c# - Making machine.config with multiple external config files

Question

I've been trying to make the machine.config to be clean by adding the connectionString section and appSettings section externally.

It works well with just making the connectionString externally only like below.

Machine.config

<configuration>
  <connectionStrings configSource="connectionStrings.config"/>
  ....
  <appSettings>
    ....
  </appSettings>
</configuration>

connectionStrings.config is the same folder where machine.config like below

<connectionStrings>    
  <add name= .../>
   ...
</connectionStrings>

But when trying to add the appSettings section as an external config additionally, it seems the application does not read the appSettings section properly. (By debugging under VS, the value of a key in the section does not return anyting and it is empty)

Of course, I tried to both ways when making appSettings external as below:

<appSettings configSource="AppSettings.config"/> 

or

<appSettings file="AppSettings.config"/>

so my question is what I am trying to is not possible?

I refer the below article.

• http://blog.andreloker.de/post/2008/06/16/Keep-your-config-clean-with-external-config-files.aspx

Here is my working environments:

• Windows 7 x64
• machine.config that I am working is c:\windows\Microsoft.net\Framework64\v2.0.50727\config\machine.config
• The application is x86 build.