How to constraint IIS app pool from refresh if some files change?

Question

I have ASP.NET MVC application and it contains some folders with files which can be changed in real-time while the application runs in IIS.

When I change certain files with extensions like .resx (without code generation) and .xml (with custom content) my application pool gets refreshed and I don't want this behaviour, however if I change .cshtml then the pool doesn't refresh.

When I put mentioned "problematic" files in App_Data folder then the pool won't be refreshed, but maybe there's solution for other folders too.

For example if I have such folder structure in my application:

    App_Code
    App_Data
    - file1.resx    // when its content changes the pool DOESN'T get refreshed
    - files2.xml    // when its content changes the pool DOESN'T get refreshed
    - files3.cshtml // when its content changes the pool DOESN'T get refreshed
    CustomFolder
    - App_LocalResources
    -- file1.resx    // when its content changes the pool gets refreshed
    -- files2.xml    // when its content changes the pool gets refreshed
    -- files3.cshtml // when its content changes the pool DOESN'T get refreshed

How to prevent IIS application pool from refresh if some certain files or file types changed?

Thanks for any help.

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:49

1

I think App_Data is a special directory the is ignored for the application restart/reload, since a lot of dynamic/changing content can end up there.

From MSDN about resx files:

The .resx (XML-based resource format) files are converted in to common language runtime binary .resources files that can be embedded in a runtime binary executable or compiled into satellite assemblies.

From that, I think the application is being restarted because the resx file is being compiled at runtime.

I don't think there is a way to prevent this behavior. There are some ideas on How to prevent an ASP.NET application restarting when the web.config is modified? but I haven't tried any of these.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:49

Community

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1

answered Jul 18 '13 at 13:36

Steven V

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Yeah, you are right about **.resx**, but why **.xml** is acting the same way this is very strange. Solutions provided in the given link don't seem to be very good. Thank you anyway. – desperate man Jul 18 '13 at 13:43
I'll agree, the XML kicking things off again is weird... especially if that's the only file you're placing in there. I don't have an answer to that part. – Steven V Jul 18 '13 at 13:47

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 18 '13 at 16:57

Found a solution. The problem of app pool recycling when .resx files change was lying in App_LocalResources folder. I moved all the files from this folder to a new folder named Resources (works pretty much the same as App_Data since it's not system folder).

New folder structure looks as follows:

App_Code
App_Data
- ...
CustomFolder
   Resources
     file1.resx
     files2.xml
     files3.cshtml

How to constraint IIS app pool from refresh if some files change?

2 Answers2