Save default settings for comboBoxes

Question

Hi

I have multiple comboBoxes each populates same options.

For example:

string[] Items = { "Name", "ID", "Country", "Address", "Age", "Gender" };
string[] mySelectedItems = new string[4];

In the form_load
{

Cb1.Items.AddRange(Items);
Cb2.Items.AddRange(Items);
Cb3.Items.AddRange(Items);
Cb4.Items.AddRange(Items);

SelectedItems[0] = Items[1];
SelectedItems[1] = Items[0];
SelectedItems[2] = Items[2];
SelectedItems[3] = Items[5];

}

If I selected different option from each comboBox, Lets say:
Country from cb1 , Name from cb2 and ID from cb3.

Then, If I'd like to save this current selections to be used like a default settings whenever my application runs next time. then maybe I need to save the selection on array and in the forom_load I'll set a condition to run one of those two settings. But what is the condition on this case?

Or maybe i need to save the current settings and give a name for the setting, and when I need to use this setting, I just need to select the name and press on load button.

for this, where to save the selection and give a name so that I can load later? Do I need a DB? Still beginner in coding.

Javeed M Shaikh · Answer

It all depends on your application, if these values are user specific and your application will be used by the same user from a different machine then storing in the DB would make sense as these information can be accessed by that user from any where. If these values should only be used from his machine then you might as well store it in the AppSettings of the application. I am assuming that it is a winform application installed on users machine.

Javeed M Shaikh · Answer

yes that would work only if you share the exe file, if for any reason if you need to change any other information in the config file that requires redeployment then you need to make sure that your code creates the same settings file for each user, or other options are user registry or a file in users folder.

Hind Najim · Answer

Hi Javeed Thanks for the help. I got the idea.. But, I have a question, If I want to send my exe file to another user so that he can work on it also, will this work on his computer as well? lets say if I create in my project/form 3buttons, one for the default settings, one for the store settings and one for resetting. Those buttons work fine with me, because I'm the one who developed this app, but what if I need to send it to some one else?

Javeed M Shaikh · Answer

In your project's property pages, go to the Settings page, and define your settings. For example you created settings with the same Settings1, so this is how you use in your application: // Read settings textBox1.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.Settings1; // Write settings Properties.Settings.Default.Settings1 = TextBox2.Text; // Save settings Properties.Settings.Default.Save(); these will be saved in the application settings file present on the users machine for that user.

Hind Najim · Answer

Hi Javeed it is Windows form application and the values are user specific. Lets assume that I need to save the setting in my machine, how to use the appSettings of the application to achieve this? I found some articles and answers when I googled it, but still couldn't get the idea. ...

Save default settings for comboBoxes

Vipan Sharma