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Terminal.Gui/docfx/docs/config.md
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* Update newinv2.md

Terminal.Gui v2 introduces a reimagined architecture, removing redundant and overly complex code from v1. Key changes include:

- Added TrueColor support with 24-bit RGB handling.
- Introduced modular adornments framework (Margin, Border, Padding).
- Enhanced Unicode and wide character support for internationalization.
- Simplified API with centralized navigation and modern .NET standards.
- Added built-in scrolling via `Viewport` and improved `ScrollBar`.
- Introduced new views (Bar, CharMap, ColorPicker, etc.) and enhanced existing ones.
- Added `ConfigurationManager` for customizable themes and settings.
- Improved visual fidelity with `LineCanvas`, gradients, and borders.
- Introduced logging, metrics, and Sixel image support.
- Enhanced keyboard and mouse APIs for better interaction handling.
- Ensured AOT compatibility for simplified deployment.

These changes modernize the library, improve usability, and expand its capabilities for terminal-based applications.

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* Revamp View.md documentation for clarity and depth

Comprehensively restructured and enhanced the `View.md` documentation for the `Terminal.Gui` library to improve usability and completeness.

- Added a Table of Contents for easier navigation.
- Rewrote the "View Hierarchy" section to clarify terminology and key properties, with links to relevant API references.
- Expanded "View Composition" and "Core Concepts" sections with detailed explanations of layers, adornments, and scrolling.
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- Introduced a "Common View Patterns" section with practical examples for creating custom views, adding subviews, and implementing scrolling.
- Added an "Advanced Topics" section covering diagnostics, view states, and shadow effects.
- Included numerous inline code examples to illustrate key concepts.
- Concluded with a "See Also" section linking to related deep-dive documentation.

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* Update and expand Configuration Management documentation

The document title was updated to "Configuration Management Deep Dive" to reflect its expanded scope. A new Table of Contents was added for improved navigation. The introduction and "Overview" sections were rewritten to provide a clearer explanation of the `ConfigurationManager` class and its key features.

New sections were added, including "Getting Started," "Themes and Schemes," "Defining Configuration Properties," "Events," and "Best Practices." These sections provide detailed explanations, examples, and recommendations for using the `ConfigurationManager` effectively.

The "Configuration Scopes" and "Configuration Locations and Precedence" sections were restructured and expanded with detailed explanations, diagrams, and examples. Advanced topics such as JSON error handling, runtime configuration, and file system watching were introduced.

The document now includes several new examples, such as theme switching and custom application settings, along with references to related topics and UICatalog examples. The content was reorganized for clarity, with redundant sections removed.

* Refactor and expand Arrangement system documentation

Updated the title to "View Arrangement Deep Dive" and added a Table of Contents for better navigation. Expanded the "Overview" section and restructured "Arrangement Modes" with detailed examples. Added new sections for "Arrange Mode (Interactive)," "Movable Views," "Resizable Views," and "Creating Resizable Splitters," with practical code samples.

Enhanced "Tiled vs Overlapped Layouts" and "Modal Views" sections, and introduced "Runnable Views" to explain non-modal behavior. Expanded the "Examples" section with multiple use cases and added advanced topics like Z-order management and arrangement events.

Updated `arrangement-lexicon.md` with API links for key terms. Improved formatting and consistency throughout the document to enhance clarity and usability.

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Updated the reference to `CONTRIBUTING.md` to use a relative
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* Refactor URL handling and add OSC 8 hyperlink support

Replaced `UrlRegex` with the new `Osc8UrlLinker` utility to handle URL detection and wrapping with OSC 8 hyperlink sequences, improving modularity and maintainability. Updated `OutputBase` to use `Osc8UrlLinker.WrapOsc8` for URL processing and removed legacy `WrapUrlsWithHyperlinks` logic.

Added the `Osc8UrlLinker` class with robust URL parsing, support for allowed schemes, and handling of edge cases like trailing punctuation and ANSI escape sequences. Improved performance with efficient `StringBuilder` usage.

