Background: I am planning to move from ASP.NET based web apps to DNN on Discount ASP.NET (DASP). In the past 11 months, I have built numerous local DNN web sites and have been working with Visual Studio ASP.NET, ASP, HTML for a long time. Through Give Camp participation, I am co-developer of a several DNN web sites currently hosted on DASP. Current Status: I licensed Unlimited Subdomains on DASP several months ago. I have not created any Domain Pointers. A few days ago I began exploring using subdomains/subdirectories in addition to my root (ASP.NET) application. I read DASP online documentation on subdomains. I created two subdirectories within my root application directory structure (MySubDir) and (VSASPNET) (All Upper case in VSASPNET name). Set both sub dirs as web apps in DASP Web Application Tool. Explored minimal apps in these (just a Default.aspx and a .CSS style sheet). A day ago, I removed web application designation and deleted both subdirectories. Today, I recreated one of the two sub dirs. (vsaspnet) (lower case in name). I did not recreate MySubDir. I designated subdir vsaspnet as web app in Web Application Tool. FTP’d a small functional ASP.NET app (exercises Expert Controls menu system (commercial), background image on the master page, deep level nesting, etc.) to the root directory and an identical copy to the vsaspnet subdirectory. Results: Using either constructed shortcuts or explicit URL designation in several different browsers on several different computers - with multiple purges of browser cache and settings- get the following: App in root directory displays normally. Deleted subdomain/subdirectory (MySubDir). Shortcuts (http://mysubdir/teamwhome.net) and variations referencing the deleted subdir (MySubDir) launches the root app. The app has a text box which displays the physical application path (E:\web\teamwhomen1\htdocs) and browser (IE 11) shows http://mysubdir.teamwhome.net. This subdirectory has been deleted!!! Existing subdomain/subdirectory (vsaspnet). Shortcuts (http://vsaspnet.teamwhome.net) and variations with and without www preceding teamwhome.net – produces “This page can’t be displayed” and the browser shows the URL as above (..vsaspnet.teamwhome.net) Same for variations with the position and absence of www. Using an explicit reference to the sub directory and initial document: http://teamwhome.net/vsaspnet/default.aspx works! It brings up the app and shows the physical path as E:\web\teamwhomen1\htdocs\vsaspnet. The browser shows: http://teamwhome.net/vsaspnet/default.aspx Questions: How does the reference to a non-existent subdomain function to bring up the root app? I’m assuming that somehow the subdomain is still “known” to DASP/IIS or some other process at DASP. Is there a way to purge a deleted subdomain? Why would the reference to the “legal” subdomain (vsaspnet) fail but the reference to the explicit subdirectory and default document work? I’m sure I’m missing something (probably many things). Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. As indicated above, I plan to create a new DNN web site on DASP but would like to be able to have a small ASP.NET app in a subdirectory. I want the base URL to resolve to the DNN site and be able to link back and forth between the DNN and the ASP.NET sites. Tested this locally – works fine. Thanks in advance
Did you put any type of redirection code, URL Rewrite, etc.? I also know that DNN has the ability to perform redirects through the CMS itself, but I don't know exactly how it works. Those are things you might want to look into.
There is redirection code in the code behind for Default.aspx. Defeating it (it is controlled by diagnostic Booleans in web.config) to eliminate needing to recompile) enables the app in vsaspnet to run (in place). Defeating it in root does not change the action of the call to the non-existing subdomain. Is it the case that a call to a non-existing subdomain automatically references the root? If so that explains that part of the puzzle.
Can anyone provide info (possible- how/not possible) on getting rid of persistent references to deleted sub domains on DASP. It is clear that URLs referencing never created sub domains/directories resolve to the root directory of the domain but created then deleted subdirectories, called by subdomain formatted URLs and complain about the lack of the existence of Default.aspx in the subdirectory. Admittedly, this is not a show stopper. Easily worked around by not calling the deleted reference - but us geeks - even those of us in our mid seventies as I am - are wired to keep trying to figure stuff out. Thanks, John
