Use ini/appconfig file or sql server file to store user config?

Posted by h2g2java on Stack Overflow See other posts from Stack Overflow or by h2g2java
Published on 2010-05-16T04:48:40Z Indexed on 2010/05/16 4:50 UTC
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Filed under:

c#

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ini-file

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app.config

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sql-server

I know that the preference for INI or appconfig XML is their human readability.

Let's say user preferences stored for my app are hierarchical and numbers about a thousand items and it would be really confusing for a user to edit an INI to change things anyway.

I have always been using a combination of INI with appconfig.

I am leaning towards using sql server db file, now. Every time the user changes a preference while using the app, it would be stored into the db file - that's my line of thought. I am also thinking that such a config db file could move around with the app too, just like an INI.

Before I do that, any advice
1. If there are any disadvantages against using a db file over INI or appconfig.
2. If a shop uses mysql or oracle, do you think your colleagues would lift up their pro-mysql or pro-oracle eyebrow questioning why you would use sql server technology in a mysql or oracle shop? I mean, I am just using it like an INI file or app.config anyway, right?

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