// parse the configuration file return the root or
        // null if error.
        protected ConfigElement ParseConfiguration(bool toPrint)
        {
            ConfigElement root = null;

            root = ConfigFileParser.parseFile(configFile);
            if (root != null && toPrint)
            {
                System.Text.StringBuilder tree = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
                ConfigFileParser.printConfigurationTree(root, tree, 0);
                System.Console.WriteLine(tree);
            }
            return(root);
        }