XMLPreprocess

XMLPreprocess is a lightweight CLI utility that enables you to inject settings into configuration files that constantly need to be changed from environment to environment. One of the advantages for using the tool is that using the modification injection, you can avoid any potential compatibility issues that may arise from the particularities of different environments.

Since this is a CLI utility, you do not have to bother with installation or configuration. Simply download the archive, decompress in the desired location and open your favorite console. It goes without saying that you need to know some basic commands to be able to work with the tool.

As far as the applicability of the tool is concerned, one solid example where the tool can save time and energy is when you are attempting to modify the database connection string in the web.config. In this particular example, it is assumed that web.config needs to point out to different databases during the Test, Stage and Production phases of the development.

You and your team can save up time and energy that you would otherwise spend creating individual installers for each of the development phases. In fact, you can deploy the same version package in all phases and avoid regression, for instance.

Another example as to where the tool can come in handy is when you want to add a custom action in a Windows installer package. Considering that you can pre-process the XML file in advance, you can make sure that the custom action runs silently every time the installer package is run.

If you're looking for a tool that can help you inject settings into configuration files quickly and without significant efforts and don't mind working with a Command Line Interface, then XMLPreprocess is exactly what you need.