Move most appsettings keys in web.config to administration

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12/12/2008 8:19:49 PM
mzirino
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Move appsettings keys in web.config to administration

I would like to see most of the keys that are currently in the web.config appSettings section moved to a database table.  I really feel like the web.config is too large for a new user. Then, in administration, create a page where we can set the keys, categorize them, find descriptions for what they are, etc...

Maybe I can try to code this if I find time...

Marco

12/13/2008 4:29:01 AM
Joe Audette
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Re: Move most appsettings keys in web.config to administration

Sorry, but I disagree with you.

If you want to make the case for specific settings that could be moved to site settings feel free to argue why they should be site settings instead of config settings. I will discuss them on a case by case basis.

But in general I have good reasons why some things are not site settings and when I review the app settings I only see a few candidates where I might consider making them site settings. I already have a place in the database where I could store additional site settings if I decide they need to go there.

New users should just accept the defaults in most cases and only make changes from default when they understand what the setting does.
Actually adding more settings in the UI is going to present more confusing choices to non-technical users and make it less user friendly.
Many of the settings need to be enforced globally and not be allowed to differ in different sites in a multi-site installation and config settings is the best place for that. Someone who can edit the web.config is considered a server admin, it may not be desirable to let site admins change some settings.

I will say that I do need to review them and its possible there are a few no longer used settings that could be removed.

Best,

Joe

12/13/2008 11:20:09 AM
mzirino
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Re: Move most appsettings keys in web.config to administration

I see your points.  There are two intuitions that cause my opinion:

1.  The app.config seems very large.  (of course because I am not yet familiar with it).
2.  It seems keys do many things for many different parts of the app.  Maybe the keys could be moved to places that they effect (for instance ecommerce keys)
3.  I have experience with BV commerce where it is done this way, and it seems very clean and simple.

Maybe they could be broken down into sections, for example: "ecommerce","mapping","site settings". 

Mojo's a great app.  Thanks for all the work, and I hope this input is useful.


Marco

12/29/2008 10:54:59 AM
Joe Audette
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Re: Move most appsettings keys in web.config to administration

The more things you make configurable the more settings you end up with. mojoPortal has a lot of features, BV commerce is not something I'm familiar with but it sounds like one feature, its only natural that we have more settings when we have more features.

Things that are changed infrequently should be in appSettings. Moving things into separate files is difficult to implement compared to just using appSettings and doesn't make it less complicated, its less complicated if there is only 1 place to look for settings.

I have done some cleanup and re-organisation/grouping of appSettings to help make it a little easier, put most important stuff at the top and less important stuff towards the bottom, etc.

Best,

Joe

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