What is the best method to handle connection string in windows form application?

Question

My C# application use DataSet and TableAdapters. They are generated form VS2008 GUI Tool.

Example:

Right click project - > Add New Item - > DataSet

This method add a connection string automatically into app.config.

But this is hard corded method for connection string. I want to change the connection string in a easy way. But when I used data set, then connection string get from application property. Are there any solution for this situation?

This is my connection string store in Settings.Designer.cs file

    namespace WindowsFormsApplication2.Properties {


    [global::System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CompilerGeneratedAttribute()]
    [global::System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute("Microsoft.VisualStudio.Editors.SettingsDesigner.SettingsSingleFileGenerator", "9.0.0.0")]
    internal sealed partial class Settings : global::System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase {

        private static Settings defaultInstance = ((Settings)(global::System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.Synchronized(new Settings())));

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

        [global::System.Configuration.ApplicationScopedSettingAttribute()]
        [global::System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]
        [global::System.Configuration.SpecialSettingAttribute(global::System.Configuration.SpecialSetting.ConnectionString)]
        [global::System.Configuration.DefaultSettingValueAttribute("Data Source=SLCERT\\SQLEMK;Initial Catalog=TestDataBase;Integrated Security=True")]
        public string TestDataBaseConnectionString {
            get {
                return ((string)(this["TestDataBaseConnectionString"])); // this is the connection string get from the dataset's
            }
        }
    }
}

app.config contains

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
    <configSections>
    </configSections>
    <connectionStrings>
        <add name="WindowsFormsApplication2.Properties.Settings.TestDataBaseConnectionString"
            connectionString="Data Source=SLCERT\SQLEMK;Initial Catalog=TestDataBase;Integrated Security=True"
            providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />
    </connectionStrings>
</configuration>

Answer 1

I believe that you ask this, so that you don't have to manually change between local testing and production/test server.

You might want to look at How to: Transform Web.config When Deploying a Web Application Project

it's about web.config instead of app.config but it is the same idea.

ps. only for VS 2010 and above