I've successfullly implemented a custom setting provider so my setting file will always stay on appPath independent of users. Copyed the code from codeproject (http://www.codeproject.com/KB/vb/CustomSettingsProvider.aspx?msg=2934144)
Code:
using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Configuration.Provider;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
using Microsoft.Win32;
using System.Xml;
using System.IO;
public class PortableSettingsProvider : SettingsProvider {
const string SETTINGSROOT = "Settings";
//XML Root Node
public override void Initialize(string name, NameValueCollection col) {
base.Initialize(this.ApplicationName, col);
}
public override string ApplicationName {
get {
if (Application.ProductName.Trim().Length > 0) {
return Application.ProductName;
}
else {
FileInfo fi = new FileInfo(Application.ExecutablePath);
return fi.Name.Substring(0, fi.Name.Length - fi.Extension.Length);
}
}
set { }
//Do nothing
}
public override string Name {
get { return "PortableSettingsProvider"; }
}
public virtual string GetAppSettingsPath() {
//Used to determine where to store the settings
System.IO.FileInfo fi = new System.IO.FileInfo(Application.ExecutablePath);
return fi.DirectoryName;
}
public virtual string GetAppSettingsFilename() {
//Used to determine the filename to store the settings
return ApplicationName + ".settings";
}
public override void SetPropertyValues(SettingsContext context, SettingsPropertyValueCollection propvals) {
//Iterate through the settings to be stored
//Only dirty settings are included in propvals, and only ones relevant to this provider
foreach (SettingsPropertyValue propval in propvals) {
SetValue(propval);
}
try {
SettingsXML.Save(Path.Combine(GetAppSettingsPath(), GetAppSettingsFilename()));
}
catch (Exception ex) {
}
//Ignore if cant save, device been ejected
}
public override SettingsPropertyValueCollection GetPropertyValues(SettingsContext context, SettingsPropertyCollection props) {
//Create new collection of values
SettingsPropertyValueCollection values = new SettingsPropertyValueCollection();
//Iterate through the settings to be retrieved
foreach (SettingsProperty setting in props) {
SettingsPropertyValue value = new SettingsPropertyValue(setting);
value.IsDirty = false;
value.SerializedValue = GetValue(setting);
values.Add(value);
}
return values;
}
private XmlDocument _settingsXML = null;
private XmlDocument SettingsXML {
get {
//If we dont hold an xml document, try opening one.
//If it doesnt exist then create a new one ready.
if (_settingsXML == null) {
_settingsXML = new XmlDocument();
try {
_settingsXML.Load(Path.Combine(GetAppSettingsPath(), GetAppSettingsFilename()));
}
catch (Exception ex) {
//Create new document
XmlDeclaration dec = _settingsXML.CreateXmlDeclaration("1.0", "utf-8", string.Empty);
_settingsXML.AppendChild(dec);
XmlNode nodeRoot = default(XmlNode);
nodeRoot = _settingsXML.CreateNode(XmlNodeType.Element, SETTINGSROOT, "");
_settingsXML.AppendChild(nodeRoot);
}
}
return _settingsXML;
}
}
private string GetValue(SettingsProperty setting) {
string ret = "";
try {
if (IsRoaming(setting)) {
ret = SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT + "/" + setting.Name).InnerText;
}
else {
ret = SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT + "/" + Environment.MachineName + "/" + setting.Name).InnerText;
}
}
catch (Exception ex) {
if ((setting.DefaultValue != null)) {
ret = setting.DefaultValue.ToString();
}
else {
ret = "";
}
}
return ret;
}
private void SetValue(SettingsPropertyValue propVal) {
XmlElement MachineNode = default(XmlElement);
XmlElement SettingNode = default(XmlElement);
//Determine if the setting is roaming.
//If roaming then the value is stored as an element under the root
//Otherwise it is stored under a machine name node
try {
if (IsRoaming(propVal.Property)) {
SettingNode = (XmlElement)SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT + "/" + propVal.Name);
}
else {
SettingNode = (XmlElement)SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT + "/" + Environment.MachineName + "/" + propVal.Name);
}
}
catch (Exception ex) {
SettingNode = null;
}
//Check to see if the node exists, if so then set its new value
if ((SettingNode != null)) {
SettingNode.InnerText = propVal.SerializedValue.ToString();
}
else {
if (IsRoaming(propVal.Property)) {
//Store the value as an element of the Settings Root Node
SettingNode = SettingsXML.CreateElement(propVal.Name);
SettingNode.InnerText = propVal.SerializedValue.ToString();
SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT).AppendChild(SettingNode);
}
else {
//Its machine specific, store as an element of the machine name node,
//creating a new machine name node if one doesnt exist.
try {
MachineNode = (XmlElement)SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT + "/" + Environment.MachineName);
}
catch (Exception ex) {
MachineNode = SettingsXML.CreateElement(Environment.MachineName);
SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT).AppendChild(MachineNode);
}
if (MachineNode == null) {
MachineNode = SettingsXML.CreateElement(Environment.MachineName);
SettingsXML.SelectSingleNode(SETTINGSROOT).AppendChild(MachineNode);
}
SettingNode = SettingsXML.CreateElement(propVal.Name);
SettingNode.InnerText = propVal.SerializedValue.ToString();
MachineNode.AppendChild(SettingNode);
}
}
}
private bool IsRoaming(SettingsProperty prop) {
//Determine if the setting is marked as Roaming
foreach (DictionaryEntry d in prop.Attributes) {
Attribute a = (Attribute)d.Value;
if (a is System.Configuration.SettingsManageabilityAttribute) {
return true;
}
}
return false;
}
}
The problem is when I bind some control to some Setting propery I get a designer error in my form. Everything works fine while executing the application though.
Error:
The type 'PortableSettingsProvider' could not be found. Ensure that the assembly containing the type is referenced. If the assembly is part of the current development project, ensure that the project has been built. D:\~~\Form1.Designer.cs
