Question Where is the best place to store messages?

[Greedyh4mster]

Hiya!

I am wondering where should I store my error messages. These messages are the simplified version meant for the users. I am thinking like centralizing a specific location to store all the custom messages so that it will be easier to reference in the future. The location should also provide a key for each stored message.

For instance, I can think of using the me.settings to store all the messages. But I am wondering whether is it the best place? What is the best practice for such action?

Update:
The more accurate intention of what I am trying to say in the above is; For example:

Msgbox "You have encountered an error!"
Msgbox "Invalid login details!"

Right now, I have the above messages embed inside the form itself. What I need will be similar to:

Msgbox errorMessage("generic")
Msgbox errorMessage("login_invalid")

Something like a place or a variable collections with keys, to store all the messages that are in the form. Based on the reply below, I am thinking of storing every messages with the key into a file that when the form is loading; The form will parse the file and stored them into a global variable as hashtable. But would that be the best practice?

 

[jmcilhinney]

Store an error log file under the Program Data folder. To get the path of that folder you can use Environment.GetFolderPath or you can get a company\application\version specific subfolder path from Application, My.Application or My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.

 

[Greedyh4mster]

Somehow I am getting the impression that I have mis-phrased my question or something. I think it will be more proper to phrase my question properly and more accurately. Sorry, if I have gotten you to have the wrong impression. My bad. I have updated the original post with the intended message that I am trying to bring across.

Store an error log file under the Program Data folder. To get the path of that folder you can use Environment.GetFolderPath or you can get a company\application\version specific subfolder path from Application, My.Application or My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.

I suppose you mean this error log file purpose is to log down all the error messages that the user has encountered into this special file right? So that I can grab these error messages for any future debugging right?

 

[JohnH]

.Net libraries store all such strings in one or more resource files embedded in each assembly, and access them through a strongly typed ResourceManager proxy (like My.Resouces.). You can add project resources in Resouces page in Project Properies.

 

[Greedyh4mster]

.Net libraries store all such strings in one or more resource files embedded in each assembly, and access them through a strongly typed ResourceManager proxy (like My.Resouces.). You can add project resources in Resouces page in Project Properies.

Therefore you are suggesting that I placed all the messages that I have made into a text file and have the file stored as a resource?

When my form load, I will have to load the file from the resource and parse the text inside into a hashtable or something right?

 

[JohnH]

No, I'm suggesting you have one String value resource for each message. Use them like My.Resources.ErrorLoginInvalid

Here's example from the .Net System.dll:
There's about 1600 more of those messages in that assembly alone.