How get web config location element?

Question

How get web config location element?

ConfigurationManager.GetSection("appSettings") returns Okay

ConfigurationManager.GetSection("location") return null

I.E. ...

<location path="FOLDER/Page2.aspx">
...
</location>

Answer 1

The reason you get an error for that is because in .NET, the custom app config section (such as the "location" section in your example) require you to provide a custom configuration section handler.

The main interface you need to use is IConfigurationSectionHandler

Here is an MSDN article on how to create your custom configuration handler.

Answer 2

I'd like to improve Neil's answer: Many say that modifying your web.config at runtime is not recommended. But here's the code how to do it.

   //The path where the web.config file is located
   string path = "~/Administrator/";

   //Collections of aspx page names separated by a comma. 
   //Example content in a textbox: Default.aspx,Audit.aspx,

   string strPages = txtPages.Text;

   //This is string array where we are going to break down all name of aspx pages 
   //contained in strPages variable

   string[] cdrPages = strValues.Split(',');

   //This is the list where we are going to transfer the names of our aspx pages 
   //for faster searching of existing items

   List<string> accesslist = new List<string>();


   try
        {
            //1. Create Role
            System.Web.Security.Roles.CreateRole(this.txtRoleName.Text);

            //2. Open the Web Configuration --> make sure that you put the correct folder location of your web.config file
            System.Configuration.Configuration config = System.Web.Configuration.WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration(path);

            //3. Get All Specified Locations
            ConfigurationLocationCollection myLocationCollection = config.Locations;

            //4. Transfer the values of string[] strPages to List<string> accessList
            for (int i = 0; i < strPages.Length; i++)
            {
                if (strPages[i].ToString() != null && strPages[i].ToString() != "")
                {
                    accesslist.Add(strPages[i].ToString());
                }
            }

            //5. Loop through the LocationCollections
            foreach (ConfigurationLocation myLocation in myLocationCollection)
            {
                //6. Checks if myLocation exists in List<string> accessList
                bool exists = accesslist.Exists(element => element == myLocation.Path); 

                //If Exists
                if (exists) {

                    //7. Open the configuration of myLocation
                    System.Configuration.Configuration sub = myLocation.OpenConfiguration();

                    //8. Get the authorization section of specific location
                    AuthorizationSection section = (System.Web.Configuration.AuthorizationSection)sub.GetSection("system.web/authorization");

                    //9. Declare the Authorization Rule, in this case, we are allowing a new role to have an access to a specific page
                    AuthorizationRule autho = new System.Web.Configuration.AuthorizationRule(System.Web.Configuration.AuthorizationRuleAction.Allow);

                    //10. Add the New Role to Authorization Section
                    autho.Roles.Add(this.txtRoleName.Text);
                    section.Rules.Add(autho);

                    //11. Save the "sub", or the specific location inside the web.config file.
                    sub.Save();
                }
            }
                message.InnerHtml = "Role Successfully Added!";
                message.Attributes.Add("class", "msg_info");
        }
        catch {
                message.InnerHtml = "Saving Failed";
                message.Attributes.Add("class", "msg_error");
        }

This may be an ugly code, but for sure it'll work. - Jan Russel 'Rusty Programmer' Calachan

Answer 3

Not sure if this is exactly what you want but you can get sections within the web.config location element like so...

AuthorizationSection pageAuthorizationSection = (AuthorizationSection)WebConfigurationManager.GetSection("system.web/authorizati‌​on", "FOLDER/Page2.aspx");

Answer 4

Does this help?

Configuration config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
ConfigurationLocationCollection myLocationCollection = config.Locations;
foreach (ConfigurationLocation myLocation in myLocationCollection)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Location Path: {0}", myLocation.Path);
    Configuration myLocationConfiguration = myLocation.OpenConfiguration();
    Console.WriteLine("Location Configuration File Path: {0}",              myLocationConfiguration.FilePath);
}
Console.WriteLine("Done...");
Console.ReadLine();

Taken from here

Answer 5

this is because appSettings is a known (default) config section in a .NET application. If you want to use your own config section, you have to create it.