Applications build on the Milos Solution Platform need to be configured in a number of ways. This could happen through a simple mechanism such as native .NET configuration files. By default, you can put configuration options in the app config file and then use the Milos configuration system to retrieve the settings. However, for advanced systems, native configuration files are not sufficient, since they have a number of shortcomings, such as insufficient security, separation of user and system settings, inability to create server-side configuration, and updatability through admin tools or application option dialogs.

The vision of the Milos System Configuration features is to provide a framework for any number of configuration sources that can be accessed through a unified interface. Each configuration source can be implemented as a new object that accesses a certain configuration source. A single way of accessing configuration options will then use all source objects to find the desired configuration settings. The order of instantiation of those configuration objects will determine the order in which options will override each other. (The developer shall also have the option to access a configuration through a specific source object.).

The system also allows advanced features such as hierarchical configuration and easy switching between sets of configuration options (such as easy switching to a new database configuration with all involved settings).

There are 3 configuration files that Milos commonly uses:

• The standard .NET app.config or web.config file
  
• A developer.config file (overrides some settings for use on development boxes)
  
• A configuration file used for running unit tests (other config files are ignored when running unit tests)
  

Notes:

• Milos does not use the <connectionStrings> tag, instead it uses settings in the <appSettings> section to connect to data.
  
• Milos takes advantage of the file= attribute of the <appSettings> tag to allow developers to override settings in the main .config file locally without affecting the main .config file in source control.

  <appSettings file="developer.config">

  
  
• Milos WinForm and Web Project templates contain a default .config file with typical Milos settings
  
• Config files with typical Milos settings can also be added from Milos Item Templates by right clicking on a project and choosing Add, New Item... and choose the corresponding Milos Config File Item Template listed in the "My Templates" section of the dialog.
  

• A sample Milos app.config file
  
• A sample Milos web.config file
  
• A sample Milos developer.config file
  
• A sample Milos unit test config file
  
• Retrieving a configuration setting in code
  

For a more in-depth discussion of configuration files, see the "How-To" help file.