[RESOLVED] Advice on uploading to web server

[Roofuss]

Hi Everyone

i've been creating a website in visual studio and i just really want some advice on the best way to upload the site to my commercial web server.

at the moment i simply click publish site and it uploads to my selected file on my webserver which is ok but

1. it takes ages
2. when it comes to updating the site it says "all existing files in this directory will be deleted"

this is where the big issue is because ive just added the blogEngine to my site and
1. will it delete all my exiting posts
2. i dont really want upload this file or the whole site when i make a slight change to the site because again it takes an absolute age to upload

what is the best way to upload my site either through visual studio or any other means...

Hope someone can help

Thanks

[gep13]

Hey,

Which version of Visual Studio are you using? Express or Full Version?

You can use a FTP Program, and only upload the files that you know have changed.

Your posts should be fine, as they will be in a database, so as long as you don't overwrite the database, they will still be there.

Gary

[Roofuss]

I'm using the full version of visual studio 2008.

see i tired to use my ftp program but every time i do then go to my site it brings up an load error. i tried refreshing the site through my cp but still doesnt work?

do you upload site through visual studio or do you use ftp?

[gep13]

Hey,

What FTP Client are you using?

Are you using the Publish mechanism through Visual Studio? Right Click Solution | Publish.

This gives you additional options.

Gary

[Roofuss]

No im using Build | Publish Web Site from the tool bar at the top.

i just use FileZilla for my FTP because its free should i change...?

[brin351]

Publishing builds your entire website and turns your code vb/c# into dll files.

You don't need to "publish" your site you can just put (ftp) all the files (.aspx, .aspx.vb etc) on the server and asp.net compiles them on first request no dlls. You can make changes and just upload those files.

The difference is publishing precompiles your code which has some benifits and some drawbacks as you have found.

[gep13]

Hey,

Nope, FileZilla is perfectly valid, this is what I use as well

What error are you getting when you try and connect?

Gary

[Roofuss]

yeah i see is it safe to upload your code files for the pages as well? i was told it wasnt? but if its going to make things easier im all for it. will anyone then be able to access the code files though?

[Roofuss]

Hey,

Nope, FileZilla is perfectly valid, this is what I use as well

What error are you getting when you try and connect?

Gary

i can connect and upload everything fine its just when i then try getting onto the site.

but like you said i think this is because i'm trying to add to an already pre compiled site as there's not code files on there which maybe causing an error?

[gep13]

Hey,

No, ASP.Net will not allow the code behind files to be downloaded.

What you may see is a performance hit though. This is because ASP.Net will have to compile the code behind ready for use, this doesn't have to happen when you pre-compile. Why can you not simply upload the compiled DLL that has changed?

Gary

[Roofuss]

that's just because it only pre compiles before it uploads the site directly to my web server.

i suppose i could create the pre compiled version on my local machine then if i ftp the page ive edited from the pre compiled version that should work shouldn't it?

[gep13]

Hey,

That is what I normally do.

I publish to a temporary folder on my machine, and then I copy the files that need to be uploaded onto my server.

Gary

[Roofuss]

lol do you no what i dont no why i didnt think of that in the 1st place but thanks for shedding the light

Cheers for your help

[Roofuss]

hi

so i just created a pre compiled version of my site on my local machine... then FTP the pre compiled version of tmy default page over to my web server using file zilla. and i got an error when trying to open the page. saying there properties in my a web.config arent turned on so it couldnt display the error..?

i thought this would work?

[brin351]

set you web.config to show remote errors as the message states (upload it) to view the error - it may be something simple. Remember to change it back when finished debugging

[Roofuss]

the error is as follows

Server Error in '/' Application.

Parser Error

Description: An error occurred during the parsing of a resource required to service this request. Please review the following specific parse error details and modify your source file appropriately. 

Parser Error Message: Could not load the assembly 'App_Web_hw9ow1ao'. Make sure that it is compiled before accessing the page.

not sure how its working this out because i am uploading the compiled version of the page that is on my local machine as i explained above?

[gep13]

Hey,

Which files have you uploaded? Have you uploaded everything into the right place?

Gary

[Roofuss]

hi

yeah i think so i literally created a temp folder on my local machine. went to build and publish in visual studio again but this time set it to publish to my new temp folder on my local machine.

then when into fileZilla transfered just the one page from the temp folder into the root folder of my when server which then overwritten the existing page and thats it

went into my cp refreshed my site then tired to open the page i had just uploaded and i got that error

i must be doing something wrong somewhere...

i only uploaded the one page

Thanks Roo

[gep13]

Hey,

The error seems to suggest that it is trying to find the temporary compiled DLL, from a non pre-compiled Web Application.

I take it the application works when you debug it from Visual Studio?

Have you got IIS installed locally? Can you try taking the files from your temp location and put them into IIS locally. Does that work?

