"Configuration system failed to initialize" when accessing settings.settings

Question

Ever since deleting the original settings.settings file I have had endless problems getting the settings to function. I receive the "Configuration system failed to initialize" error on the get or set methods. Any ideas? thanks.

    public static Settings Default {
        get {
            return defaultInstance;
        }
    }

    [global::System.Configuration.UserScopedSettingAttribute()]
    [global::System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]
    [global::System.Configuration.DefaultSettingValueAttribute("Keywords.log")]
    public string KeywordsLog {
        get {
            return ((string)(this["KeywordsLog"]));
        }
        set {
            this["KeywordsLog"] = value;
        }
    }

Problem is located in Settings.Designer.cs

Adrian Banks, I'm afraid I don't know how to further debug? It already breaks on the error. The header of the box given is "ConfigurationErrorsException" if that helps in any way.

I apologize, I did not realize you could see further details in VS.

System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException was unhandled
  Message="Configuration system failed to initialize"
  Source="System.Configuration"
  BareMessage="Configuration system failed to initialize"
  Line=0
  StackTrace:
       at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.EnsureInit(String configKey)
       at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.PrepareClientConfigSystem(String sectionName)
       at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.System.Configuration.Internal.IInternalConfigSystem.RefreshConfig(String sectionName)
       at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(String sectionName)
       at System.Configuration.ClientSettingsStore.ReadSettings(String sectionName, Boolean isUserScoped)
       at System.Configuration.LocalFileSettingsProvider.GetPropertyValues(SettingsContext context, SettingsPropertyCollection properties)
       at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertiesFromProvider(SettingsProvider provider)
       at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertyValueByName(String propertyName)
       at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.get_Item(String propertyName)
       at System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.GetPropertyValue(String propertyName)
       at System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.get_Item(String propertyName)
       at READOO.Properties.Settings.get_KeywordsLog() in C:\Users\USER\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\READOO\READOO\Properties\Settings.Designer.cs:line 31
       at READOO.SettingsWindow..ctor() in C:\Users\USER\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\READOO\READOO\SettingsWindow.cs:line 19
       at READOO.WelcomeWindow.Settings_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Users\user\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\READOO\READOO\WelcomeWindow.cs:line 23
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
       at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DebuggableCallback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
       at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessageW(MSG& msg)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(Int32 dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
       at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
       at READOO.Program.Main() in C:\Users\USER\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\READOO\READOO\Program.cs:line 18
       at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(Assembly assembly, String[] args)
       at System.Runtime.Hosting.ApplicationActivator.CreateInstance(ActivationContext activationContext, String[] activationCustomData)
       at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssemblyDebugInZone()
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
  InnerException: System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException
       Message="Section or group name 'READOO.Properties.Settings' is already defined. This can not be defined multiple times. (C:\\Users\\USER\\Documents\\Visual Studio 2008\\Projects\\READOO\\READOO\\bin\\Debug\\READOO.exe.config line 6)"
       Source="System.Configuration"
       BareMessage="Section or group name 'READOO.Properties.Settings' is already defined. This can not be defined multiple times."
       Filename="C:\\Users\\USER\\Documents\\Visual Studio 2008\\Projects\\READOO\\READOO\\bin\\Debug\\READOO.exe.config"
       Line=6
       StackTrace:
            at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean ignoreLocal)
            at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfInitErrors()
            at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.EnsureInit(String configKey)
       InnerException: 

@ joan -> chill.

Answer 1

This would be your clue:

Section or group name 'READOO.Properties.Settings' is already defined. This can not be defined multiple times. (C:\Users\Dylan\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\READOO\READOO\bin\Debug\READOO.exe.config line 6)

You probably have 2 <section name="READOO.Properties.Settings"> elements in your <configSections> definition within that config file.

The duplicate entry is most likely at line 6 in said config file.