ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["XXX"] is returning null

Question

I have a console application in which website project is added as dll. Inside dll ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["XXX"] is called which is always returning null.

But web.config in dll has connectionstring named 'XXX'. Can any one suggest what is going wrong?

Do you have anything within the tag? i guess you have added the connection string but in some other tag. see this http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms178411(v=vs.100).aspx — Ehsan, May 15 '13 at 12:45
@EhsanUllah I added above code to config file now its working fine — Lydia, May 15 '13 at 13:25

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 15 '13 at 12:44

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I don't think .config file of the .dll is added to your console project together with the dll. You need to have the .config in your executing project.

answered May 15 '13 at 12:44

David S.

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.config should be in .dll this .dll we will include in many console apllications. – Lydia May 15 '13 at 12:58
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@Lydia There is not an easy solution for this: http://stackoverflow.com/a/1009227/1094268 – David S. May 15 '13 at 13:01

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered May 15 '13 at 12:47

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Try copying the config file to your console project. Or at least the connection strings section. Probably in an App.config.

answered May 15 '13 at 12:47

Jerry

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Yeah usually it's done via post-build processing - copying all the needed cfg-files – Konstantin Chernov May 15 '13 at 12:55

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 03 '17 at 14:25

I had a slightly different problem that I haven't seen an answer to. I was using.

ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["XXXX"].ConnectionString;

When I opened up web.config I saw that the connection string I had created was prefixed with "WebApplicationAPI.Properties.Settings." - putting the entire string in worked for me:

ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["WebApplicationAPI.Properties.Settings.XXXX"].ConnectionString;

Dave · Answer 4 · 2013-05-15T12:51:52.530

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Your config file is not in the .dll. So you're referencing nothing I would suspect! Unless you've manually copied the web.config file to the correct location or references it via an absolute path?

edited May 15 '13 at 12:51

answered May 15 '13 at 12:44

Dave

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered May 15 '13 at 12:55

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web.config is for web application.

For console application you have to use app.config.

Well, actually that's the default configuration for C#, I won't be surprised some advanced user could make it go the other way arround.

answered May 15 '13 at 12:55

Serge

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ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["XXX"] is returning null

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