Getting a Connection String from Azure App Config via Configuration.GetConnectionString() - azure

Question

Is there a special way to define a Key Value setting for ConnectionStrings in Azure App Configuration?
I have tried using:
ConnectionStrings:DatabaseKeyName
ConnectionStrings\DatabaseKeyName
Using the standard builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("DatabaseKeyName") always results in a null value. Using builder.Configuration["ConnectionStrings:DatabaseKeyName"] also results in null, however if I use a keyname that does not start with ConnectionStrings (e.g. Test:ConnectionStrings:DatabaseKeyName it works as an app setting via builder.Configuration["Test:ConnectionStrings:DatabaseKeyName"]
The Null value for ConnectionStrings:DatabaseKeyName indicates there is some special handling for ConnectionStrings in Azure App Config, but I don't know where I am going wrong. The Microsoft example pages don't seem to cover ConnectionStrings (except via KeyVault).
Basically I do not want to have to change this:
services.AddDbContext<IciContext>(o =>
{
o.UseSqlServer(Configuration.GetConnectionString("DatabaseKeyName"));
});
To this:
services.AddDbContext<IciContext>(o =>
{
o.UseSqlServer(builder.Configuration["DatabaseKeyName"]);
});
Standard app config connection string setting I need to simulate from Azure App Config:
{
"ConnectionStrings": {
"DatabaseKeyName": "Data Source=localhost;Initial Catalog=xxxx;Integrated Security=True"
},
In my secrets file it is in this format (which does not work with Azure App Config):
{
"ConnectionStrings:DatabaseKeyName": "Server=xxxx;Database=xxxx;User ID=xxxx;Password=xxxx"
}

Answer 1

To get the Connection String from Azure App Configuration, please check the below process.
Install the NuGet Package Microsoft.Azure.AppConfiguration.AspNetCore latest version to add the AddAzureAppConfiguration and read the key values.
To read Azure App Configuration locally, we need to set the secret manager to store the connection string.
dotnet user-secrets init
The above command enables the secret storage and sets the secret ID in .csproj of your application.
In Program.cs, add the below code
var myAppConn= builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("AppConfig");
Output:
As mentioned in the MSDoc, For the Apps deployed in Azure App Service it is recommended to store Connection String in Configuration Section => Application Settings => Connection Strings of the deployed App.
Is there a special way to define a Key Value setting for ConnectionStrings in Azure App Configuration?
In Azure App Configuration => *YourAppConfiguration* => click on Configuration explorer Under Operations => click on Create => Key-value
In Program.cs, add the below code
var myconn = builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("AppConfig");
builder.Host.ConfigureAppConfiguration(builder =>
{
builder.AddAzureAppConfiguration(myconn);
})
.ConfigureServices(services =>
{
services.AddControllersWithViews();
});
In any of the cshtml file, add the below code
#using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration
#inject IConfiguration Configuration
<h1>#Configuration["MyConnection"]</h1>
Output for Key-Value from AppConfiguration: