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Visual Studio 2022 C# ASP.NET Webforms with service reference text files not found on server (HTTP Error 404.0)

I am currently trying to create a web service application using Visual Studio 2022 ASP.NET Webforms application with a service reference. The goal is to take in information and store it as a text file on the local machine within the project folder so it is accessible by the web service on my local server.
I have successfully created the text files and can access them on my local machine, but when I navigate to the text file on my local server tree I get an HTTP Error 404.0 which is shown below. I need any user who accesses my server to be able to access the saved text files. I have tried to change security privileges on the folder and in my web.config file, but have not had any luck. I would appreciate any suggestions someone may have.
Here is my code for where I save the information as a text file.
// Randomly generate string for text file name
var chars = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789";
var textFile = new char[4];
var random = new Random();
for (int i = 0; i < textFile.Length; i++)
{
textFile[i] = chars[random.Next(chars.Length)];
}
eventFile = "\\";
eventFile += new String(textFile);
eventFile += ".txt";
folderPath = Server.MapPath("~/Events");
File.WriteAllText(folderPath + eventFile, fullEventDetails);
Both my URL and local file path are the following:
URL https://localhost:44399/sx1l.txt
Path Name \\Mac\Home\Desktop\Homework3\Homework3\sx1l.txt

Ok, so you have to keep in mind how file mapping works with IIS.
Your code behind:
that is plane jane .net code. For the most part, any code, any file operations using full qualified windows path names. It like writing desktop software. For the most part, that means code behind can grab/use/look at any file on your computer.
However, in practice when you use a full blown web server running ISS (which you not really doing during development with VS and IIS express)? Often, for reasons of security, then ONLY files in the wwwroot folder is given permissions to the web server.
However, you working on your development computer - you are in a effect a super user, and you (and more important) your code thus as a result can read/write and grab and use ANY file on your computer.
So, keep above VERY clear in your mind:
Code behind = plane jane windows file operations.
Then we have requests from the web side of things (from a web page, or a URL you type into the web browser.
In that case, files are ONLY EVER mapped to the root of your project, and then sub folders.
So, you could up-load a file, and then with code behind save the file to ANY location on your computer.
However, web based file (urls) are ONLY ever mapped though the web site.
So, in effect, you have to consider your VS web project the root folder. And if you published to a real web server, that would be the case.
So, if you have the project folder, you can add a sub folder to that project.
Say, we add a folder called UpLoadFiles. (and make sure you use VS to add that folder). So we right click on the project and choose add->
So, you right click on the base project and add, like this:
So, that will simple create a sub folder in your project, you see it like this:
So, the folder MUST be in the root, or at the very least start in the root or base folder your project is.
So, for above, then with UpLoadFiles, then any WEB based path name (url) will be this:
https://localhost:44399/UpLoadFiles/sx1l.txt
(assuming we put the file in folder UpLoadFiles).
But, if you want to write code to touch/use/read/save and work with that file?
You need to translate the above url into that plane jane windows path name. (for ANY code behind).
So, if I want to in code read that file name?
Then I would use Server.MapPath() to translate this url.
say somthing like this:
string strFileName = "sx1l.txt";
string strFolderName = "UpLoadFiles"
string strInternaleFileName = server.MapPath(#"~/" + strFolderNme + #"/" + sx1l.txt";
// ok, so now we have the plane jane windows file name. It will resolve to something like say this:
C:\Users\AlbertKallal\source\repos\MyCalendar\UpLoadFiles\sx1l.txt
I mean I don't really care, but that web server code could be running on some server and that path name could be even more ugly then above - but me the developer don't care.
but, from a web browser and web server point of view (URL), then above would look like this:
https://localhost:44392/UpLoadFiles/sx1l.txt
And in markup, I could drop in say a hyper link such as:
UpLoadFiles/sx1l.txt
So, keep CRYSTAL clear in your mind with working with path names.
Web based URL, or markup = relative path name, ONLY root or sub folders allowed
code behind: ALWAYS will use a plane jane full windows standard file and path.
But, what about the case where you have big huge network attached storage computer - say will a boatload of PDF safety documents, or a catalog of part pictures?
Well, then you can adopt and use what we call a "virtual" folder. They are pain to setup in IIS express, but REALLY easy to setup if you using IIS to setup and run the final server where you going to publish the site to.
Suffice to say, a virtual folder allows you to map a EXTERNAL folder into the root path name of your side.
So, you might have say a big server with a large number of PDF docuemnts,
say on
\\corporate-server1\PDF\Documents
so, in IIS, you can add the above path name, say as a folder called PDF.
Say like this:
So, WHEN you do the above, then the folder will appear like any plane jane folder in the root of the project, but the file paths can and will be on a complete different location OUTSIDE of the wwwroot folder for the web site.
So, now that we have the above all clear?
\\Mac\Home\Desktop\Homework3\Homework3\sx1l.txt
But, your code has this:
folderPath = Server.MapPath("~/Events");
File.WriteAllText(folderPath + eventFile, fullEventDetails);
(you missing the trailing "/" in above, you need this:
File.WriteAllText(folderPath + #"/" + eventFile, fullEventDetails);
So, that means the url for the text file will then be:
https://localhost:44399/Events/sx1l.txt
And if you using Visual Studio to add files to that folder (add->existing items), then MAKE SURE you Build->rebuild all (else the file will not be included in the debug run + launching of IIS express.
So, given that you saving into a folder called Events (as sub folder of wwwroot, or your base folder for hte web site, then the above is the url you should use, but your code always was missing that "/" between folder and file name.

