ApplyWebConfigModifications to only one web application and not all the farm

Question

I want to apply web.config modifications only on the webapplication i am installing my feature on and not all the web.configs of the farm. i am using SPWebService.ApplyWebConfigModifications , how can i do that? Help pls

Answer 1

The feature you use to deploy the modifications should be web app scoped and should have a feature receiver, activating the feature on the desired web app only should do the trick.

Answer 2

public override void FeatureActivated(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)
{
    using (SPSite site = ((SPSite)properties.Feature.Parent))
    {

    SPWebApplication webApplication = site.WebApplication;
    // webApplication.WebConfigModifications.Clear();

    // do modifications, using the feature.GetType().FullName as the Owner

       webApplication.Update();
       webApplication.Farm.Services.GetValue().ApplyWebConfigModifications();
    }
}

public override void FeatureDeactivating(SPFeatureReceiverProperties properties)
{
    using (SPSite site = ((SPSite)properties.Feature.Parent))
    {
        SPWebApplication webApplication = site.WebApplication;

        Collection entries = webApplication.WebConfigModifications;

        for (int i = entries.Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
        {
            SPWebConfigModification entry = entries[i];
            if (entry.Owner == this.GetType().FullName)
                entries.Remove(entry);

    }

      webApplication.Update();
      webApplication.Farm.Services.GetValue().ApplyWebConfigModifications();
    }

}

Edit

In order to manage your current modifications without going directly in the SQL Server, use this file and copy it inside the folder: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\ADMIN and access it from http://centraladministration:PORT/_admin/webconfig.aspx

Original sources TheKid blog and Harmjan Greving’s Blog

Answer 3

ok, the main problem is that my feature was scoped "farm", and on featureactivated a new line was added to web.config. Now everytime i install any feature, this line is always added to the web.config. I completely removed the feature, i even made a completely new feature with a new featureid (web app scoped) and still everytime i activate a feature, the same old line of the old (deleted) farm feature is added to all the web.configs.

This is crazy, how to cancel this thing, plsssss help.