Default app?

[Dave Bender]

I'm confused about whether a web application needs to be defined in IIS as
an "application" to run. We have a client who has a medium sized web site
(~2,000 pages), including some ASP and some aspx pages. These were
developed by different developers over the past several years.

What I don't understand is that some of the aspx pages compile and run fine,
but they are not in a virtual directory or in a folder that's conifgured as
an "application." They do read from a global.asax file in the web site's
web-doc root folder. But the site at its root is not configured as a .net
'application' either (and the .asp pages throughout the site would all fail
if it were, I think.) And I created a /Bin folder at the root level, but
putting compiled .dlls from other working web applications don't get
recognized or run.

Is there a 'global' web application for asp.net? If so, are there
restrictions on it? For example, can I create a /Bin folder and have it
work? (I've tried, and it hasn't but I'm not sure what I'm doing.) If not,
how else could the site be configured so it runs the .aspx pages?


Dave

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> Is there a 'global' web application for asp.net?

Yes, there is, but for *any* page served by IIS, not just for pages served by ASP.NET.
ASP.NET is an ISAPI application which runs hosted by IIS.

re:
!> they are not in a virtual directory or in a folder that's configured as an "application."
!> But the site at its root is not configured as a .net 'application' either

I think you'll find it *is* defined as IIS's root application,
if -as you say- it resides in the web-doc root folder.

To verify :

1. open the IIS Manager and scroll on the left to "Default Web Site".

2. right click the "Default Web Site" and select "Properties" from the context menu

3. click the "Home Directory" tab and verify the physical location of the root directory.

re:

the .asp pages throughout the site would all fail if it were, I think.

No, they would not fail. They would run normally.

Whether an .asp page can run or not is determined by IIS, not by ASP.NET.

..asp pages can be located in IIS's root directory, in any subdirectory of it,
or in a directory which is not located under wwwroot which has been configured
as a virtual directory or an IIS application.

re:
!> I created a /Bin folder at the root level, but putting compiled .dlls
!> from other working web applications don't get recognized or run.

They should run.

re:

can I create a /Bin folder and have it work?
Yes.

re:
I've tried, and it hasn't but I'm not sure what I'm doing.

All it takes is creating a subdirectory "bin" under the application's root.
No extra configuration is needed.

Are the dll's .net assemblies ? ( i.e., not VB6 dlls for asp pages ? )

If they are .net assemblies: are you importing the right namespaces from, the assemblies ?

i.e., do you have a directive like :

<%@ Import Namespace="theNamespace" %>

just under your Page directive ?





Juan T. Llibre, asp.net MVP
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