Gary

[Roofuss]

hi yeah i have got IIS installed but when i first started this site i set it to use the local directory so its not actually configured with IIS (which i know is a mistake now lol) it just uses the built in local host visual studio has.

[gep13]

Hey,

That's ok, that is what I mean.

Take the files that you have published, and put then in IIS. This is essentially what you are doing when you upload your files to the server. This will prove whether it is a problem with your publish, or something else.

Do you follow what I am suggesting?

Gary

[Roofuss]

hi

yeah i understand ive done that and now my local host isnt working lol. when i try to run it through visual studio i get this

This web page is not available.

The web page at null might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.

  More information on this error
Below is the original error message

Error 101 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_RESET): Unknown error.

but i have added the folder on my local machine as i virtual directory in my IIS

[gep13]

Hey,

Once you have it deployed to IIS, you don't have to run it through Visual Studio

Just fire up internet explorer, and point it at http://localhost/<plus which ever virtual directory you have created>

Gary

[Roofuss]

I see i see ok ive done that and ive even edited a page and re published it to my local folder and it all works fine. even the changes i have made are their and its running through IIS

[gep13]

Hey,

In which case, this suggests that there is something on your remote web server causing a problem.

Can you delete everything (except your database of course) and upload again? Just this once, since you are doing thing differently? Going forward, you can only upload the files that have changed.

Ideally, an IISRESET would do the trick, but I doubt you have this ability on the remote server.

Gary

[Roofuss]

right lol... we've made some progress i deleted everything on my web server except from my blog folder then copied my site from my local folder that is running through IIS onto my web server and that has worked great.

how ever i still get an error if i just copy over an individual page. so in fileZilla i had to delete everything again then copy it over again lol. which i suppose is alot quicker but still doesnt solve my problem of wanting to copy over a single page

[gep13]

Hmm, that is very strange?!!?

Unless I am having a blonde moment, you should be able to do this.

I am not in a position to test this for you just now, but if/when I get a chance, I will give it a try and let you know what I come up with.

Oh, by the way, for the sake of clarity, when you are uploading a change, can you give an example of what change you are making, and what files you are uploading?

At least, for now, you have a work around.

Gary

[Roofuss]

ok thanks i will look forward to hearing from you later

thanks for your help for now though i'm getting closer all also have a play and yes ill remeber that for next time

[gep13]

Hey,

Did you see my question:

Oh, by the way, for the sake of clarity, when you are uploading a change, can you give an example of what change you are making, and what files you are uploading?

Would be good to know this so that I can replicate.

Gary

[Roofuss]

Hey,

Did you see my question:



Would be good to know this so that I can replicate.

Gary

O yeah sorry lol

i was just adding an extra keyword into my meta keywords on my home page

[Roofuss]

when i click publish it wont be to do with any this check boxes will it?

allow this pre compiled site to be updated
use fixed naming and single page assemblies
emit de-bug information
enable strong naming on pre-complied assemblies

because i only have the 1st one ticked?

thanks

[gep13]

O yeah sorry lol

i was just adding an extra keyword into my meta keywords on my home page

Hey,

So, I assume you were only uploading the aspx page, is that right?

Gary

[Roofuss]

hey

yes that's right

[Roofuss]

ok now this is weird after further playing... i have seen that if i copy a file across (aboutus.aspx) then try and view the page i get the same error as i showed above but if i then open the file for editing through fileZilla and simply close it.... the page then works?

what is going on lol...

[gep13]

Interesting...

Not sure, will have to investigate.

[Roofuss]

hi this is the error im geting now (im working with my about page)

Server Error in '/' Application.

Parser Error

Description: An error occurred during the parsing of a resource required to service this request. Please review the following specific parse error details and modify your source file appropriately. 

Parser Error Message: Could not load the assembly 'App_Web_-qajy9ls'. Make sure that it is compiled before accessing the page.

and its referencing this part of line 1: inherits="about, App_Web_-qajy9ls" &#37;>

i dont even know what App_Web_-qajy9ls is!

[gep13]

Hey,

That is an auto-generated assembly name created by ASP.Net, which suggests that it is still being compiled on request, rather than using the pre-compiled version.

Gary

[Roofuss]

when i click publish it wont be to do with any this check boxes will it?

allow this pre compiled site to be updated
use fixed naming and single page assemblies
emit de-bug information
enable strong naming on pre-complied assemblies

because i only have the 1st one ticked?

thanks

referring back to these have i got these correct with only having the 1st one ticked or should i have more or non ticked?

[gep13]

Hey,

That is the part that I am not sure on, and which I was going to be checking for you

Gary

[Roofuss]

ok thanks im not sure if this file is to do with those settings but i get PrecompiledApp.config file that gets created when i publish.