Server.MapPath - Physical path given, virtual path expected

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Hi all,

I am getting Physical path given, virtual path expected error while I used for getting a pdf file in my controller..

C#

string filePath = Server.MapPath(Url.Content("D:\\test.pdf"));

in my controller..

Please help..

Posted 21-Jul-13 22:59pm

Apali

Updated 21-Jul-13 23:20pm

ridoy

v2

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Harshad Kathiriya · Answer 1 · 2013-07-21T23:06:00

Solution 1

Hello

Use like

C#

string filePath = Server.MapPath("~\test.pdf");

It's necessary the file physical location is in your application folder.

Posted 21-Jul-13 23:06pm

Harshad Kathiriya

Updated 21-Jul-13 23:20pm

v2

Comments

Apali 22-Jul-13 5:13am

but still I am getting this D:/test.pdf' is a physical path, but a virtual path was expected. after using your code...
Actually I want my D drive folder in controller

Manohar_manu 22-Jul-13 5:23am

refer this link
http://www.dotnetperls.com/mappath

Manohar_manu 22-Jul-13 5:24am

http://www.west-wind.com/weblog/posts/2009/Dec/21/Making-Sense-of-ASPNET-Paths

Harshad Kathiriya 22-Jul-13 5:26am

May i know, What's actual scenario ?
So I'll get proper solution...

Apali 22-Jul-13 5:31am

In my D drive test.pdf file is there..In my MVC application I want to display that pdf file in my view page..so in controller I am using like this ViewData["Message"] = filePath; and in my view page I have used <% var message = ViewData["Message"] as string; %> <%=message%>....

so I used like below code..
string filePath = Server.MapPath(Url.Content("D:\\test.pdf"));
ViewData["Message"] = filePath;

Harshad Kathiriya 22-Jul-13 5:43am

Actually, Server.MapPath gets the virtual path and return the physical path..
If you have the virtual path then u can access the physical file in your MVC application.. U can not pass D:\\Test.pdf path in server.MapPath... Because Server.MapPath gives path of your application...

Apali 22-Jul-13 5:50am

I added test.txt to my project.After adding If I am givng only string filePath = "~/test.txt"; then in my view page that ~/test.txt file only I am getting.

can you give the complete code of that please

Harshad Kathiriya 22-Jul-13 6:08am

Try to do this.

-- Controller
public ActionResult Index()
{
string fileName = Server.MapPath(@"~\Test.pdf");
ViewData["Message"] = fileName;
return View();
}

-- Cshtm file code
<div>
@{
var msg = ViewData["Message"];
}
@msg;
</div>

In the above code, your test file in stored into Application folder
Here, In my machine environment, My Application stored into D:\MVCTest folder and Test.PDF stored into this folder.

Its possible to help u..

:)

Apali 22-Jul-13 6:19am

no same condn again i am getting F:\Apali Code Library\SMB Optn Mgmt\test.pdf only in my view page I am not getting that pdf file..

Harshad Kathiriya 22-Jul-13 6:33am

Can u use any library for displaying PDF file ?
If u want to show the image file than just to pass the virtual path and that path assigned to html image tag.. But in PDF u need to holder that to show that file.. like use Java applet to display that image or PDF...

Apali 22-Jul-13 6:36am

no in my project only pdf file is there...library means?

Harshad Kathiriya 22-Jul-13 6:42am

like ItextSharp library

Apali 22-Jul-13 6:48am

I don't know that one...any other method is there?

Harshad Kathiriya 22-Jul-13 8:56am

I think its helpfull to you
https://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/asp.net/asp.net-mvc-action-results-and-pdf-content/

ridoy · Answer 2 · 2013-07-21T23:29:00

Solution 2

If you already know your folder is: D:\\test.pdf then you do not need to use Server.MapPath.
Or,
Alternatively it can be said,if you already have a physical path, it doesn't make sense to call Server.MapPath.
Also see..
a physical path, but a virtual path was expected in C#[^]
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/78d08afd-77b0-4b2e-a19f-30686f906960/capplicationfilestesttxt-is-a-physical-path-but-a-virtual-path-was-expected[^]

Posted 21-Jul-13 23:29pm

ridoy

Comments

Apali 22-Jul-13 5:39am

Hi ridoy,

In my D drive test.pdf file is there..In my MVC application I want to display that pdf file in my view page..so in controller I am using like this ViewData["Message"] = filePath;

and in my view page I have used <% var message = ViewData["Message"] as string; %> <%=message%>.... so I used like below code.. string filePath = Server.MapPath(Url.Content("D:\\test.pdf")); ViewData["Message"] = filePath;

can you pls help to find that pdf file in my view page..

ridoy 22-Jul-13 6:47am

See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11524293/displaying-pdf-asp-net-mvc,http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15121876/how-do-i-display-a-pdf-using-pdfsharp-in-asp-net-mvc, http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1881248/mvc-open-pdf-file

ridoy 22-Jul-13 7:07am

try relativeDir = "~/data" + System.IO.Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + "test.pdf";
absoluteDir = Server.MapPath( relativeDir ); ViewData["Message"] = absoluteDir; where data is a folder within my solution explorer of test project.use your directory address there.