Where to keep config data other than config file (Windows App)?

Thursday, May 20, 2010 by Nate Bross

Someone asked on Stack Overflow:

My Windows application GUI is accepting some required application configuration fields from the user. I need to store them of course, but I wanna hide these fields from the user.

1. I cannot use database to store these configs.
2. I want to avoid using app.config either. (No app.config encryption)

Any suggestions, Where and in which format i should store fields. (Field example is: Accepting database User credentials, Task Schedule info etc.)

I posted the following answer, which was chosen as the accepted answer and received 1 upvote:

I would use an XML file (encrypt if you feel its necessary) and use

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.ApplicationData)

to store it in the %AppData% section of the user’s file system.

Additionally, you may write a Settings class which you serialize to disk and deserialize to memory — this could save you some persistance logic with the XML namespace.

Originally posted on Stack Overflow — 1 upvotes (accepted answer). Licensed under CC BY-SA.