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Is there a way in Visual Studio to configure the default start page for web deployment starting from Empty ASP.NET Web App?

Entry level web developer here, thank you in advance.
A very basic single page website starting from Empty ASP.NET Web Application adding each and folder file from scratch. Everything works fine locally bare bones. I'm trying to configure the start page in the subfolder "html" to the file index.html. I get the default "This website has been successfully created" after publishing. Azure web service is working fine because I can go to site.azurewebsites.net/html/index.html to see my page after it's published.
Right clicking the project and going to properties to set as start page, or going to Properties>Specific Page doesn't work as suggested here for deployment but works fine locally. Altering the web.config file as suggested here gives me an internal server error that is fixed once I remove the code
<system.webServer>
<defaultDocument enabled="true">
<files>
<clear />
<add value="html/index.html"/>
</files>
</defaultDocument>
</system.webServer>
I tried different variations of this all with the same internal server error. Is my syntax correct?
I then created a global.asax file and changed the Application_Start line as suggested here:
protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Response.Redirect("/HTML/index.html");
}
Same result.
Lastly, I created an App_Code folder with a RedirectHandler.cs file as suggested by Rion Williams's last suggestion (first link) along with his code and sure enough I get the same result.
"This web app has been successfully created" after publish but I see my desired start page after adding /html/index.html to the end of the url.
Understanding how basic this problem is I took extra care to exhaust as many google searches as I could find relating to the topic before asking this question. My first question on StackO so my reputation is too low to link each page I found. My next attempt is to just start a brand new MVC project and painstakingly rearrange every single file that way. I'm confident that will work but I didn't want to leave this simpler method without learning from what I did wrong especially when I know the answer is going to derp-slap me in the face.

Have you tried to configure the default document under the configuration tab for your website in Azure portal?

With a lot of changing file locations around, clearing cache, and rebooting to avoid server and runtime errors, #hernandgr had the simple option I hadn't known about (shame on me) and funny enough couldn't successfully google about.
It turns out that I didn't need to do any of the steps I had tried to configure the start page beyond just changing it in the configuration tab in the Azure Management Portal. I deleted the global.asax file and the App_Code folder completely, didn't need to touch the web.config in any way and didn't need to implement MVC.
One thing to be noted was that making index.html my start page through Azure seemed to push it up a directory so my CSS, JS, LESS, fonts, and images folders had to be moved up as well to display the page properly.

IIS7 URL Rewrite returns 404 for WCF requests (reverse proxy)

I am using IIS7.5, .net 4.0. I am working locally.
I have installed Application Request Routing, Web Farm Framework, WebDeploy and UrlRewrite to set up a reverse proxy. This works fine for the most part.
I have two websites:
DefaultWebSite (port 80, app pool: Default App Pool (.net 4)) and
Target (port 8085, app pool: TargetAppPool(my identity, .net 4)).
I have a rewrite rule on DefaultWebSite (created as directed on IIS.net) which redirects all localhost (port 80) traffic to localhost:8085 just as detailed in the above link. This works fine for most document types (.aspx, .xap, .htm, .ico) but a request to MyService.svc fails. It returns a 404.
To be clear:
When I paste localhost:8085/MyService.svc into a browser I get the requested WCF page.
When I paste localhost/MyService.svc into a browser I get a 404.
When I paste localhost:8085/MyIcon.ico into a browser I get the requested resource.
When I paste localhost/MyIcon.ico into a browser I get the requested resource.
.svc is the only document type that I've found that returns a 404.
I've got two pieces of info that might be of relevance.
App Pools. When I change the DefaultWebSite's app pool to TargetAppPool then the 404 becomes a 500 ("Failed to map the path '/'"). All other requests are successful when this change is made. Not sure if this relevant or not.
FREB (Failed Request Tracing) Log. I found a page (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/asiatech/archive/2011/08/25/return-404-4-not-found-when-url-rewrite.aspx) which details the steps in a FREB log when a URL rewrite is more successful than mine (it fails later on). I've not been able to find out how to generate a FREB log for a successful rewrite (if that's possible) so I can only compare my FREB log to the one on that blog. I can see that their step 21 (URL_CHANGED) in my FREB log but not 22 (URL_REWRITE_END). I've not got enough experience with these logs to notice anything more significant than that (suggestions welcomed).
My main question is: does anyone know why just URLs requesting .svc resources are not being rewritten?
A secondary question is: does anyone know how to generate a FREB log for successful request (if it's even possible)?
Thanks
Update:
I have changed the architecture to try to get more info.
I have moved the Target website to a different PC on which I have installed Microsoft Network Monitor to capture the incoming traffic.
Before I changed the url-rewrite rule to point at this new website I got the correct response when I made a request to MyService.svc on the new PC. Fine.
As soon as I changed the rewrite rule to route the request to the new Target website then it responds as before (404). I have made both POST and GET requests. There is no sign of any of the requests in the Network Monitor log (all other calls -200, 404 or otherwise- appear in this log).
This leads me to think that there is something incompatible with url-rewrites and *.svc requests. I tried making a request to MyService.asmx (having created this file) and it correctly returned a page, so it is limited to *.svc. Any ideas?

