Configuration Files

Updated: March 2011

Configuration files are XML files that can be changed as needed. Developers can use configuration files to change settings without recompiling applications. Administrators can use configuration files to set policies that affect how applications run on their computers.

Note
Managed code can use the classes in the System.Configuration namespace to read settings from the configuration files, but not to write settings to those files.

This topic describes the syntax of configuration files and provides information about the three types of configuration files: machine, application, and security.

Configuration File Format

Configuration files contain elements, which are logical data structures that set configuration information. Within a configuration file, you use tags to mark the beginning and end of an element. For example, the <runtime> element consists of <runtime>child elements</runtime>. An empty element has a start tag, but no end tag.

You specify configuration settings using predefined attributes, which are name/value pairs inside an element's start tag. The following example specifies two attributes (version and href) for the <codeBase> element, which specifies where the runtime can locate an assembly (for more information, see Specifying an Assembly's Location).

<codeBase version="2.0.0.0"
          href="http://www.litwareinc.com/myAssembly.dll"/>

Important
As with all XML files, the syntax in configuration files is case-sensitive.

Machine Configuration Files

The machine configuration file, Machine.config, contains settings that apply to an entire computer. This file is located in the %runtime install path%\Config directory. Machine.config contains configuration settings for machine-wide assembly binding, built-in remoting channels, and ASP.NET.

The configuration system first looks in the machine configuration file for the appSettings element and other configuration sections that a developer might define. It then looks in the application configuration file. To keep the machine configuration file manageable, it is best to put these settings in the application configuration file. However, putting the settings in the machine configuration file can make your system more maintainable. For example, if you have a third-party component that both your client and server application uses, it is easier to put the settings for that component in one place. In this case, the machine configuration file is the appropriate place for the settings, so you don't have the same settings in two different files.

Note
Deploying an application using XCOPY will not copy the settings in the machine configuration file.

For more information about how the common language runtime uses the machine configuration file for assembly binding, see How the Runtime Locates Assemblies.

Application Configuration Files

Application configuration files contain settings specific to an application. This file contains configuration settings that the common language runtime reads (such as assembly binding policy, remoting objects, and so on), and settings that the application can read.

The name and location of the application configuration file depend on the application's host, which can be one of the following:

• Executable–hosted application.

  The configuration file for an application hosted by the executable host is in the same directory as the application. The name of the configuration file is the name of the application with a .config extension. For example, an application called myApp.exe can be associated with a configuration file called myApp.exe.config.

  Note
  In Visual Studio projects, place the .config file in the project directory and set its Copy To Output Directory property to Copy always or Copy if newer. Visual Studio automatically copies the file to the directory where it compiles the assembly.

• ASP.NET-hosted application.

  For more information about ASP.NET configuration files, see ASP.NET Configuration Settings

• Internet Explorer-hosted application.

  If an application hosted in Internet Explorer has a configuration file, the location of this file is specified in a <link> tag with the following syntax:

  <link rel="ConfigurationFileName" href="location">

  In this tag, location is a URL to the configuration file. This sets the application base. The configuration file must be located on the same Web site as the application.

Security Configuration Files

Security configuration files contain information about the code group hierarchy and permission sets associated with a policy level. We strongly recommend that you use the .NET Framework Configuration tool (Mscorcfg.msc) or Code Access Security Policy tool (Caspol.exe) to modify security policy to ensure that policy changes do not corrupt the security configuration files.

Note
Starting with the .NET Framework 4, the security configuration files are present only if security policy has been changed.

The security configuration files are in the following locations:

• Enterprise policy configuration file: %runtime-install-path%\Config\Enterprisesec.config

• Machine policy configuration file: %runtime-install-path%\Config\Security.config

• User policy configuration file: %USERPROFILE%\Application data\Microsoft\CLR security config\vxx.xx\Security.config

See Also

Reference

Mscorcfg.msc (.NET Framework Configuration Tool)

Caspol.exe (Code Access Security Policy Tool)

Concepts

Specifying an Assembly's Location

Redirecting Assembly Versions

Other Resources

Configuration File Schema for the .NET Framework

ASP.NET Configuration Settings

Security Policy Management

Assemblies in the Common Language Runtime

Remote Objects

Change History

Date	History	Reason
March 2011	Updated information about security configuration files.	Content bug fix.