[mdpopescu]

There are a lot of use cases. For example, I have 17 applications running on a system that need a connection string. When I need to change that connection string, I can 1) change 17 config files; 2) change 17 shortcuts containing command-line arguments; 3) change one env variable.

[q3k]

> I can 1) change 17 config files; 2) change 17 shortcuts containing command-line arguments; 3) change one env variable.

This seems like forcing the application to take the burden of your configuration system having shortcomings (like not being able to freely convert from a single source of truth into multiple generated files/command lines/...).

[zabzonk]

Or change ONE file that contains the connection string.