Reading App.config elements in a C# project

Question

I am working in Visual Studio 2010. I have a C# project inside a solution, and an App.config in the main project directory. I'm trying to read properties in App.config from the Main() method, as follows:

String test = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["streamType"];

My App.config file looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <sectionGroup name="applicationSettings"
              type="System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
      <section name="InteropClient.Properties.Settings"
                type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089"
                requirePermission="false" />
    </sectionGroup>
    <section name="connections" type="" />
    <section name="streamType" type="" />
    <section name="messageClass" type="" />
    <section name="serializationMethod" type="" />
    <section name="encryptionMethod" type="" />
  </configSections>

  <connections>
    <connection type="zkClient" connectionString="168.72.70.62:9181" sessionTimeout="5000" initInstructions="" name="zk1"
              classes="Sodao.Zookeeper.Config.ZookeeperConfig, Zookeeper" />
    <connection type="TcpClient" connectionString="" initInstructions="" />
  </connections>
  <streamType>MemoryStream</streamType>
  <messageClass>XGenericMessage</messageClass>
  <serializationMethod>Thrift</serializationMethod>
  <encryptionMethod></encryptionMethod>
</configuration>

Trying to run the Main() method, the C# line above throws a ConfigurationErrorsException that

Configuration system failed to initialize.

I'm not sure why that is. I think I've done everything in the instructions. I'd appreciate some clarity on this issue.

Answer 1

I believe it should look like this.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
  </configSections>
  **<appSettings>
      <add key="streamType" value="Somevalue" />
  </appSettings>**
</configuration>

With your AppSettings node being outside the configSections.

Answer 2

This is how you would use AppSettings:

<appSettings>
  <add key="streamType" value="Somevalue" />
</appSettings>

Answer 3

you did not set the type of the section you want..

<section name="streamType" type="" />

you should add this section for the initialization