How can I run an MVC app as a class library?

Question

I've just started working on an MVC 4 app, using Visual Studio 2010, got the app building, but alas am still waiting to get admin rights to my Windows XP box.

...and I don't seem to have any way to run the app in my browser. The startup project is a class library, so I can't run it directly by F5ing, and I lack (probably due to not having admin access) the normal options to set the server configuration in the Debug panel in the project's properties.

So what's the best option for me, anyone? Or is this intractable without admin rights?

EDIT: With MVC, make sure the startup project type is Web Application, not Class Library. I forgot this! If you need to change, see this question. And the problem had nothing to do with not having admin rights.

You say this is an MVC app but the startup project is a class library? You've lost me. MVC can run in old Visual Studios using Cassini (no admin rights) or IIS Express in more recent Visual Studios (no admin rights so long as IIS Express is installed which happens during VS installation). Maybe I'm just misunderstanding? — Smudge202, Oct 23 '13 at 23:37
Ah ok, there WAS some problems loading this project originally, and it sounds right that it wrongly got converted to a class library. So now I have to turn it back into a Web Application. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4492829/how-to-convert-a-class-library-project-to-a-web-application-project. I forgot that that was the project type for MVC. Thanks so much @Smudge202, sorry I can't offer any points, but it was kind of a stupid question to start with since it ends up having nothing to do with admin rights. — Ralph Lavelle, Oct 23 '13 at 23:55
about helping each other out, not the points. Glad I could be of use. ;) — Smudge202, Oct 24 '13 at 00:00

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 24 '13 at 00:26

0

Right click on the MVC project, Debug->Start New Instance

answered Oct 24 '13 at 00:26

mehmet mecek

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"A project with an Output Type of Class Library cannot be started directly." – Ralph Lavelle Oct 24 '13 at 00:39
It does not make sense that you can not modify your MVC project's output type. Did you try to change it by modifying the project file directly in a text editor? – mehmet mecek Oct 24 '13 at 07:52
I can modify it, that's exactly what I did. That doesn't seem to be what you were suggesting though. – Ralph Lavelle Oct 24 '13 at 22:51

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 10 '15 at 10:16

I am also facing the same issue. I just modified the csproj file of that project. I added

<ProjectTypeGuids>{349c5851-65df-11da-9384-00065b846f21};{fae04ec0-301f-11d3-bf4b-00c04f79efbc}</ProjectTypeGuids>

to the project.csproj file and reload the application and found my solution working at next moment.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 19 '15 at 16:56

With an MVC 2.0 project in VS 2010, the default (and only) output type is ClassLibrary. For me it turned out to be something really stupid. I had accidentally set another class library project in the solution as the StartUp Project. Right click your MVC project in Solution Explorer, and choose "Set as StartUp Project". It should appear bold in the Solution Explorer if it is the designated StartUp Project.

How can I run an MVC app as a class library?

3 Answers3