PRB: Visual InterDev Cannot Debug in Local Mode When Project Files Are on a Remote Share (278950)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual InterDev 6.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Information Server 5.0
This article was previously published under Q278950

SYMPTOMS

When you create a Visual InterDev project and place the local files on a remote share or a mapped drive, and you try to debug in local mode, you may encounter one or both of the following problems:
  • You are repeatedly prompted with a logon dialog box, even when you supply a logon that is valid for the remote share.
  • In the Internet Services Management console, a virtual directory named "ProjectName_Local" has been created but displays a red stop sign icon that contains the word "error".

CAUSE

This problem occurs because, by design, Visual InterDev project files are kept on the developer's local workstation. When Visual InterDev goes into local debugging mode, it uses Microsoft FrontPage server extensions and Active Directory Services Interface calls to the Web server to dynamically create a virtual directory on the local Web server.

Although Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) can create a virtual directory that points to Web files on a remote share, it must use a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to do so. However, Visual InterDev requires that you use a mapped drive to store local project files on a remote share. Because of this discrepancy, Visual InterDev generates the above-mentioned error message any time Visual InterDev passes the mapped drive path of the local project files to IIS to create the virtual directory or launch or debug a page in local mode.

Although you can modify the properties of the IIS virtual directory at run time to use a UNC path, which temporarily allows Visual InterDev to launch in local mode, this often lasts only as long as the current Visual InterDev session and may generate errors and erratic behavior in future sessions. Therefore, Microsoft does not support or recommend that you debug in local mode when the files are stored on a remote share.

RESOLUTION

When you debug in local mode, keep the local project files on the developer's workstation.

MORE INFORMATION

In the properties of the virtual directory, on the Virtual Directory tab, you can set the location of the virtual directory files as A share located on another computer and set the UNC path to the files. After you do this in local mode, you can debug in the current Visual InterDev session with the files on a remote directory. However, the next time you start Visual InterDev and try to debug in local mode, you may receive the following error message:
Cannot set up the virtual root '/ProjectName_Local' for this project.
When you try to view the page in your browser or start debugging in local mode, nothing happens. Therefore, this is not a supported fix. Refer to the "Resolution" section for a supported resolution.

REFERENCES

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

278946 PRB: Cannot Create Visual InterDev Project When Local Files Are in a UNC Share

For more information on Visual InterDev 6.0 debugging, see the following article on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN):

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/techart/msdn_videbugging.htm

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/15/2004
Keywords:kbBug kbDebug kbIDEProject kbprb KB278950
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