Missing - WebControl.MapPath()

[Steve Murrell]

Hi, I am writing a Web Control and have a problem at design time. There is no WebControl.MapPath() function. I am loading an XML file which cannot be done using relative path names. At design time you cannot access Page.MapPath() as no page exists. I have a horrid solution where you specify the full path and filename at design time and then mangle it at runtime, but I hoping someone could come up with something better than this - String MapXMLFileName(String xmlFileName) { //When you specify the XML Filename at design time you select //the absolute path and filename on the development server //(otherwise it can't be loaded at design time). //At run time however this now needs to be converted into a mappped path. //We need to allow for subdirectory differences e.g - // //xmlFileName = "c:\inetpub\wwwroot\dotNet\TestApp\XML\Menu1.xml" //but should be = "d:\intepub\wwwroot\companyname\TestApp\XML\Menu1.xml" // //Map a dummy name first - "./Test.xml" becomes //xmlDummy = "d:\intepub\wwwroot\companyname\TestApp\Test.xml" // //Next strip off the dummy filename so we get //xmlMappedRoot = "d:\intepub\wwwroot\companyname\TestApp" // //Now extract the directory we are working from //xmlDirectorySegment = "TestApp" // //Now look in the original xmlFileName to find that Directory and take //everything after that //xmlPathSegment = "\XML\Menu1.xml" // //Finally add the xmlMappedRoot and the xmlPathSegment to get the //new mapped path //xmlMapped = "d:\intepub\wwwroot\companyname\TestApp\XML\Menu1.xml" String xmlDummy = Page.MapPath("./Test.xml"); String xmlMappedRoot = xmlDummy.Substring(0,xmlDummy.Length - 9); String xmlDirectorySegment = xmlMappedRoot.Substring(xmlMappedRoot.LastIndexOf("\\")+1); String xmlPathSegment = xmlFileName.Substring(xmlFileName.LastIndexOf(xmlDirectorySegment)+xmlDirectorySegment.Length); String xmlMapped = xmlMappedRoot + xmlPathSegment; return xmlMapped; } Cheers Steve

[Philip Patrick]

Not sure it helps, but what about System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath? Philip Patrick Web-site: www.stpworks.com "Two beer or not two beer?" Shakesbeer

[Steve Murrell]

No Luck - Server.MapPath also is not valid at design time. Cheers Steve

[Paul Watson]

The other chap is correct, you must use Context to get at Server.MapPath You go Context.Server.MapPath. If that does not work then what is your WebControl inheriting from? It should be public class WebCustomControl1 : System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebControl or similar

Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa

brianwelsch wrote: I find my day goes by more smoothly if I never question other peoples fantasies. My own disturb me enough.

[Steve Murrell]

Paul, I am inheriting from System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebControl. Server.MapPath is fine at runtime, but when I use it from my custom designer which inherits from ControlDesigner it blows up in GetDesignTimeHtml() as no Context is available. When I drag the control from the toolbox and drop it, I get Grey box saying Error Creating Control. As soon as I remove the call to Server.MapPath I can use my control again at design time. I guess whatever is hosting the control at design time is not supplying the required interfaces. It's a bit of a pain as my control is an XML driven menu and really needs to load the XML file at design time in order to look the part of a nice WYSIWYG control. Cheers Steve