Making plugin folder writable in ASP.NET - asp.net

I'm using MEF in a plugin based ASP.NET application. Wiring up a File System Watcher with Container.Refresh() any new plugin is loaded automatically upon being copied to the plugin folder.
The problem is when I want to delete or replace a loaded plugin. It is locked by w3wp and cannot be deleted. I read about Shadow Copy but cannot find a good example or article.

Try adding the plugin folder to AppDomainSetup.ShadowCopyDirectories. This property is a semicolon-seperated list of directories containing assemblies that should be loaded via shadow copies.
Normally you also need to set AppDomainSetup.ShadowCopyFiles to "true" but I think this is already the default for ASP.NET appdomains.
However, be aware that loading a new version of a plugin will not magically unload the old version. The only way to do that is to unload the AppDomain containing it. Since this requires you to load plugins in a separate appdomain, this is probably more trouble than it is worth.
It is probably simpler, safer and more effective to just stop the service, update the DLLs, and restart.

Make sure you are cleaning up all your unmanaged resources properly. It sounds like you may have opened a file stream but didn't properly close/dispose of it, and this may lock up a file by the process that was working with it in the first place. More info on using statement here: http://www.blackwasp.co.uk/UsingStatement.aspx

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In ASP.NET is it possible to store class files in a folder not under app_code?

My searching skills seem to be failing me on this one. It is a simple question;
In ASP.NET is it possible to store class files in a folder not under app_code?
What I am trying to accomplish is create class files which when added (or modified) to the web site will not cause the web site to restart. Anything under App_code or in the bin folder causes a restart. We are not using .NET for the presentation layer.
My reason is simple, we make changes somewhat regularly, and I do not want to wait until a specific time to add/change a feature. These are 24 hour websites and there is no great time to restart them.
Edit:
I am using FluorineFX to access the middle tier. I created a folder called "ProdCode" from the root of the application. When I try to access the NameSpace ProdeCode, class Employee_Calendar method getEvents. I get the error "Failed to locate the requested type ProdCode.Employee_Calendar"
Well, the goal of a non-restart is huge different, and HUGE separate from that of being able to place code modules, or class modules in some other folder.
When you build the project, most of the modules (and class ones) are crunched down to a single .dll anyway.
So, while you are free to add new folders and inside of those folders add new code/class modules? That may not well eliminate the need for the site to re-load, or in fact the site to re-compile the code again.
All of the app_code, and any other code module will crank out and result in a single .dll file. So, I don't see how you going to gain, or win anything new here.
What you could perhaps do is build some classes outside of the project, compile them, and then set a reference to the external code (and class) modules in the other project. That would suggest a external .dll. This would work during debugging, but an "il-merge" usealy occurs when publishing as non debug, and thus the gazillion .dll's are merged into one.
So, separate out code - great idea.
Adding code to additional folders - sure - no problem (do right click on the given class, or code module and make SURE the build action is compile - this is a default for app code - for other folders I can't remember. You need to check this.
so, up to this point? Hey, all great.
But, to save site re-compile time? No, this where train is flying off a big broken bridge, and the whole she-bang is crashing up in a HUGE ball of flames.
You might be able to same some time during debugging, but those included module are pulled into the "main" .dll (same name as your applcation). Go check the "bin" folder now - you not see the app_code .dll's but only one main .dll with the name of your project.
Such re-compile time is useally rather fast for the site to re-load. I you are just changing markup, then fine. But the idea that you want to include compiled code, and attempting to avoid a re-load? No I would not consider this - even if you could! I mean, how many times have you seen code fail or NOT take even after a publish and FORGETTING to re-start the web server? Those .dll's are often loaded into memory, locked and 100+ more issues exist. I many a time lost half a day because my .dll's did not take (due to me not re-starting the web server). there is pain and then there is this kind of "pain" in which parts of your application don't load. I just can't imagine the risk vs rewards in trying to save some time??? - I must be missing something here?

How to Clear/Delete BrowserContext folders?

Using JXBrowser 6.14...
I'm using a different context for every Browser instances, that means I'm creating a temp folder for every Browser instance that I have, I've decided to remove this temp context folders when the Java application shutdown the problem is somewhere this context folders still being used for JXBrowser so I'm not able to delete them. I've also used deleteOnExit() but I'm still facing some problems with some files.
So, I'm wondering is there a way to clean up all those context files/folders? probably when the Browser disposed...?
Thanks in advance.
Before you start deleting this folder, make sure that you dispose all Browser instances with BrowserContext configured to use this folder. If you have at least one running Browser instance that use the folder, you won't be able to delete it.
Also, make sure that you first delete all files inside the folder, and then remove the folder (empty) itself. As far as I know Java doesn't provide API that allows deleting folder with files inside. At least 1.6. First you need to delete each file.

