Pass data to startup.cs

Question

How do you pass data into startup.cs ?

This is for integration testing using WebHostBuilder and TestServer

I need to pass different data depending on the Test Fixture. So dont want to pull it in from a config file, for example

The data will be supplied to a registered Middleware in startup.cs

Docs seem to suggest this should work:

var configBuilder = new ConfigurationBuilder()
                .AddInMemoryCollection(new[]
                {
                    new KeyValuePair<string, string>("key", "value"),
                });

            var configuration = configBuilder.Build();

            var host = new WebHostBuilder()
                .UseKestrel()
                .UseContentRoot(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
                .UseIISIntegration()
                .UseConfiguration(configuration) // config added here
                .UseStartup<Startup>()
                .Build();

            host.Run();

but when I inspect the Configuration object in startup.cs, the key is not present. And only the providers defined in startup.cs are available.

I am trying to do this in program.cs at the moment to test the concept, then will move to integration tests later

any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Is there a better way to pass data into startup?

Answer 1

One way to send data into the Startup would be to register a service in Main. WebHostBuilder has ConfigureServices method which can be used just like the ConfigureServices method you can implement in the Startup class.

For example you can make a class with static variables (not the best idea but works)

public class DataContainer
{
   public static string Test;
}

Then set its values and add it as a singleton service

DataContainer.Test = "testing";

var host = new WebHostBuilder()
            .ConfigureServices(s => { s.AddSingleton(typeof(DataContainer)); })
            .UseKestrel()
            .UseContentRoot(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory())
            .UseIISIntegration()
            .UseConfiguration(configuration) // config added here
            .UseStartup<Startup>()
            .Build();

After this your Startup can just use the regular injection way to get this

public Startup(IHostingEnvironment env, DataContainer data)
{
  // data.Test is available here and has the value that has been set in Main
}

The injection of course works in any class and method after this, not just the constructor.

I'm not sure if this is any better than to actually create a class with static values by itself but if the class needs to be changed sometimes it can be made into an interface and the other usual injection benefits.