Setting the default page for ASP.NET (Visual Studio) server configuration

When I build and run my application I get a directory listing in the browser (also happens for sub folders), and I have to click on Index.aspx. It’s making me crazy.

Visual Studio 2008
ASP.NET Development Server 9.0.0.0

Answers:

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Method 1

Right click on the web page you want to use as the default page and choose “Set as Start Page” whenever you run the web application from Visual Studio, it will open the selected page.

Method 2

The built-in webserver is hardwired to use Default.aspx as the default page.

The project must have atleast an empty Default.aspx file to overcome the Directory Listing problem for Global.asax.

🙂

Once you add that empty file all requests can be handled in one location.

public class Global : System.Web.HttpApplication
{
    protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        this.Response.Write("<a href="https://getridbug.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="61090821">[email protected]</a> " + this.Request.Path + "?" + this.Request.QueryString);
        this.Response.StatusCode = 200;
        this.Response.ContentType = "text/plain";

        this.Response.End();
    }
}

Method 3

Go to the project’s properties page, select the “Web” tab and on top (in the “Start Action” section), enter the page name in the “Specific Page” box. In your case index.aspx

Method 4

Similar to zproxy’s answer above I have used the folowing code in the Gloabal.asax.cs to achieve this:

public class Global : System.Web.HttpApplication
{
    protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (Request.Url.AbsolutePath.EndsWith("/"))
        {
            Server.Transfer(Request.Url.AbsolutePath + "index.aspx");
        }
    }
}

Method 5

public class Global : System.Web.HttpApplication
{
    protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        if (Request.Url.AbsolutePath.EndsWith("/"))
        {
             Server.Transfer("~/index.aspx");
        }
    }
}

Method 6

One way to achieve this is to add a DefaultDocument settings in the Web.config.

  <system.webServer>
   <defaultDocument>
    <files>
      <clear />
      <add value="DefaultPage.aspx" />
    </files>
   </defaultDocument>
  </system.webServer>

Method 7

If you are running against IIS rather than the VS webdev server, ensure that Index.aspx is one of your default files and that directory browsing is turned off.

Method 8

This One Method For Published Solution To Show SpeciFic Page on startup.

Here Is the Route Example to Redirect to Specific Page…

public class RouteConfig
{
    public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
    {
        routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

        routes.MapRoute(
            name: "Default",
            url: "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
            defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional },
            namespaces: new[] { "YourSolutionName.Controllers" }
        );
    }
}

By Default Home Controllers Index method is executed when application is started, Here You Can Define yours.

Note : I am Using Visual Studio 2013 and “YourSolutionName” is to changed to your project Name..

Method 9

I’m not sure what framework you are using but in ASP.NET MVC you can simply go to the App_Start folder and open the RouteConfig.cs file. The code should look something like this:

    public class RouteConfig
    {
        public static void RegisterRoutes(RouteCollection routes)
        {
            routes.IgnoreRoute("{resource}.axd/{*pathInfo}");

            routes.MapRoute(
                name: "Default",
                url: "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
                defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
            );
        }
    }

You can change the landing page on the last line of code there after defaults.

All methods was sourced from stackoverflow.com or stackexchange.com, is licensed under cc by-sa 2.5, cc by-sa 3.0 and cc by-sa 4.0