Creating project from existing IIS/ASP.NET website, building stuff

So I'm left maintaining a proprietary codebase from a third-party vendor. The vendor is still sort of around, but support is limp. The site is ASP.NET.
I have made some changes but I am having a really hard time getting IIS to compile these changes in. The bin/ directory has what I believe is a precompiled dll for the core classes. I've changed these but it doesn't recompile. I have tried deleting the dll but then the app refuses to build saying that the Global.asax can't inherit the type anymore, so I don't really know how to rebuild with changes.
I spent all day Saturday setting up a build environment and trying to get a testing thing working. I have just been importing into VS2008 as a web site from the local IIS server. I got it to rebuild the app without changes, but it ignores changes I would place in it.
So I need to make a solution out of this website and/or directory structure so that I can do actual, big, full grown-up rebuilds and make changes to this codebase. Anyone know how I can go about this?
EDIT: A bit more elaboration. I've tried creating a blank project and just Add Existing File... on the whole website directory. This hasn't worked, it stops the import about 10% in.
Keep in mind there are two (actually, three) levels of 'builds' or compiles going on here.
1) The DLLs in the /bin directory should be pre-built, by visual studio or otherwise. The content of .ASPX, ASCX, ASHX, ASAX etc fiels are not included in those.
2) The ASPX, etc files I noted above are then compiled by IIS when the first request comes in (normally; there are ways to change that behavior). That is the source of the error with Global.asax you are seeing; With the DLL(s) gone, the class that Global.asax is supposed to inherit from does not exist.
3) Then there is the just-in-time compilation, which is not relevant for this discussion.
It sounds like you may be missing the source files for the project, or perhaps the web site is not getting properly set up as a project to compile that DLL
Try these links, I suppose this is what you are looking for.
http://www.dotnetmafia.com/blogs/dotnettipoftheday/archive/2010/01/20/linking-files-in-visual-studio.aspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306234
Not sure this question is really valid anymore. The source we were working with was rather different than it should have been. Not sure if someone got angry in the past and moved stuff around or what, but grabbing a new copy of the source fixed most of our issues. I am able to build now with an included csproj.
This doesn't really help many others with the same issue I suppose, but if you are getting weird build behavior like this, you might want to start with basics, like making sure that your source checkout is valid.
I am new in asp.net so I am not sure it is a professional way or not.
I have the project without .snl file. I just create a empty web site and then paste the files inside the folder where I created the project.
It worked for me.
I think pasting the files and folder directly by file manager will help you.

Temporary ASP.NET Files - duplicate file problem

I get an error when ever I replace a user control, or dll on th website. The solution is to stop iis and delete the contents of the folder, obviously not ideal to stop the site.
I read that this might be caused by class names being reused, as in when you make a copy of a control and add it to the solution.
Is it typical for this folder to be used, how can I avoid the site crashing whenever I make a change
Running on IIS7.0, ASP.NET 3.5
I get this problem if I update DLLs and don't clear out the BIN folder, because of the way my code is setup. For example, if I am using version 3.0.1 of a DLL and I add version 3.5.0 of that DLL, it causes conflicts.
As far as a solution, I would agree with the first answer though, which is to have a dev server and a live one, and publish up, although it may not be ideal for your situation.
you should separate development from production, and publish from dev to the prod iis.
btw, in case you actually have 2 classes with the same name, compilation should fail this way.
Use publish to publish the site, consider precompiling. The temporary folder is where resources compiled on the fly are cached.
Faking a web.config update to generate recompilation might also work as opposed to IIS restart? Though not ideal.

Excluding a folder from source control in an ASP.NET website?

Right now I'm working with an ASP.NET website that automatically generates images and stores them in a temporary folder. When working on my local system these go going into a temporary folder that gets picked up by Visual Source Safe which then wants to check them in. As such, I am wondering if there is a way to just exclude that particular folder from source control?
I've done a bit of reading and found that there are ways to do this for individual files, but I haven't found anything yet about an entire folder.
I think you've found one of the main reasons MS went back to projects in VS2008 and in MVC.
It's been a long time since I've used VSS (mainly because it's really out of date now), but most source providers let you exclude files and folders as a setting of the provider, rather than the project under control.
If you can switch to a Web Project rather than a WebSite then do so, otherwise I'd look at updating your source control provider, as this sort of exclusion is easy with Vault, CSV, SVN, Git, VSTS and so on (to name but a few).
Are you using ASP.NET Website or ASP.NET Web Project? The difference is significant enough to solve or promote this problem.
Websites, love to scan the file system and auto checkin.
Projects, checkin only what you tell them to.
Also Visual Source Safe is pretty out dated, most recent source control systems allow you to do what you are asking. SVN and TFS 2008 SP1 do from my experience.
You can also try to right click and pick "Exclude" on the folder, but in the case of a Website I believe this renames the folder.
I'm not sure if this is an option for you, but if you exclude your temporary folder from VSS (delete the folder inside VSS using the VSS UI), the files that go into it should not get "picked up" again.
If you perform operations on a parent project of the temporary folder, you may try cloaking the folder.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/x2398bf5(VS.80).aspx
I would suggest emptying/deleting your folder from your website. Have your website on startup create/verify the folder, and on shutdown to clean it up and remove anything in it. This can be DEBUG code only (wrap in #if DEBUG) if so needed. Also add a build script to your project that does this every time it is built also.
Could you just make your application write to a temporary folder that is outside of your website?
e.g. in C:\tempfiles
VSS shouldn't be able to pick it up then.

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