Custom Configuration Sections

Question

I am currently trying to implement a Custom Configuration Section in a project I am busy with and no matter what I try I keep getting the error below:

{"An error occurred creating the configuration section handler for pageAppearanceGroup/pageAppearance: Could not load type 'Samples.AspNet.PageAppearanceSection' from assembly 'System.Configuration, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'. (E:\Three Nine Developments\lastfm\msdn\msdn\bin\Debug\Samples.Aspnet.vshost.exe.config line 6)"}

I have copied the code from this MSDN Artricle:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2tw134k3.aspx

I still get the same error.

I have tried the all the advice/guide in the following articles but to no avail.
http://www.evanclosson.com/devlog/bettercustomerrorsinaspnetcustomconfigurationsection

http://geekswithblogs.net/akraus1/articles/64871.aspx

This must be something stupid that I am missing. I am running Vista, could that be a problem? some obscure security setting?

    <configuration>
  <!-- Configuration section-handler declaration area. -->
  <configSections>
    <sectionGroup name="pageAppearanceGroup">
      <section
        name="pageAppearance"
        type="Samples.AspNet.PageAppearanceSection"
        allowLocation="true"
        allowDefinition="Everywhere"
      />
    </sectionGroup>
    <!-- Other <section> and <sectionGroup> elements. -->
  </configSections>

  <!-- Configuration section settings area. -->
  <pageAppearanceGroup>
    <pageAppearance remoteOnly="true">
      <font name="TimesNewRoman" size="18"/>
      <color background="000000" foreground="FFFFFF"/>
    </pageAppearance>
  </pageAppearanceGroup>



</configuration>

Answer 1

My guess is that you've copied the code, but you have different assembly names. Posting the config will help.

I would also fully quality your type in the config (something that sample doesn't show). Something like...

<section name="MySection" type="My.Assembly.Type, My.Assembly" />

Answer 2

You should also check out Jon Rista's three-part series on .NET 2.0 configuration up on CodeProject.

• Unraveling the mysteries of .NET 2.0 configuration
• Decoding the mysteries of .NET 2.0 configuration
• Cracking the mysteries of .NET 2.0 configuration

Highly recommended, well written and extremely helpful!

Marc