4.0.
I'm at a loss and think I have been staring at it too long the weekend gone and need some fresh eyes!
For ease I have added all the code from the C# class library here.
Here is the app.config:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="EncryptedUserCredentials"
type="Hachette.Common.CustomConfigSections.RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig, Hachette.Common"/>
</configSections>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.0"/>
</startup>
<EncryptedUserCredentials>
<EncryptedUserCredential userName="garethB" password="1235#"/>
<EncryptedUserCredential userName="webService" password="123ffff5#"/>
</EncryptedUserCredentials>
</configuration>
Here is the EncryptedUserCredential ConfigurationElement:
public class EncryptedUserCredential : ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("userName", IsRequired = true)]
public string UserName
{
get
{
return this["userName"] as string;
}
}
[ConfigurationProperty("password", IsRequired = true)]
public string Password
{
get
{
return this["password"] as string;
}
}
}
Here is the EncryptedCredentials ConfigurationElementCollection:
public class EncryptedUserCredentials : ConfigurationElementCollection
{
public EncryptedUserCredential this[int index]
{
get
{
return base.BaseGet(index) as EncryptedUserCredential;
}
set
{
if (base.BaseGet(index) != null)
{
base.BaseRemoveAt(index);
}
this.BaseAdd(index, value);
}
}
public new EncryptedUserCredential this[string responseString]
{
get
{
return (EncryptedUserCredential)BaseGet(responseString);
}
set
{
if (BaseGet(responseString) != null)
{
BaseRemoveAt(BaseIndexOf(BaseGet(responseString)));
}
BaseAdd(value);
}
}
protected override ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new EncryptedUserCredential();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((EncryptedUserCredential)element).UserName;
}
}
Here is the RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig ConfigurationSection:
public class RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig : ConfigurationSection
{
public static RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig GetConfig()
{
//var config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
return (RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig)System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection("EncryptedUserCredentials") ?? new RegisterEncryptedUserCredentialsConfig();
}
[System.Configuration.ConfigurationProperty("EncryptedUserCredentials", IsDefaultCollection=true,IsRequired=true)]
[ConfigurationCollection(typeof(EncryptedUserCredentials), AddItemName="EncryptedUserCredential")]
public EncryptedUserCredentials EncryptedUserCredentials
{
get
{
object o = this["EncryptedUserCredentials"];
return o as EncryptedUserCredentials;
}
}
}
All of the above live in namespace:
namespace Hachette.Common.CustomConfigSections
And in the following Assembly:

It's not possible for the root element to be the collection holder. So you should code up your configuration to match this structure (note I've picked a name for the root element to match your namespace, but feel free to choose anything you like):
<hachette>
<EncryptedUserCredentials>
<EncryptedUserCredential userName="garethB" password="1235#"/>
<EncryptedUserCredential userName="webService" password="123ffff5#"/>
</EncryptedUserCredentials>
</hachette>
This means your configuration hierarchy will have a root ConfigSection which in turn contains a ConfigurationElementCollection that contains all of the ConfigurationElement objects.
Here is an example article on how you can write it: http://www.abhisheksur.com/2011/09/writing-custom-configurationsection-to.html

Configuration of the application

I am trying setting up application configuration. Problem is that nothing is readed from the configuration. I am using this code:
Sections:
public class TownSection : ConfigurationSection
{
public static TownSection.GetConfig()
{
return (TownSection)System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager
.GetSection("TownSection") ?? new TownSection();
}
[System.Configuration.ConfigurationProperty("TownProperties")]
[ConfigurationCollection(typeof(TownProperties), AddItemName = "TownProperty")]
public TownProperties TownProperties
{
get
{
object o = this["TownProperties"];
return o as TownProperties;
}
}
}
List of the entities:
public class TownProperties: ConfigurationElementCollection
{
public TownProperty this[int index]
{
get
{
return base.BaseGet(index) as TownProperty ;
}
set
{
if (base.BaseGet(index) != null)
{
base.BaseRemoveAt(index);
}
this.BaseAdd(index, value);
}
}
public new TownProperty this[string responseString]
{
get { return (TownProperty)BaseGet(responseString); }
set
{
if (BaseGet(responseString) != null)
{
BaseRemoveAt(BaseIndexOf(BaseGet(responseString)));
}
BaseAdd(value);
}
}
protected override System.Configuration.ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new TownProperty();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(System.Configuration.ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((TownProperty)element).Name;
}
}
Entity:
public class TownProperty: ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("Name", IsRequired = true)]
public string Name
{
get
{
return this["Name"] as string;
}
}
[ConfigurationProperty("Distance", IsRequired = true)]
public string Distance
{
get
{
return this["Distance"] as string;
}
}
}
Configuration in app.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="TownSection">
<section
name="TownSection"
type="App.Configurations.TownSection"
allowLocation="true"
allowDefinition="Everywhere" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<TownSection>
<TownProperties>
<TownProperty Name="A" Distance="1.8"/>
<TownProperty Name="B" Distance="5.8"/>
</TownProperties>
</TownSection>
in code:
var config = TownSection.GetConfig();
foreach(TownProperty item in config.TownProperties) /// cycle is skipped
{
Console.WriteLine(item.Name);
Console.WriteLine(item.Distance);
}
What could be the problem?