Enhanced `AnimationScenario` to ensure URLs with underscores are drawn correctly. Improved code readability by renaming constants, simplifying nullable handling, and updating documentation.

Replaced legacy `UrlDetectionTests` with `Osc8UrlLinkerTests`, covering standalone URLs, URLs in text, multiple URLs, and edge cases. Verified hyperlink wrapping correctness and visible content integrity.

Updated `Terminal.sln.ToDo.DotSettings` to disable auto-opening of the Stack Trace Explorer. Cleaned up unused code, enabled nullable reference types, and improved XML documentation formatting.

---------

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Co-authored-by: Tig <tig@users.noreply.github.com>
2025-10-26 13:03:17 -06:00

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Markdown

# Configuration Management Deep Dive
Terminal.Gui provides a comprehensive configuration system that allows users and developers to customize application behavior and appearance through JSON configuration files. The [ConfigurationManager](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.yml) enables persistent settings, themes, and application-specific preferences.
## Table of Contents
- [Overview](#overview)
- [Getting Started](#getting-started)
- [Configuration Scopes](#configuration-scopes)
- [Configuration Locations and Precedence](#configuration-locations-and-precedence)
- [Themes and Schemes](#themes-and-schemes)
- [Defining Configuration Properties](#defining-configuration-properties)
- [Loading and Applying Configuration](#loading-and-applying-configuration)
- [Events](#events)
- [What Can Be Configured](#what-can-be-configured)
- [Configuration File Format](#configuration-file-format)
- [Best Practices](#best-practices)
---
## Overview
The [ConfigurationManager](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.yml) provides:
- **Persistent Settings** - User preferences stored in JSON files
- **Theme System** - Named collections of visual settings
- **Scheme Management** - Color and text style definitions
- **Configuration Precedence** - Layered configuration from multiple sources
- **Runtime Configuration** - In-memory configuration without files
- **AOT Compatible** - Works with Native AOT compilation
### Key Features
- JSON-based configuration with schema validation
- Multiple configuration locations (user home, app directory, resources)
- Process-wide settings using static properties
- Built-in themes (Default, Dark, Light, etc.)
- Custom glyphs and Unicode characters
- Event-driven configuration changes
---
## Getting Started
### Enabling Configuration
**ConfigurationManager is disabled by default** and must be explicitly enabled:
```csharp
using Terminal.Gui.Configuration;
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
// Enable configuration with all sources
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.All);
Application.Init();
// ... rest of app
}
}
```
### Quick Example
```csharp
// Enable configuration
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.All);
// Listen for configuration changes
ConfigurationManager.Applied += (sender, e) =>
{
Console.WriteLine("Configuration applied!");
};
// Switch themes
ThemeManager.Theme = "Dark";
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
```
---
## Configuration Scopes
Terminal.Gui uses three configuration scopes, each serving a different purpose:
### 1. SettingsScope
System-level settings that affect Terminal.Gui behavior. Only Terminal.Gui library developers can define [SettingsScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.SettingsScope.yml) properties.
```csharp
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(SettingsScope))]
public static bool Force16Colors { get; set; } = false;
```
**Examples:**
- `Application.QuitKey` - Default key to quit applications
- `Application.Force16Colors` - Force 16-color mode
- `Key.Separator` - Character separating keys in key combinations
### 2. ThemeScope
Visual appearance settings that can be themed. Only Terminal.Gui library developers can define [ThemeScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ThemeScope.yml) properties.
```csharp
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(ThemeScope))]