The solution to this is in the config file of the Target web site.
In web.config (in the Target application) there is a section which read:
<serviceHostingEnvironment aspNetCompatibilityEnabled="true"/>.
I changed this to read:
<serviceHostingEnvironment aspNetCompatibilityEnabled="true" multipleSiteBindingsEnabled="true" />.
Credit must go to http://forums.iis.net/post/1956671.aspx for this (although s/he claims it is the proxy's config which needs to be changed, but I found it be the Target app, not the proxy server).

If you still can't get it running, make sure you don't have the WCF handlers on the website which acts as the reverse proxy.
I disabled this by adding this web.config of the reverse proxy:
<system.webServer>
...
<handlers>
<remove name="svc-ISAPI-4.0_64bit" />
<remove name="svc-ISAPI-4.0_32bit" />
<remove name="svc-Integrated-4.0" />
</handlers>
</system.webServer>

Because the rewrite appears to work for all resources except when the extension is .svc I would say this would be the area to concentrate on.
I would imagine that the rewrite rules are matching your other resources, but not your service, and because these are usually regular expressions (which are often complicated) I would say it would be worth testing any rules you find with your urls. Details of how to find the regular expressions for an UrlRewrite can be found here.
It is also probably also worth looking at any outbound rules with the same mindset.

Google+ signin "Getting Started" project - problems with IIS

Using the C#/.NET Google+ sign-in quick start project, I'm hitting problems with IIS6. Here are the steps I followed:
downloaded the project from Github
modified the index.html and signin.ashx files to contain my Client ID and Client Secret
running the project on my machine (using the built in web server for Visual Studio 2010) works fine
published to Windows 2003 server with IIS6
added "index.html" as a default document for the web site
set the web site to use an app pool configured for the 4.0 .NET framework
attempted to access the page from Chrome
Accessing the site with no page specified on the URL (https://myserver.com/gplussample/) brings up the Google+ signin button. This works great and I'm taken to the page with my profile photo, circles, etc.
However, when I click the "disconnect" button, nothing happens. Using Chrome DevTools to examine the process, I see this error:
POST https://myserver.com/gplussample//disconnect 404 (Not Found)
The problem is the //disconnect - there's no page name (I believe it should be signin.ashx, as that's what works when I'm running the app on the dev web server with Visual Studio 2010).
I then attempted to access the site with a page name specified:
https://myserver.com/gplussample/signin.ashx
That results in a blank page and again, looking at the Chrome DevTools, I see a 400 Bad Request error for the .ashx handler. I searched and searched for solutions for .ashx handlers and "bad request" errors, with no success in this particular case.
Thinking IIS6 was the culprit, I published the site to an IIS7 instance.
With no page name specified on the URL (http://localhost/gplusoriginal/), I encountered the same error with the "disconnect" button - no action and a 404 error.
When I changed the URL to http://localhost/gplusoriginal/signin.ashx, I received this error:
Could not create type 'GPlus_ServerSideFlow.Signin'.
Again, back to Google and checking on .ashx handlers and issues with IIS7. I found a post about the web.config and specifying the handler there, so I tried that.
<system.webServer>
<handlers>
<add name="GPlus_ServerSideFlow.Signin" path="*.ashx" verb="*"
type="GPlus_ServerSideFlow.Signin" resourceType="Unspecified" />
</handlers>
</system.webServer>
Adding this snippet to the web.config resolved the "could not create type" error, but resulted in another 400 Bad Request error.
So, my questions are: What has to be done with II6 or IIS7 to get this sample project working? Are there additional steps in configuring IIS that need to be completed? Or something missing from the project code?
Thank you

