Azure: Read files from App_Data [duplicate] - asp.net-mvc

Question

What is the correct way to find the absolute path to the App_Data folder from a Controller in an ASP.NET MVC project? I'd like to be able to temporarily work with an .xml file and I don't want to hardcode the path.
This does not work:
[HandleError]
public class HomeController : Controller
{
public ActionResult Index()
{
string path = VirtualPathUtility.ToAbsolute("~/App_Data/somedata.xml");
//.... do whatever
return View();
}
}
I think outside of the web context VirtualPathUtility.ToAbsolute() doesn't work.
string path comes back as "C:\App_Data\somedata.xml"
Where should I determine the path of the .xml file in an MVC app?
global.asax and stick it an application-level variable?

Answer 1

ASP.NET MVC1 -> MVC3
string path = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/App_Data/somedata.xml");
ASP.NET MVC4
string path = Server.MapPath("~/App_Data/somedata.xml");
MSDN Reference:
HttpServerUtility.MapPath Method

Answer 2

string path = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetData("DataDirectory").ToString();
This is probably a more "correct" way of getting it.

Answer 3

I try to get in the habit of using HostingEnvironment instead of Server as it works within the context of WCF services too.
HostingEnvironment.MapPath(#"~/App_Data/PriceModels.xml");

Answer 4

The most correct way is to use HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/App_Data");. This means you can only retrieve the path from a method where the HttpContext is available. It makes sense: the App_Data directory is a web project folder structure [1].
If you need the path to ~/App_Data from a class where you don't have access to the HttpContext you can always inject a provider interface using your IoC container:
public interface IAppDataPathProvider
{
string GetAppDataPath();
}
Implement it using your HttpApplication:
public class AppDataPathProvider : IAppDataPathProvider
{
public string GetAppDataPath()
{
return MyHttpApplication.GetAppDataPath();
}
}
Where MyHttpApplication.GetAppDataPath looks like:
public class MyHttpApplication : HttpApplication
{
// of course you can fetch&store the value at Application_Start
public static string GetAppDataPath()
{
return HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/App_Data");
}
}
[1] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ex526337%28v=vs.100%29.aspx

Answer 5

Phil Haak has an example that I think is a bit more stable when dealing with paths with crazy "\" style directory separators. It also safely handles path concatenation. It comes for free in System.IO
var fileName = Path.GetFileName(file.FileName);
var path = Path.Combine(Server.MapPath("~/App_Data/uploads"), fileName);
However, you could also try "AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirector" instead of "Server.MapPath".

Answer 6

string filePath = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/folderName/filename.extension");
OR
string filePath = HttpContext.Server.MapPath("~/folderName/filename.extension");

Answer 7

This way i got the hosting path.
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
namespace IHostingEnvironmentExample.Controllers
{
public class HomeController : Controller
{
private IHostingEnvironment _env;
public HomeController(IHostingEnvironment env)
{
_env = env;
}
public IActionResult Index()
{
var webRoot = _env.WebRootPath;
var file = System.IO.Path.Combine(webRoot, "test.txt");
System.IO.File.WriteAllText(file, "Hello World!");
return View();
}
}
}
https://forums.asp.net/t/1696005.aspx?How+to+get+Local+Server+path+in+mvc

Answer 8

string Index = i;
string FileName = "Mutton" + Index + ".xml";
XmlDocument xmlDoc = new XmlDocument();
var path = Path.Combine(Server.MapPath("~/Content/FilesXML"), FileName);
xmlDoc.Load(path); // Can use xmlDoc.LoadXml(YourString);
this is the best Solution to get the path what is exactly need for now