C# settings being loaded from .exe.config but are saved to user.config

Question

For some reason when my application loads it reads the settings from programname.exe.config in the application path, but when I call Properties.Settings.Default.Save() the settings are saved in Appdata/local/program/version/user.config
How do I get my application to load from user.config?

If I delete programname.exe.config, its regenerated next time the program is run.

Answer 1

You need to do this,

Properties.Settings.Default.Upgrade()

before the save.

Answer 2

This is the legitimate behavior. The User settings are specific to user, and therefore saved in user profile. Imagine where a user customize some setting for him, and they are being overridden by some other user. It will not be a good user experience certainly.

The loading of user settings would be same.

For example you have a UserSetting called quality, you can read this setting like -

var qualitySettingValue = Properties.Settings.Default.quality;

...and you can modify this value and save the new settings like -

Properties.Settings.Default["quality"] = "New Quality Settings";
Properties.Settings.Default.Save();

Now next time when you read this value like this -

var qualitySettingValue = Properties.Settings.Default.quality;

qualitySettingValue will have the updated value -

Application level settings on the other hand are common to all users, will be saved in Application.exce.config file.