VS2008 - Localhost debug ...

[Michael Tissington]

Recently upgraded to VS 2008 and trying to debug a web application.

When I start the application the url is something like

http://localhost:nnn/project_name/default.aspx

This is new and causes my web to fail because of the project_name embedded
in the url.

How do I get the url to be like

http://localhost:nnnn/default.aspx ?

Thanks...

 

[Anthony Jones]

Recently upgraded to VS 2008 and trying to debug a web application.

When I start the application the url is something like

http://localhost:nnn/project_name/default.aspx

This is new and causes my web to fail because of the project_name embedded
in the url.

How do I get the url to be like

http://localhost:nnnn/default.aspx ?

I don't know of a way to make the development web server serve a project as
its root.

I would tend to seek ways to make the app work in both scenarios by making
use of ~/ prefixed urls where an absolute path in to the application is
needed and using relative URLs where reasonable.

Alternatively you can use IIS for debugging you just need to attach to the
appropriate process to debug managed code.

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> How do I get the url to be like
!> http://localhost:nnnn/default.aspx ?

Hi, Michael.

In your Website's project's Solution Explorer, highlight the Project's name,
right-click it and select "Property Pages" from the dropdown menu.

Then, selct the "Start URL" radio button, and write : http://localhost/ in the texbox.
OK out of that dialog...and right-click default.aspx, and then "View in browser".

The URL should have the format you want : http://localhost:nnnn/default.aspx

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> select "Property Pages" from the dropdown menu.
!> Then, select the "Start URL" radio button

There should have been an intermediate step :

Select "Start Options" in the left menu, if the Property Pages don't default to it.

*Then* you can select the "Start URL" radio button.

Sorry if I wan't clear enough.
In any case, that's all you need to do.

 

[Michael Tissington]

Thanks for the idea about ~/ ... however this only works for server
components, and I can not use it for things like href ...

 

[Michael Tissington]

Thanks for the idea about ~/ unfortunately this only works for server
components ...

This has only become a problem in VS 2008, in VS2005 it worked correctly
.....

I can't imagine why they changed this ???

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> I can't imagine why they changed this ???

Nothing's changed.
Follow the instructions I posted, and you'll have the exact behavior you want to have.

 

[Michael Tissington]

Juan,

I tried what you suggested and it did not help - exactly the same issue!

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> I tried what you suggested and it did not help - exactly the same issue!

Then the problem is not the URL in question.
The instructins I gave you *do* work to get a base URL.

What is the error message displayed ?

 

[Michael Tissington]

No error is displayed, I get exactly the same results, to see if it was
something in my website I have even tried creating a brand new website and
after setting the startup options as you suggested I still get the
following.

http://localhost:nnn/<project>/default.aspx

 

[Michael Tissington]

Very strange - this is what I have things set to

 

[Michael Tissington]

Stranger still ... I can put anything (http://foo/) in the start url and it
seems to be ignored ...

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

Both "localhost" and "YourMachineName", in the "Start URL",
should provide base URLs using localhost.

Do you have a "localhost" entry in your HOSTS file, pointing to 127.0.0.1 ?

The HOSTS file is found in :

Drive:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

If you've never used it, you may only have a HOSTS.SAM file.

Load it in Notepad, save it as hosts ( no txt extension ) and add this line to it :

127.0.0.1 localhost

Then, try again.

 

[Michael Tissington]

Thanks for you help with this ...

Yes I already had a HOSTS file with the correct entry for localhost ...
If I open IE and enter http://localhost I get the default page for IIS 7.

 

[Michael Tissington]

OK, I totally uninstalled VS 2008, and then reinstalled it and now it works
correctly.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Peter Bromberg [C# MVP]]

The simplest - and most reliable -- solution is to *NOT* use the built-in
development server, and instead use IIS. In the property sheet for "Web"
select IIS and click the button to create a an application root for your
solution. The resultant url would then be

http://localhost/myappname/default.aspx

-- Peter
To be a success, arm yourself with the tools you need and learn how to use
them.

Site: http://www.eggheadcafe.com
http://petesbloggerama.blogspot.com
http://ittyurl.net

 

[Steven Cheng [MSFT]]

Hi Michael,

It seems you've got what you want. Just some further clarity on this:

If you're using Visual Studio test server for ASP.NET web site project in
VS 2008, you can customize the port number and virtual path used by the
test server. Just follow the below steps:

**select your project(website) node in solution explorer

** in the property window you can find the "port number" and "virutal path"
properties. You can customize to the value you want.

Sincerely,

Steven Cheng

Microsoft MSDN Online Support Lead


Delighting our customers is our #1 priority. We welcome your comments and
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[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> reinstalled it and now it works correctly.

Whew !

Glad you got rid of the problem.

 

[Juan T. Llibre]

re:
!> The resultant url would then be
!> http://localhost/myappname/default.aspx

Peter,

I think his main focus was on getting rid of the directory name
because his application would run as a root app on his server
and he wanted to debug the app, in development, as a root-based URL.

i.e., while debugging, he wanted a URL like this :

http://localhost/default.aspx

 

[Random random]

Hey guys,

you dont need to do any of that... its very simple.
Just highlight the project name at the top of the solutions explorer.
You should see the properties box highlight underneath the solutions
explorer.. if not you need to add this toolbar under tools.

Just change the 'Virtual path' to '/' and run debug and bobs your uncle!
Dont use 'Start URL' under startup options as someone said above... this
will only confuse matters.