Create file during mstest - System.UnauthorizedAccessException

I have a UWP C# app, with a unit testing project. In these unit test, I want to be able to write to a text file in order to make something like snapshots in Jest.
Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() returns C:\path\to\project\bin\x64\Debug\AppX, so I made a folder in the project directory and am navigating to it, then attempting to create a file there.
[TestMethod]
public void Test()
{
var folder = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "../../../../Snapshots");
string data = "example data";
string filename = Path.Combine(folder, "Test.snap");
File.WriteAllText(filename, json);
}
However, this test produces a System.UnauthorizedAccessException. I went into the folder in windows and gave Everyone read/write permissions, but that didn't make any difference.
I don't want to have to run Visual Studio as an administrator. Is this possible?

I use Path.GetTempPath() to create temporary directories and files in unit tests that require physical disk access. The unit tests can run from an unknown context/location, so I found using the temp directory as a guaranteed way to create disposable files.
[TestMethod]
public void Test()
{
var folder = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), "Snapshots");
string data = "example data";
string filename = Path.Combine(folder, "Test.snap");
File.WriteAllText(filename, json);
}

Please have a look at Rob's blog here:
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/wsdevsol/2012/12/04/skip-the-path-stick-to-the-storagefile/
Here is the answer from Rob:
Windows Store apps run sandboxed and have very limited access to the
file system. For the most part, they can directly access only their
install folder and their application data folder. They do not have
permission to access the file system elsewhere (see File access and
permissions for more details).
Access to other locations is available only through a broker process.
This broker process runs with the user’s full privileges, and it can
use these privileges on the app’s behalf for locations the app has
requested via capabilities, locations requested by the user via file
pickers, etc. The StorageItem encapsulates this brokerage procedure so
the app doesn’t need to deal with it directly."
In a UWP app we do not recommend path anymore. There are permission problems so broker is required when access some paths. I'm not familar with Unit Test. But if you are still using UWP function you should consider using StorageFile related API instead.

How about checking if you gave permissions to the right folder?
var folder = Path.Combine(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(), "../../../../Snapshots");
string data = "example data";
// this variable will contain the actual folder; add a watch
// or bookmark it to check it
var actualPath = Path.GetFullPath(folder);
string filename = Path.Combine(folder, "Test.snap");
File.WriteAllText(filename, data);
Just in case, add the line below too (before File.WriteAllText); perhaps your file already exists as, I don't know, read-only:
File.SetAttributes(filename, FileAttributes.Temporary);

How do I upload a resource file and then access that file in an Azure Cloud Service?