public static LineStyle DefaultBorderStyle { get; set; } = LineStyle.Single;
```
**Examples:**
- `Window.DefaultBorderStyle` - Default border style for windows
- `Dialog.DefaultShadow` - Default shadow style for dialogs
- `Schemes` - Color schemes for the theme
### 3. AppSettingsScope (Default)
Application-specific settings. Application developers can define [AppSettingsScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.AppSettingsScope.yml) properties for their apps.
```csharp
[ConfigurationProperty] // AppSettingsScope is default
public static string MyAppSetting { get; set; } = "default value";
```
**Important:**
- App developers **cannot** define `SettingsScope` or `ThemeScope` properties
- AppSettings property names must be globally unique (automatically prefixed with class name)
---
## Configuration Locations and Precedence
Configuration is loaded from multiple locations with increasing precedence (higher numbers override lower):
### ConfigLocations Enum
[ConfigLocations](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml) specifies where configuration can be loaded from:
1. **[ConfigLocations.HardCoded](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)** (Lowest Precedence)
- Default values in code (static property initializers)
- Always available, even when ConfigurationManager is disabled
2. **[ConfigLocations.LibraryResources](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)**
- Settings in `Terminal.Gui.dll` resources (`Terminal.Gui.Resources.config.json`)
- Defines default themes and settings for the library
3. **[ConfigLocations.Runtime](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)**
- Settings in [ConfigurationManager.RuntimeConfig](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.yml#Terminal_Gui_Configuration_ConfigurationManager_RuntimeConfig) string property
- In-memory configuration without files
4. **[ConfigLocations.AppResources](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)**
- App-specific resources (`MyApp.Resources.config.json` or `Resources/config.json`)
- Embedded in the application assembly
5. **[ConfigLocations.AppHome](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)**
- App-specific file in user's home directory (`~/.tui/MyApp.config.json`)
6. **[ConfigLocations.AppCurrent](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)**
- App-specific file in current directory (`./.tui/MyApp.config.json`)
7. **[ConfigLocations.GlobalHome](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)**
- Global file in user's home directory (`~/.tui/config.json`)
8. **[ConfigLocations.GlobalCurrent](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)** (Highest Precedence)
- Global file in current directory (`./.tui/config.json`)
### Precedence Diagram
```mermaid
graph TD
A[1. Hard-coded Defaults] --> B[2. Library Resources]
B --> C[3. Runtime Config]
C --> D[4. App Resources]
D --> E[5. App Home Directory]
E --> F[6. App Current Directory]
F --> G[7. Global Home Directory]
G --> H[8. Global Current Directory]
style A fill:#f9f9f9
style H fill:#90EE90
```
### File Locations
**Global Settings** (`config.json`):
- Windows: `C:\Users\username\.tui\config.json`
- macOS/Linux: `~/.tui/config.json` or `./.tui/config.json`
**App-Specific Settings** (`AppName.config.json`):
- Windows: `C:\Users\username\.tui\UICatalog.config.json`
- macOS/Linux: `~/.tui/UICatalog.config.json` or `./.tui/UICatalog.config.json`
---
## Themes and Schemes
### Theme System
A **Theme** is a named collection of visual settings bundled together. Terminal.Gui includes several built-in themes.
#### Built-in Themes
- **Default** - The default Terminal.Gui theme (matches hard-coded defaults)
- **Dark** - Dark color scheme with heavy borders
- **Light** - Light color scheme
- **TurboPascal 5** - Classic Turbo Pascal IDE colors
- **And more** - See `Terminal.Gui/Resources/config.json` for all built-in themes
#### Using Themes
```csharp
// Get current theme
ThemeScope currentTheme = ThemeManager.GetCurrentTheme();
// Get all available themes
Dictionary<string, ThemeScope> themes = ThemeManager.GetThemes();
// Get theme names
ImmutableList<string> themeNames = ThemeManager.GetThemeNames();
// Switch themes