I've changed couple of things in xml and that works.
1.Removed Section group tag
2.Added assembly name in section tag's type attribute. In format (Full type name, Assembly name)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section
name="TownSection"
type="App.Configurations.TownSection, App.Configurations"
allowLocation="true"
allowDefinition="Everywhere" />
</configSections>
<TownSection>
<TownProperties>
<TownProperty Name="A" Distance="1.8"/>
<TownProperty Name="B" Distance="5.8"/>
</TownProperties>
</TownSection>
</configuration>

ConfigurationErrorsException occurred

I want to create a custom configuration for C# application. The app.config likes:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="location" type ="FolderConfigSection.LocationConfig, FolderConfigSection"/>
</configSections>
<location>
<folders>
<add folder ="C:\Test1"/>
<add folder ="C:\Test2" />
<add folder ="C:\Test3" />
</folders>
</location>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" />
</startup>
</configuration>
So I created two classes.
namespace FolderConfigSection
{
public class LocationConfig : ConfigurationSection
{
[ConfigurationProperty("folders")]
public string Folder
{
get { return base["folder"] as string; }
set { base["folder"] = value; }
}
}
}
And
namespace FolderConfigSection
{
public class FolderCollection : ConfigurationElementCollection
{
protected override ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new FolderElement();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((FolderElement)element).Environment;
}
}
public class FolderElement : ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("folder", IsRequired = true)]
public string Environment
{
get { return (string)this["folder"]; }
set { this["folder"] = value; }
}
}
}
But I got an exception in my Program.cs
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
LocationConfig _locationConfig = (LocationConfig)ConfigurationManager.GetSection("location");
string firstFolder = _locationConfig.Folder;
}
}
The exception is The section name 'location' is reserved for <location> sections.
Also I want to list all folders.

I'm restating what #Tim has answered in his comments.
Do not use location as section name. It is already reserved for <location> element configuration. Just use other name, such as locationConfig.
Change the type of Folder property in LocationConfig class from String to FolderCollection. For clarity, you should probably change the property name Folder to its plural form Folders.
To list all the folders in LocationConfig, you just need to iterate the Folders collection property. You might also want to implement indexer on FolderCollection class, for an indexed access to Folders property, .
Putting it all in code:
App.config
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="locationConfig" type ="FolderConfigSection.LocationConfig, FolderConfigSection"/>
</configSections>
<locationConfig>
<folders>
<add folder ="C:\Test1"/>
<add folder ="C:\Test2" />
<add folder ="C:\Test3" />
</folders>
</locationConfig>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" />
</startup>
</configuration>
LocationConfig
namespace FolderConfigSection
{
using System.Configuration;
public class LocationConfig : ConfigurationSection
{
// Change the property type to FolderCollection, and
// change the property name to `Folders` for clarity
[ConfigurationProperty("folders")]
public FolderCollection Folders
{
get { return base["folders"] as FolderCollection; }
// the setter property isn't really needed here
// set { base["folders"] = value; }
}
}
public class FolderCollection : ConfigurationElementCollection
{
protected override ConfigurationElement CreateNewElement()
{
return new FolderElement();
}
protected override object GetElementKey(ConfigurationElement element)
{
return ((FolderElement)element).Environment;
}
// indexer
public FolderElement this[int index]
{
get { return BaseGet(index) as FolderElement; }
}
}
public class FolderElement : ConfigurationElement
{
[ConfigurationProperty("folder", IsRequired = true)]
public string Environment
{
get { return (string)this["folder"]; }
set { this["folder"] = value; }
}
}
}
Program.cs
public class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var locationConfig = (LocationConfig)ConfigurationManager.GetSection("locationConfig");
foreach (FolderElement folder in locationConfig.Folders)
{
// List all folders
Console.WriteLine(folder.Environment);
}
// The first folder using indexer property
Console.WriteLine(locationConfig.Folders[0].Environment);
}
}