Class design/best approach for initializing a user configuration file

Question

Hello SO-Followers,

I want to initialize a user configuration through a user configuration file. The path for the file can be read from the registry. The file is located in a folder with the user's name.

So I need the following functionality:

• Reading a string from registry
• building the path to the configuration file
• Reading the file into a configuration object

Now there are several approaches to handle this:

First, I need

• one "helper"-class for getting the file path (let's call it Shared)
• one "container"-class for the configuration information (let's call it Configuration)

So, Shared has a function/property like UserConfigurationFile which returns the path to the configuration file.

To get the path to the file I have a function InitializeUserConfigurationFile() which is called in the constructor of Shared:

class Shared {
    public Shared()
    {
        InitializeUserConfigurationFile();
    }

    void InitializeUserConfigurationFile()
    {
        //
        // Reads username
        //

        //
        // Reads path from Registry
        //

        //
        // etc.
        //

    }


    //
    // etc.
    //
}

Any better suggestions?

When I want to Initialize my Container I have different options:

• Is it best to initialize the user configuration within the constructor?

Sth. like:

class Container
{
    Shared shared = new Shared();

    public Container()
    {
        InitializeUserConfiguration();
    }

    void InitializeUserConfiguration()
    {
        LoadConfiguration(shared.UserConfigurationFile);
    }

    void LoadConfiguration(string filename)
    {
        //
        // Initializes all parameters frome filename
        //
    }
}

• Or through two steps (through an own method LoadConfiguration())?

Sth. like:

Shared    shared    = new Shared();
Container container = new Container();

container.LoadConfiguration(shared.UserConfigurationFile);

• Or inside the constructor of Container by delivering a filename?

Sth. like:

Shared    shared    = new Shared();
Container container = new Container(shared.UserConfigurationFile);

or everything in Container..?

There are so many ways...

I hope somebody knows a best-approch...

Regards,

Inno

Answer 1

It is better to use standard configuration classes exist in .net. Such as ApplicationSettingsBase and Configuration.

Here you can find good article series:

1. Unraveling the Mysteries of .NET 2.0 Configuration
2. Unraveling the Mysteries of .NET 2.0 Configuration
3. Cracking the Mysteries of .NET 2.0 Configuration