The way that the sample works is that the RESTful endpoints are intercepted by an ashx handler, signin.ashx.cs. The handler can't be directly addressed so routes are setup in global.ashx.cs to map endpoints (/, /connect, /disconnect, etc) to that route handler.
As the sample ships, it assumes the built-in web server running on the root port. When moving to IIS, you need to change the path matchers from Equals to EndsWith in order to match the virtual directory you are deploying to:
// Redirect base path to signin.
if (context.Request.Path.EndsWith("/"))
{
context.Response.RedirectPermanent("signin.ashx");
}
// This is reached when the root document is passed. Return HTML
// using index.html as a template.
if (context.Request.Path.EndsWith("/signin.ashx"))
{
Apologies for the delay on this... but hopefully that fixes it! This fork of the C# starter has the changes in it, tested with IIS, and this update may end up getting merged back into the official sample soon.

Why does DotNetNuke log me out on post ajax requests?

Previously, when I tried to do an ajax call to an ashx as a non-superuser account (i.e. as portal specific user) my web server would return cookies to clear my authorization. I posted a question about this and it seemed the answer was to make sure that the portalid=xx was specified in my GET parameters.
However, I have just found out that if I add portalid=xx in a POST request, DotNetNuke seems to ignore and and log out any non-superuser account.
How can I keep authorization during DNN POST ajax requests?

I think I have a good handle on the whole situation, and unfortunately it appears that the only true solution is to make sure each child portal has its own subdomain rather than a sub-url (e.g. portal.domain.com rather than domain.com/portal).
The problem is that when your portal 0 is domain.com but portal 1 is domain.com/portal everything works correctly until you need to access an .ashx file via ajax. What happens then is the URL that's requested is instead domain.com/DesktopModules/MyModule/Handler.ashx, which does not contain the /portal/ in it, thus causing DNN to think you are doing a request on portal 0 and logging you out.
While GET requests can overcome this with a portal=1 parameter, this does not seem to work for POST requests.
Therefore, the best solution it seems is to have your portal on a distinct subdomain (portal.domain.com), and then you don't risk missing something like this.

I've found a few things for you to check out and see if any of them solve your problem.
Make sure you are using a ScriptManagerProxy. This allows ascx pages to use AJAX while the parent page is also using AJAX.
There have been many reports of people not being able to run AJAX with DNN if Page State Persistence is set to "Memory". Those who experience this have been able to fix it by switching Page State Persistence to "Page". The easiest way to do this is to run this query:
update HostSettings
set SettingValue='P'
where SettingName='PageStatePersister'
After you run that, you'll need to recycle the application. If you don't have access to the server, just add a space or carriage return to your web.config file (that will force the app to recycle).
Lastly, you might see if you have this line in your web.config. Sometimes removing it will help:
<system.web>
<xhtmlConformance mode="Legacy" />
</system.web>

