options to execute a C# console application

Question

I am writing a C# 2010 console application that will have between 10 to 30 ways on how to run the application. The ways to run the application depends upon the parameter values that are supplied to the application. There a few ways to run the console application were the steps need to be completed successfully before the next step is executed.

I am trying to determine the best way to setup this application. Should I have the program determine how it should run by:

1. passing values to console application that will be run in the main method?
2. Should I use a database table that will be read to determine the way the program shoulld be executed on a particular run?
3. Is there an option using a windows service and/or scheduler?
4. Do you have any other options that will work?

Basically can you tell me what method you think would be the best and why? In adition can you tell me and/or point me to a reference that I can use to code your method of choice?

kianu rieves · Answer

Based on what you've stated it sounds like during any given run that you might need different parameters. In which case a data-driven approach is best (retrieving parameter settings from a database table: the query to retrieve from the database can use WHERE clauses to filter the returned data to your specifications depending on the particular run). If the parameter settings will always be the same for each run then I'd use key/value pair settings in the .config file's AppSettings section (that would be the MyApp.exe.config file). http://www.dapfor.com/en/net-suite/net-grid/tutorial/data-binding