ThemeManager.Theme = "Dark";
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
// Listen for theme changes
ThemeManager.ThemeChanged += (sender, e) =>
{
// Update UI based on new theme
};
```
### Scheme System
A **Scheme** defines the colors and text styles for a specific UI context (e.g., Dialog, Menu, TopLevel).
See the [Scheme Deep Dive](scheme.md) for complete details on the scheme system.
#### Built-in Schemes
[Schemes](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Drawing.Schemes.yml) enum defines the standard schemes:
- **TopLevel** - Top-level application windows
- **Base** - Default for most views
- **Dialog** - Dialogs and message boxes
- **Menu** - Menus and status bars
- **Error** - Error messages and dialogs
#### Working with Schemes
```csharp
// Get all schemes for current theme
Dictionary<string, Scheme> schemes = SchemeManager.GetCurrentSchemes();
// Get specific scheme
Scheme dialogScheme = SchemeManager.GetScheme(Schemes.Dialog);
// Get scheme names
ImmutableList<string> schemeNames = SchemeManager.GetSchemeNames();
// Add custom scheme
SchemeManager.AddScheme("MyScheme", new Scheme
{
Normal = new Attribute(Color.White, Color.Blue),
Focus = new Attribute(Color.Black, Color.Cyan)
});
// Listen for scheme changes
SchemeManager.CollectionChanged += (sender, e) =>
{
// Handle scheme changes
};
```
#### Scheme Structure
Each [Scheme](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Drawing.Scheme.yml) maps [VisualRole](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Drawing.VisualRole.yml) to [Attribute](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Drawing.Attribute.yml):
```json
{
"TopLevel": {
"Normal": {
"Foreground": "BrightGreen",
"Background": "Black",
"Style": "None"
},
"Focus": {
"Foreground": "White",
"Background": "Cyan",
"Style": "Bold"
},
"HotNormal": {
"Foreground": "Yellow",
"Background": "Black"
},
"HotFocus": {
"Foreground": "Blue",
"Background": "Cyan",
"Style": "Underline"
},
"Disabled": {
"Foreground": "DarkGray",
"Background": "Black",
"Style": "Faint"
}
}
}
```
---
## Defining Configuration Properties
### Basic Property Definition
Application developers define settings using the [ConfigurationPropertyAttribute](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationPropertyAttribute.yml):
```csharp
public class MyApp
{
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static string MySetting { get; set; } = "Default Value";
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static int MaxItems { get; set; } = 100;
}
```
**Requirements:**
- Must be `public` or `internal`
- Must be `static`
- Must be a property (not a field)
- Must have a default value
### Property Naming
AppSettings properties are automatically prefixed with the class name to ensure global uniqueness:
```csharp
// Code
public class MyApp
{
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static string MySetting { get; set; } = "value";
}
// JSON
{
"AppSettings": {
"MyApp.MySetting": "value"
}
}
```
### Scope Specification
Use the `Scope` parameter to specify non-default scopes (Terminal.Gui library only):
```csharp
// SettingsScope - Library-wide settings
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(SettingsScope))]
public static bool Force16Colors { get; set; } = false;
// ThemeScope - Visual settings
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(ThemeScope))]
public static LineStyle DefaultBorderStyle { get; set; } = LineStyle.Single;
// AppSettingsScope - Application settings (default)
[ConfigurationProperty] // or explicitly: Scope = typeof(AppSettingsScope)
public static string MyAppSetting { get; set; } = "default";
```
### Omit Class Name (Advanced)
For library developers only, use `OmitClassName = true` for cleaner JSON:
```csharp
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(ThemeScope), OmitClassName = true)]
public static Dictionary<string, Scheme> Schemes { get; set; } = new();
```
---
## Loading and Applying Configuration
### Enable with Load and Apply
The simplest approach - enable and load in one call:
```csharp
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.All);
```
This:
1. Enables ConfigurationManager
2. Loads configuration from all locations