I want to have my Worker Role (have not done this with a web role) upload a file when it is deployed and also be able to access that deployed file in code.
How do I deploy a file with my Cloud Service to each instance?
How can I find that file in code?

Good question, Adam. To deploy a file with your cloud service you can follow this article. The 2 main points are as follows:
set Build Action to None
set Copy to Output Directory to "Copy if newer"
With these two properties set the file and its folder structure will be copied to your instance deployment. Things brings us to accessing that file in code.
To access it in code simply do the following which I got from here:
string appRoot = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("RoleRoot");
string pathToFiles = Path.Combine(appRoot + #"\", #"approot\" + "anyFolderNameIUsed\");
It is important to remember that this is part of the deployment package which means this file will be overwritten whenever the deployment is completed again. Also, each instance will have it's own version of the file.
If you need persistance or the ability to share file contents between your worker roles you can save your files in Blob Storage. The following article can you help accomplish this.
Using Blobs

Azure Website Writing file to a network Drive

I have a service that I currently run on our local IIS machine that will write a file to a specified directory using the following code:
//Creating the filepath that is needed
string FilePath = FolderPath.Replace("'", "")
+ FileName.Replace("'", "").Replace(" ", "")
.ToString();
//Writing the file to the correct path
File.WriteAllBytes(FilePath, fileTransferDump.FileBinary);
When I change over to an Azure Website how would I make the System write to the file path that I would like to write to.
Basically how do I cause the Azure website to write to a network share. This is just a normal Azure Website.

Azure Websites don't have the ability to write to off-machine resources using traditional windows file shares. Your best bet would be to wrap any of this logic in a custom library that redirects these file writes to Azure Blob Storage instead.

asp.net MVC3 create folder where application can write in

I need to create a folder to use for storing files within it, in a .Net MVC3 application, but I think the problem is common to all ASP.Net platform.
Problem is I can create the folder, but cannot write the files, because System.UnauthorizedAccessException occurred.
I also tryed givin extra permission to the user currently running the web app, but nothing changes.
This is my code so far:
if (!System.IO.Directory.Exists(fullPath))
{
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(fullPath);
var user = System.Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent().User;
var userName = user.Translate(typeof(System.Security.Principal.NTAccount));
var dirInfo = new System.IO.DirectoryInfo(fullPath);
var sec = dirInfo.GetAccessControl();
sec.AddAccessRule(new System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemAccessRule(userName,
System.Security.AccessControl.FileSystemRights.Modify,
System.Security.AccessControl.AccessControlType.Allow)
);
dirInfo.SetAccessControl(sec);
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(fullPath);
}
string fullPathFileName = System.IO.Path.Combine(fullPath, fileName);
System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes(fullPath, viaggio.Depliant.RawFile);
Too bad, last line of code always throw System.UnauthorizedAccessException.
I'm not impersonating user in my app, everything run under a predefined user.
What should I do to create a folder and assure that the application can also create files within it?
Edited:
I also tryed to save the files in the App_Data special folder, but I still got the System.UnauthorizedAccessException error. Somebody can tell me why is that happening?

I hate to answer my own question when the problem is that stupid...
I'm just trying to save a file without a proper filename: you can see I'm using the fullPath variable both for creating the folder and for saving the file, instead of using the correctly created fullPathFileName.
Blame on me!

Use App_Data folder, quote from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/06t2w7da%28v=vs.80%29.aspx :
To improve the security of the data used by your ASP.NET application, a new subfolder named App_Data has been added for ASP.NET applications. Files stored in the App_Data folder are not returned in response to direct HTTP requests, which makes the App_Data folder the recommended location for data stored with your application, including .mdf (SQL Server Express Edition), .mdb (Microsoft Access), or XML files. Note that when using the App_Data folder to store your application data, the identity of your application has read and write permissions to the App_Data folder.