Deploying an HttpHandler web service

I am trying to build a webservice that manipulates http requests POST and GET.
Here is a sample:
public class CodebookHttpHandler: IHttpHandler
{
public void ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)
{
if (context.Request.HttpMethod == "POST")
{
//DoHttpPostLogic();
}
else if (context.Request.HttpMethod == "GET")
{
//DoHttpGetLogic();
}
}
...
public void DoHttpPostLogic()
{
...
}
public void DoHttpGetLogic()
{
...
}
I need to deploy this but I am struggling how to start. Most online references show making a website, but really, all I want to do is respond when an HttpPost is sent. I don't know what to put in the website, just want that code to run.
Edit:
I am following this site as its exactly what I'm trying to do.
I have the website set up, I have the code for the handler in a .cs file, i have edited the web.config to add the handler for the file extension I need. Now I am at the step 3 where you tell IIS about this extension and map it to ASP.NET. Also I am using IIS 7 so interface is slightly different than the screenshots. This is the problem I have:
1) Go to website
2) Go to handler mappings
3) Go Add Script Map
4) request path - put the extension I want to handle
5) Executable- it seems i am told to set aspnet_isapi.dll here. Maybe this is incorrect?
6) Give name
7) Hit OK button:
Add Script Map
Do you want to allow this ISAPI extension? Click "Yes" to add the extension with an "Allowed" entry to the ISAPI and CGI Restrictions list or to update an existing extension entry to "Allowed" in the ISAPI and CGI Restrictions list.
Yes No Cancel
8) Hit Yes
Add Script Map
The specified module required by this handler is not in the modules list. If you are adding a script map handler mapping, the IsapiModule or the CgiModule must be in the modules list.
OK
edit 2: Have just figured out that that managed handler had something to do with handlers witten in managed code, script map was to help configuring an executable and module mapping to work with http Modules. So I should be using option 1 - Add Managed Handler.
I know what my request path is for the file extension... and I know name (can call it whatever I like), so it must be the Type field I am struggling with. In the applications folder (in IIS) so far I just have the MyHandler.cs and web.config (Of course also a file with the extension I am trying to create the handler for!)
edit3: progress
So now I have the code and the web.config set up I test to see If I can browse to the filename.CustomExtension file:
HTTP Error 404.3 - Not Found
The page you are requesting cannot be served because of the extension configuration. If the page is a script, add a handler. If the file should be downloaded, add a MIME map.
So in IIS7 I go to Handler Mappings and add it in. See this MSDN example, it is exactly what I am trying to follow
The class looks like this:
using System.Web;
namespace HandlerAttempt2
{
public class MyHandler : IHttpHandler
{
public MyHandler()
{
//TODO: Add constructor logic here
}
public void ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)
{
var objResponse = context.Response;
objResponse.Write("<html><body><h1>It just worked");
objResponse.Write("</body></html>");
}
public bool IsReusable
{
get
{
return true;
}
}
}
}
I add the Handler in as follows:
Request path: *.whatever
Type: MyHandler (class name - this appears correct as per example!)
Name: whatever
Try to browse to the custom file again (this is in app pool as Integrated):
HTTP Error 500.21 - Internal Server Error
Handler "whatever" has a bad module "ManagedPipelineHandler" in its module list
Try to browse to the custom file again (this is in app pool as CLASSIC):
HTTP Error 404.17 - Not Found
The requested content appears to be script and will not be served by the static file handler.
Direct Questions
1) Does the website need to be in CLASSIC or INTEGRATED mode? I don't find any reference of this in the online material, whether it should be either.
2) Do I have to compile the MyHandler.cs to a .dll, or can I just leave it as .cs? Does it need to be in a bin folder, or just anywhere in root?

RE your questions:
I don't know the answer to the first one (CLASSIC or INTEGRATED); but I can help with the second...
Yes you'll need to compile it first. I have never tried deploying dll's to anywhere other than the bin, given that that's the standard I would be suspect in putting them anywhere else even if it did work.
The way I deploy HttpHandlers is quiet straight forward - all the hard work's done in web.config, I'v enever had to go into IIS to change any settings.
For a start, for the http request to be handled by ASP.NET you need to use a request suffix that's already piped to ASP.NET - like .aspx or ashx. If you want to use something else you will need to config IIS to do this, as per your managed handler img above.
I tend to use .ashx e.g: http://localhost/foo/my/httphandler/does/this.ashx
All you need to do (assuming you've compiled athe HttpHandler into a DLL and deployed it to the site) is add the necessary config.
<configuration>
<system.web>
<httpHandlers>
<add verb="*"
path="*.ashx"
type="MyApp.PublishingSystem.HttpHandlers.GroovyHandler, MyApp.PublishingSystem" />
</httpHandlers>
</system.web>
</configuration>
Obviously (?) you can change / restrict the scope using the path, e.g:
path="*.ashx"
path="*ListWidgets.ashx"
path="*Admin/ListWidgets.ashx"
More info here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms820032.aspx
An important gotcha to look out for is the order in which you declare your HttpHandlers in the config; from what I remember ones declared first take precedent. So in this example...
<add verb="*" path="*foo.ashx" type="MyApp.PublishingSystem.HttpHandlers.FooHandler, MyApp.PublishingSystem" />
<add verb="*" path="*.ashx" type="MyApp.PublishingSystem.HttpHandlers.GroovyHandler, MyApp.PublishingSystem" />
...the groovy handler will handle all HttpRequests except any that end in foo.ashx
By the way, I make use of HttpHanldrs in my open source .net CMS / app framework, you might find some helpful code there (?): http://morphfolia.codeplex.com/

Make sure the app pool's .NET Framework Version is set correctly...
I deployed a .NET 4.0 web app on a .NET 2.0 app pool and got this error. Set the app pool to v4.X and the ashx was served like a champ.