Search code examples
c#asp.netvisual-studio-2010iis-6virtual-directory

How do I set up an IIS website that uses a subfolder of a .NET web application as its base?

I have a .NET web application in which I am developing three separate websites that all share some classes, master pages, etc. (Call the sites mysite1, mysite2, and mysite3)

When I view the site using "View in Browser" from VS (which leads to http://localhost/projectName/mysite1/default.aspx), everything works as expected.

However, I also setup an IIS website called Mysite1 that uses http://mysite1/ and points to the "mysite1" subfolder as its local path (under Home Directory). When I visit http://mysite1/, I get the following ASP.NET error:

Parser Error Message: Could not load type 'MyProject.Mysite1.Default'.

Source Error:

Line 1: <%@ Page Language="C#" AutoEventWireup="true" CodeBehind="Default.aspx.cs" Inherits="MyProject.Mysite1.Default" %>

Line 2:

Line 3: <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

The namespaces are all valid, as evidenced by the site working correctly when run from "View in Browser". I figure it has something to do with the base folder of the application artificially changing because that's what several other errors were caused by, but I don't know how to resolve it.

How should I have configured IIS to use the subfolder of a web application as its base folder?

Solution
    1. Go to the IIS.
    2. Right Click your WebSite.
    3. Create the Virtual Directory with the name of mysite1.
    4. Right click the Virtual Directory mysite1 and select Convert to Application

    Now you can operate http://mysite1/ and pages inside mysite1

    CodeBehind = Needs to be compiled ( asp.net 1.1 model) and compiled binary is placed in the bin folder of the website. You need to do a compile in visual studio before you deploy. Good model when you do not want the source code to be viewable as plain text ... for example when delivering to a customer who you not have obligation to provide code.

    CodeFile = You provide the source file with the solution for deployment. ASP.NET 2.0 runtime compiles the code when needed. The compiled files are at Microsfot.NET[.NET version]\Temporary ASP.NET Files.