3. Applies settings to the application
### Granular Control
For more control, use [Load](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.yml#Terminal_Gui_Configuration_ConfigurationManager_Load_Terminal_Gui_Configuration_ConfigLocations_) and [Apply](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.yml#Terminal_Gui_Configuration_ConfigurationManager_Apply) separately:
```csharp
// Enable without loading
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.None);
// Load from specific locations
ConfigurationManager.Load(ConfigLocations.GlobalHome | ConfigLocations.AppResources);
// Apply settings
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
```
### Runtime Configuration
Set configuration directly in code without files:
```csharp
ConfigurationManager.RuntimeConfig = @"
{
""Application.QuitKey"": ""Ctrl+Q"",
""Application.Force16Colors"": true
}";
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.Runtime);
```
### Reset to Defaults
Reset all settings to hard-coded defaults:
```csharp
ConfigurationManager.ResetToHardCodedDefaults();
```
---
## Events
The ConfigurationManager provides events to track configuration changes:
### Applied Event
Raised after configuration is applied to the application:
```csharp
ConfigurationManager.Applied += (sender, e) =>
{
// Configuration has been applied
// Update UI or refresh views
};
```
### ThemeChanged Event
Raised when the active theme changes:
```csharp
ThemeManager.ThemeChanged += (sender, e) =>
{
// Theme has changed
// Refresh all views to use new theme
Application.Top?.SetNeedsDraw();
};
```
### CollectionChanged Event
Raised when schemes collection changes:
```csharp
SchemeManager.CollectionChanged += (sender, e) =>
{
// Schemes have changed
};
```
---
## What Can Be Configured
### Application Settings
System-wide settings from [SettingsScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.SettingsScope.yml):
```json
{
"Application.QuitKey": "Esc",
"Application.Force16Colors": false,
"Application.IsMouseDisabled": false,
"Application.ArrangeKey": "Ctrl+F5",
"Application.NextTabKey": "Tab",
"Application.PrevTabKey": "Shift+Tab",
"Application.NextTabGroupKey": "F6",
"Application.PrevTabGroupKey": "Shift+F6",
"Key.Separator": "+"
}
```
### View-Specific Settings
Settings for individual View types from [ThemeScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ThemeScope.yml):
```json
{
"Window.DefaultBorderStyle": "Single",
"Window.DefaultShadow": "None",
"Dialog.DefaultBorderStyle": "Heavy",
"Dialog.DefaultShadow": "Transparent",
"Dialog.DefaultButtonAlignment": "End",
"FrameView.DefaultBorderStyle": "Rounded",
"Button.DefaultShadow": "None",
"PopoverMenu.DefaultKey": "Shift+F10",
"FileDialog.MaxSearchResults": 10000
}
```
### Glyphs
Customize the Unicode characters used for drawing:
```json
{
"Glyphs.RightArrow": "►",
"Glyphs.LeftArrow": "U+25C4",
"Glyphs.DownArrow": "\\u25BC",
"Glyphs.UpArrow": 965010,
"Glyphs.LeftBracket": "[",
"Glyphs.RightBracket": "]",
"Glyphs.Checked": "☑",
"Glyphs.UnChecked": "☐",
"Glyphs.Selected": "◉",
"Glyphs.UnSelected": "○"
}
```
Glyphs can be specified as:
- Unicode character: `"►"`
- U+ format: `"U+25C4"`
- UTF-16 format: `"\\u25BC"`
- Decimal codepoint: `965010`
### Discovering Configuration Properties
To find all available configuration properties:
```csharp
// Get hard-coded configuration
SettingsScope hardCoded = ConfigurationManager.GetHardCodedConfig();
// Iterate through all properties
foreach (var property in hardCoded)
{
Console.WriteLine($"{property.Key} = {property.Value}");
}
```
Or search the source code for `[ConfigurationProperty]` attributes.
---
## Themes and Schemes
### Theme Structure
A theme is a named collection bundling visual settings and schemes:
```json
{
"Themes": [
{
"Dark": {
"Dialog.DefaultBorderStyle": "Heavy",
"Dialog.DefaultShadow": "Transparent",
"Window.DefaultBorderStyle": "Single",
"Button.DefaultShadow": "Opaque",
"Schemes": [
{
"TopLevel": {
"Normal": { "Foreground": "BrightGreen", "Background": "Black" },
"Focus": { "Foreground": "White", "Background": "Cyan" }
},
"Dialog": {
"Normal": { "Foreground": "Black", "Background": "Gray" }
}
}
]
}
}
]
}
```
### Creating Custom Themes
Custom themes can be defined in configuration files:
