feat(config): embed credentials for ClickOnce and improve HRMS error messages

Adds embedded AppSecrets configuration so Release/ClickOnce builds work without appsettings.Development.json or a Public Documents config file. Includes AppSecrets.example.cs as a template; copy to gitignored AppSecrets.cs and fill in credentials before publishing. Improves dashboard messages when HRMS is missing vs unreachable.

src/HikvisionAttendanceManager.App/Services/AppSecrets.example.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+namespace HikvisionAttendanceManager.App.Services;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Copy this file to AppSecrets.cs and fill in values before publishing ClickOnce.
+/// AppSecrets.cs is gitignored and compiled into the application — no external config file required.
+/// </summary>
+internal static class AppSecretsExample
+{
+    internal const string HrmsConnectionString = "";
+    internal const string HikvisionUsername = "";
+    internal const string HikvisionPassword = "";
+}

src/HikvisionAttendanceManager.App/Services/AppSettingsConfiguration.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
+using System.IO;
+
+namespace HikvisionAttendanceManager.App.Services;
+
+/// <summary>Resolves app settings from embedded AppSecrets, then optional appsettings JSON files.</summary>
+internal static class AppSettingsConfiguration
+{
+    public static IConfigurationRoot Build()
+    {
+        var embedded = new Dictionary<string, string?>();
+        if (AppSecrets.HasHrmsConnection)
+            embedded["ConnectionStrings:Hrms"] = AppSecrets.HrmsConnectionString.Trim();
+        if (AppSecrets.HasHikvisionCredentials)
+        {
+            embedded["Hikvision:Username"] = AppSecrets.HikvisionUsername.Trim();
+            embedded["Hikvision:Password"] = AppSecrets.HikvisionPassword.Trim();
+        }
+
+        return new ConfigurationBuilder()
+            .AddInMemoryCollection(embedded)
+            .SetBasePath(AppContext.BaseDirectory)
+            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: true)
+            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.Development.json", optional: true)
+            .Build();
+    }
+
+    public static string? GetConnectionString() => Build().GetConnectionString("Hrms")?.Trim();
+
+    public static string? GetSetting(string key) => Build()[key]?.Trim();
+
+    public static void LogStartupConfigurationStatus()
+    {
+        AppLogger.Info($"Configuration sources: {DescribeConfigSources()}");
+        if (!AppSecrets.HasHrmsConnection && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(GetConnectionString()))
+            AppLogger.Warning("HRMS connection is not configured. Set values in Services/AppSecrets.cs before publishing.");
+        if (!AppSecrets.HasHikvisionCredentials && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(GetSetting("Hikvision:Username")))
+            AppLogger.Warning("Hikvision default credentials are not configured in AppSecrets.cs.");
+    }
+
+    public static string DescribeConfigSources()
+    {
+        var sources = new List<string>();
+        if (AppSecrets.HasHrmsConnection)
+            sources.Add("embedded AppSecrets");
+        if (File.Exists(Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "appsettings.json")))
+            sources.Add("application appsettings.json");
+        if (File.Exists(Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "appsettings.Development.json")))
+            sources.Add("application appsettings.Development.json");
+        return sources.Count == 0 ? "none" : string.Join(", ", sources);
+    }
+}

src/HikvisionAttendanceManager.App/Services/DashboardService.cs

@@ -64,18 +64,20 @@ public sealed class DashboardService
             return null;
 
         if (!HrmsConnectionFactory.TryGetConnectionString(out _))
-            return "Unable to load device data.\nCheck the HRMS connection.";
+            return "Unable to load device data.\nHRMS is not configured. Set connection values in Services/AppSecrets.cs before publishing.";
 
         try
         {
             await using var connection = HrmsConnectionFactory.CreateConnection();
             await connection.OpenAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
-            return null;
+            return devices.Count == 0
+                ? "Connected to HRMS, but no active Hikvision devices were returned."
+                : null;
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
             AppLogger.Error("Dashboard: HRMS connection check failed.", ex);
-            return "Unable to load device data.\nCheck the HRMS connection.";
+            return "Unable to connect to the HRMS database.\nCheck server, credentials, and network access.";
         }
     }
 

src/HikvisionAttendanceManager.App/Services/HikvisionCredentialsFactory.cs

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 using HikvisionAttendanceManager.App.Models;
-using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
 
 namespace HikvisionAttendanceManager.App.Services;
 
