Get current application physical path within Application_Start

Question

I'm not able to get the current physical path within Application_Start using

HttpContext.Current.Request.PhysicalApplicationPath

because there is no Request object at that time.

How else can I get the physical path?

Related post [here](https://stackoverflow.com/q/10951599/465053). — RBT, Nov 14 '17 at 10:30

rick schott · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-19T18:46:36.647

53

 protected void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
     string path = Server.MapPath("/");
     //or 
     string path2 = Server.MapPath("~");
     //depends on your application needs

 }

edited Jul 19 '13 at 18:46

answered Sep 29 '09 at 23:55

rick schott

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score 32 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 11 '16 at 00:52

32

I created a website with ASP.Net WebForms where you can see the result of using all forms mentioned in previous responses from a site in Azure.

http://wfserverpaths.azurewebsites.net/

Summary:

Server.MapPath("/") => D:\home\site\wwwroot\

Server.MapPath("~") => D:\home\site\wwwroot\

HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppPath => D:\home\site\wwwroot\

HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppVirtualPath => /

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory => D:\home\site\wwwroot\

HostingEnvironment.MapPath("/") => D:\home\site\wwwroot\

HostingEnvironment.MapPath("~") => D:\home\site\wwwroot\

answered Apr 11 '16 at 00:52

batressc

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How can I get: \\myserver\inetpub\wwwroot\myfolder instead of C:\inetpub\wwwroot\myfolder.... – Si8 Mar 30 '17 at 19:32
1

Select an option above and write this small code: `var pathComponents = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory.Split(':'); pathComponents[0] = @"\\" + System.Environment.MachineName; var resultPath = string.Join("", pathComponents);` – batressc Jul 11 '17 at 16:20

score 23 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 19 '13 at 14:58

23

You can also use

HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppVirtualPath

edited Jul 19 '13 at 14:58

Uwe Keim

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answered Feb 17 '12 at 16:29

DotNetUser

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For the physical path, you'd actually want `HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppPath` which "Gets the physical drive path of the application directory for the application hosted in the current application domain." `HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppVirtualPath` actually gets a virtual path such as "/MyApp". Either way, using HttpRuntime is the best way to get the application physical path, because it's available in every context, including static contexts even before an `HttpApplication` object is available. – Triynko Jul 31 '13 at 22:44
1

The other solutions posted here require an `HttpServerUtility` instance to be accessed through the `Server` property, which is available only within the context of an application event like "Application_Start" or within an active web request. – Triynko Jul 31 '13 at 22:47
`HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppPath` – Mehdi Khademloo Mar 27 '17 at 18:36

score 17 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 12 '16 at 09:12

17

Use Server.MapPath("~")

edited Feb 12 '16 at 09:12

Satpal

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answered Sep 29 '09 at 23:57

TJF

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This works better than Server.MapPath("/"); because the path of the web application might not be the same as the root application one. – Nicolas De Irisarri Feb 13 '13 at 14:49
9

And `HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppPath` works better than any of these, because it works in any context including static contexts, whereas all other options require an `HttpServerUtility` instance to be accessed through the `Server` property, which is available only within the context of an application event like "Application_Start" or within an active web request. – Triynko Jul 31 '13 at 22:49

score 9 · Answer 5 · edited Jul 19 '13 at 15:55

9

You can use this code:

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

edited Jul 19 '13 at 15:55

Robert

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answered Jul 19 '13 at 15:29

senthilkumar2185

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score 5 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 19 '17 at 15:20

5

Best choice is using

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

because it's in the system namespace and there is no dependency to system.web

this way your code will be more portable

answered Jun 19 '17 at 15:20

abzarak

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score 3 · Answer 7 · edited Nov 17 '14 at 05:03

3

use below code

server.mappath() in asp.net

application.startuppath in c# windows application

edited Nov 17 '14 at 05:03

Oliver Spryn

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answered Sep 30 '09 at 09:34

maxy

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score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Jul 19 '13 at 14:53

3

There is also the static HostingEnvironment.MapPath

answered Jul 19 '13 at 14:53

Alex

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score 2 · Answer 9 · edited Nov 17 '14 at 04:54

2

System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

This will give you the running directory of your application. This even works for web applications. Afterwards, you can reach your file.

edited Nov 17 '14 at 04:54

royhowie

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answered May 07 '14 at 09:21

hakan

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Jenna Leaf · Answer 10 · 2015-06-23T12:18:29.883

There's, however, slight difference among all these options which

I found out that

If you do

    string URL = Server.MapPath("~");

or

    string URL = Server.MapPath("/");

or

    string URL = HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppPath;

your URL will display resources in your link like this:

    "file:///d:/InetPUB/HOME/Index/bin/Resources/HandlerDoc.htm"

But if you want your URL to show only virtual path not the resources location, you should do

    string URL = HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppVirtualPath;

then, your URL is displaying a virtual path to your resources as below

    "http://HOME/Index/bin/Resources/HandlerDoc.htm"

Get current application physical path within Application_Start

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