```json
{
"Themes": [
{
"MyCustomTheme": {
"Window.DefaultBorderStyle": "Double",
"Dialog.DefaultShadow": "Opaque",
"Schemes": [
{
"Base": {
"Normal": {
"Foreground": "Cyan",
"Background": "Black",
"Style": "Bold"
}
}
}
]
}
}
]
}
```
Then activate the theme:
```csharp
ThemeManager.Theme = "MyCustomTheme";
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
```
### Theme Inheritance
Themes only override specified properties. To build on an existing theme:
```csharp
// Start with default theme
ThemeManager.Theme = "Default";
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
// Apply custom theme (overrides only what's specified)
ThemeManager.Theme = "MyCustomTheme";
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
```
### TextStyle in Schemes
Each [Attribute](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Drawing.Attribute.yml) in a scheme now includes [TextStyle](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Drawing.TextStyle.yml):
```json
{
"Normal": {
"Foreground": "White",
"Background": "Blue",
"Style": "Bold, Underline"
}
}
```
Available styles (combinable):
- `None`
- `Bold`
- `Faint`
- `Italic`
- `Underline`
- `Blink`
- `Reverse`
- `Strikethrough`
---
## Configuration File Format
### Schema
All configuration files must conform to the JSON schema:
**Schema URL:** https://gui-cs.github.io/Terminal.Gui/schemas/tui-config-schema.json
### Root Structure
```json
{
"$schema": "https://gui-cs.github.io/Terminal.Gui/schemas/tui-config-schema.json",
// SettingsScope properties
"Application.QuitKey": "Esc",
"Application.Force16Colors": false,
// Current theme name
"Theme": "Dark",
// Theme definitions
"Themes": [
{
"Dark": {
// ThemeScope properties
"Window.DefaultBorderStyle": "Single",
// Schemes
"Schemes": [ ... ]
}
}
],
// AppSettings
"AppSettings": {
"MyApp.MySetting": "value"
}
}
```
### Complete Example
See the default configuration file:
[!code-json[config.json](../../Terminal.Gui/Resources/config.json)]
---
## Best Practices
### For Application Developers
**1. Enable Early**
Enable ConfigurationManager at the start of `Main()`, before `Application.Init()`:
```csharp
static void Main()
{
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.All);
Application.Init();
// ...
}
```
**2. Use AppSettings for App Configuration**
```csharp
public class MyApp
{
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static bool ShowWelcomeMessage { get; set; } = true;
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static string DefaultDirectory { get; set; } = "";
}
```
**3. Ship Default Configuration as Resource**
Include a `Resources/config.json` file in your app:
```xml
<ItemGroup>
<EmbeddedResource Include="Resources\config.json" />
</ItemGroup>
```
**4. Handle Configuration Changes**
```csharp
ConfigurationManager.Applied += (sender, e) =>
{
// Refresh UI when configuration changes
RefreshAllViews();
};
```
### For Library Developers
**1. Use Appropriate Scopes**
- `SettingsScope` - For system-wide behavior
- `ThemeScope` - For visual appearance that should be themeable
- Don't use `AppSettingsScope` in library code
**2. Provide Meaningful Defaults**
```csharp
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(ThemeScope))]
public static LineStyle DefaultBorderStyle { get; set; } = LineStyle.Single;
```
**3. Document Configuration Properties**
```csharp
/// <summary>
/// Gets or sets the default border style for all Windows.
/// </summary>
[ConfigurationProperty(Scope = typeof(ThemeScope))]
public static LineStyle DefaultBorderStyle { get; set; } = LineStyle.Single;
```
### Process-Wide Settings
> [!IMPORTANT]
> Configuration settings are applied at the **process level**.
>
> Since configuration properties are static, changes affect all applications in the same process. This is typically not an issue for normal applications, but can affect scenarios with:
> - Multiple Terminal.Gui apps in the same process
> - Unit tests running in parallel
> - Hot reload scenarios
---
## Advanced Topics
### JSON Error Handling
Control how JSON parsing errors are handled:
```json
{
"ConfigurationManager.ThrowOnJsonErrors": true
}
```
- `false` (default) - Silent failures, errors logged