@@ -37,42 +36,15 @@ public static class HikvisionCredentialsFactory
 
     public static void LogDevelopmentCredentialStatus()
     {
-        if (!IsDevelopment())
-            return;
+        AppSettingsConfiguration.LogStartupConfigurationStatus();
 
-        var username = GetDevelopmentSetting("Hikvision:Username");
-        var hasPassword = !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(GetDevelopmentSetting("Hikvision:Password"));
+        var username = AppSettingsConfiguration.GetSetting("Hikvision:Username");
+        var hasPassword = !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(AppSettingsConfiguration.GetSetting("Hikvision:Password"));
         if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(username) && hasPassword)
             AppLogger.Info($"Hikvision default credentials loaded for user '{username}'.");
         else
-            AppLogger.Warning("Hikvision default credentials were not found in Development settings.");
+            AppLogger.Warning("Hikvision default credentials were not found in appsettings.");
     }
 
-    private static string? GetDevelopmentSetting(string key)
-    {
-        if (!IsDevelopment())
-            return null;
-
-        return BuildDevelopmentConfiguration()[key]?.Trim();
-    }
-
-    private static IConfiguration BuildDevelopmentConfiguration() =>
-        new ConfigurationBuilder()
-            .SetBasePath(AppContext.BaseDirectory)
-            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: true)
-            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.Development.json", optional: true)
-            .Build();
-
-    private static bool IsDevelopment()
-    {
-        var environment = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("DOTNET_ENVIRONMENT")?.Trim();
-        if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(environment))
-            return string.Equals(environment, "Development", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
-
-#if DEBUG
-        return true;
-#else
-        return false;
-#endif
-    }
+    private static string? GetDevelopmentSetting(string key) => AppSettingsConfiguration.GetSetting(key);
 }

src/HikvisionAttendanceManager.App/Services/HrmsConnectionFactory.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public static class HrmsConnectionFactory
         AppLogger.Info($"Environment = {environment}");
         AppLogger.Info($"Development config loaded = {(IsDevelopment() && developmentConfigExists ? "YES" : "NO")}");
 
-        if (IsDevelopment() && TryGetDevelopmentConnectionString(out connectionString))
+        if (IsDevelopment() && TryGetJsonConnectionString(out connectionString))
         {
             AppLogger.Info("HRMS connection configuration loaded from Development settings.");
             AppLogger.Info("HRMS connection configuration found = YES");
@@ -53,12 +53,19 @@ public static class HrmsConnectionFactory
         {
             AppLogger.Info("HRMS connection configuration loaded from service database environment settings.");
             AppLogger.Info("HRMS connection configuration found = YES");
+            return true;
         }
-        else
+
+        if (TryGetJsonConnectionString(out connectionString))
         {
-            AppLogger.Warning("HRMS connection configuration found = NO");
+            AppLogger.Info($"HRMS connection configuration loaded from appsettings ({AppSettingsConfiguration.DescribeConfigSources()}).");
+            AppLogger.Info("HRMS connection configuration found = YES");
+            return true;
         }
-        return resolved;
+
+        AppLogger.Warning("HRMS connection configuration found = NO");
+        connectionString = "";
+        return false;
     }
 
     public static MySqlConnection CreateConnection()
@@ -125,14 +132,9 @@ public static class HrmsConnectionFactory
 #endif
     }
 
-    private static bool TryGetDevelopmentConnectionString(out string connectionString)
+    private static bool TryGetJsonConnectionString(out string connectionString)
     {
-        var configuration = new ConfigurationBuilder()
-            .SetBasePath(AppContext.BaseDirectory)
-            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.json", optional: true)
-            .AddJsonFile("appsettings.Development.json", optional: true)
-            .Build();
-        connectionString = configuration.GetConnectionString("Hrms")?.Trim() ?? "";
+        connectionString = AppSettingsConfiguration.GetConnectionString() ?? "";
         return !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(connectionString);
     }
 }