Special Edition Using Microsoft® Visual Basic® .NET

Questions: Using Files

1. I need to store configuration data with an application on the end-user’s PC. Of all the different methods, which one should I use? The answer depends on what type of data you want to store. The following list contains some examples:

   • Simple variable/value pairs, such as default color scheme, file locations, or database connection string—If just you or your program needs to access these values, put them in the registry. If an end user needs to edit these outside of your program or copy them to another computer, consider an INI file.

   • Free-Form Text Message, such as the license agreement for your software—Use a text file.

   • Structured data, such as a list of states and their abbreviations for importing on program startup—Create ...