- `true` - Throws exceptions on JSON parsing errors
### Manually Trigger Updates
Update ConfigurationManager to reflect current static property values:
```csharp
// Change a setting programmatically
Application.QuitKey = Key.Q.WithCtrl;
// Update ConfigurationManager to reflect the change
ConfigurationManager.UpdateToCurrentValues();
// Save to file (if needed)
string json = ConfigurationManager.Serialize();
File.WriteAllText("my-config.json", json);
```
### Disable ConfigurationManager
Disable and optionally reset to defaults:
```csharp
// Disable but keep current settings
ConfigurationManager.Disable(resetToHardCodedDefaults: false);
// Disable and reset to hard-coded defaults
ConfigurationManager.Disable(resetToHardCodedDefaults: true);
```
### File System Watching
Watch for configuration file changes:
```csharp
var watcher = new FileSystemWatcher(
Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile), ".tui"));
watcher.Filter = "*.json";
watcher.Changed += (s, e) =>
{
ConfigurationManager.Load(ConfigLocations.GlobalHome);
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
};
watcher.EnableRaisingEvents = true;
```
See UICatalog's `ConfigurationEditor` scenario for a complete example.
---
## Examples
### Example 1: Simple Theme Switching
```csharp
using Terminal.Gui;
using Terminal.Gui.Configuration;
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.All);
Application.Init();
var themeSelector = new ComboBox
{
X = 1,
Y = 1,
Width = 20
};
themeSelector.SetSource(ThemeManager.GetThemeNames());
themeSelector.SelectedItemChanged += (s, e) =>
{
ThemeManager.Theme = e.Value.ToString();
ConfigurationManager.Apply();
};
Application.Run(new Window { Title = "Theme Demo" }).Add(themeSelector);
Application.Shutdown();
```
### Example 2: Custom Application Settings
```csharp
public class MyApp
{
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static string LastOpenedFile { get; set; } = "";
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static int WindowWidth { get; set; } = 80;
[ConfigurationProperty]
public static int WindowHeight { get; set; } = 25;
}
// Enable and use
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.All);
// Settings are automatically loaded and applied
var window = new Window
{
Width = MyApp.WindowWidth,
Height = MyApp.WindowHeight
};
// Later, save updated settings
MyApp.WindowWidth = 100;
ConfigurationManager.UpdateToCurrentValues();
// Could save to file here
```
### Example 3: Runtime Configuration
```csharp
ConfigurationManager.RuntimeConfig = @"
{
""Application.QuitKey"": ""Ctrl+Q"",
""Application.Force16Colors"": true,
""Theme"": ""Dark""
}";
ConfigurationManager.Enable(ConfigLocations.Runtime);
// Settings are now applied
// QuitKey is Ctrl+Q
// 16-color mode is forced
// Dark theme is active
```
---
## See Also
- **[Scheme Deep Dive](scheme.md)** - Color scheme details
- **[Drawing Deep Dive](drawing.md)** - Color and attribute system
- **[View Deep Dive](View.md)** - View configuration properties
- **[Theme Schema](https://gui-cs.github.io/Terminal.Gui/schemas/tui-config-schema.json)** - JSON schema for validation
- **[Default Config](../../Terminal.Gui/Resources/config.json)** - Complete default configuration
### UICatalog Examples
The UICatalog application demonstrates configuration management:
- **Configuration Editor** - Interactive editor for configuration files
- **Themes** - Theme viewer and selector
- **File System Watcher** - Automatic reload on configuration file changes
### API Reference
- [ConfigurationManager](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.yml)
- [ConfigLocations](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigLocations.yml)
- [SettingsScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.SettingsScope.yml)
- [ThemeScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ThemeScope.yml)
- [AppSettingsScope](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.AppSettingsScope.yml)
- [ThemeManager](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ThemeManager.yml)
- [SchemeManager](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.SchemeManager.yml)
- [ConfigurationPropertyAttribute](~/api/Terminal.Gui.Configuration.ConfigurationPropertyAttribute.yml)