Is it possible to use web.config from other app in asp.net?

Question

I have my asp.net web site. This web site is part of another big application that has its own web.config. Is it possible to force my web site use this web.config?

For example, root application with web.config:

C:\RootApp\web.config

And nested web site:

C:\RootApp\SomeFolder\NestedWebSite

I want NestedWebSite to use root web.config.

Note: NestedWebSite is complete ASP.NET WebSite

Answer 1

You should take a look how ASP.NET Configuration File Hierarchy and Inheritance works. More specifically the Scope of Configuration Settings section.

Basically it cascade (like Belogix pointed out) the configurations follow how the virtual directory is configured.

WebSiteRootApp
---->AnotherNestedWebSite
-------->EvenMoreNestedWebSite   
---->NestedWebSite 

In this example the NestedWebSite will inherit all config above (according the links I provided). But in this example I want to point that it will inherit your WebSiteRootApp config.

In the EvenMoreNestedWebSite example it will inherit its "father" and "grampa" too, in this case AnotherNestedWebSite and WebSiteRootApp.

Some configurations maybe you will not want to inherit so you can avoid this with this example:

<connectionStrings>
    <clear/>
    <add name="connectionString" value="sample value"/>
</connectionStrings>

In the above example I can specify that EvenMoreNestedWebSite needs to forget all configurations in that section it inherit and use just the one provided.