ASP.NET Relative Path To File in Web.Config

Question

I want to specify a path to a file in my application in the Web.Config file, then call that path in a controller. From what I've found online, I'm most of the way there.

Web.Config

<appSettings>
    <add key="filePath" value= "~/App_Data/Physicians.xml" />
</appSettings>

Controller

//Path of the document       
string xmlData = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["filePath"].ToString();

However, this is pointing to the wrong location.

How can I point this to the file I have stored in the App_Data folder, starting from the root of my application?

I know |DataDirectory| works in the connection string. Not sure in AppSettings. — JDPeckham
– JDPeckham, Commented May 24, 2018 at 0:46

Andy · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-19 09:48:04Z

28

You can use Server.MapPath.

Or alternatively, store only the relative path in the configuration file, then use:

<appSettings>
    <add key="filePath" value= "App_Data/Physicians.xml" />
</appSettings>

string relativePath = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["filePath"];
string combinedPath = Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory, relativePath)

The latter technique will work in non-web applications, so is arguably better.

edited Jul 19, 2018 at 9:48

Andy

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2 Comments

madvora Over a year ago

Would you mind elaborating on this a little more? Are you saying that I leave the Web.Config portion alone? Can you write out how you would make this call in the controller? I don't see how I would use your Path.Combine example with what I have, or if I'm supposed to replace all of that.

Dylan Over a year ago

relativePath would be the part which you store in your Web.Config. You would remove the tilda from your path and then go something like var relativePath = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["filePath"].ToString() and then use Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory, relativePath)

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