Server Error in '/' Application when publish to Azure

Question

I have copied the source code from one of my previous NopCommerce websites, copied and renamed the database on Azure and updated the settings.txt file to point to the new database. The only other changes are to the css.

When I run the new site on localhost it works perfect without a hitch but, when i publish from VS to Azure and then browse to the URL i get an error - Server Error in '/' Application. For the life of me I cannot figure this one out and wondering if any one else has experienced this.

I'm using Nop 3.5

My intuition tells me there is something wrong with my connection string, however, why would is work on localhost but not when published?...

Below is the exception details and the stack trace

Thanks in advance for any help

Server Error in '/' Application. The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.ArgumentException: The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space.

Source Error:

The source code that generated this unhandled exception can only be shown when compiled in debug mode. To enable this, please follow one of the below steps, then request the URL:

Add a "Debug=true" directive at the top of the file that generated the error. Example:

or:

2) Add the following section to the configuration file of your application:

<configuration>
   <system.web>
       <compilation debug="true"/>
   </system.web>
</configuration>

Note that this second technique will cause all files within a given application to be compiled in debug mode. The first technique will cause only that particular file to be compiled in debug mode.

Important: Running applications in debug mode does incur a memory/performance overhead. You should make sure that an application has debugging disabled before deploying into production scenario.

Stack Trace:

[ArgumentException: The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space.]
   System.Data.Entity.Utilities.Check.NotEmpty(String value, String parameterName) +61
   System.Data.Entity.DbContext..ctor(String nameOrConnectionString) +22
   Nop.Web.Framework.<>c__DisplayClass15.<Register>b__9(IComponentContext c) +42
   Autofac.<>c__DisplayClass10`1.<Register>b__f(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +10
   Autofac.Builder.<>c__DisplayClass1`1.<ForDelegate>b__0(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +14
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Delegate.DelegateActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +32
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
   Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.<>c__DisplayClass2.<CanSupplyValue>b__0() +31
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ConstructorParameterBinding.Instantiate() +94
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ReflectionActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +185
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
   Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.<>c__DisplayClass2.<CanSupplyValue>b__0() +31
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ConstructorParameterBinding.Instantiate() +94
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ReflectionActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +185
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
   Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.<>c__DisplayClass2.<CanSupplyValue>b__0() +31
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ConstructorParameterBinding.Instantiate() +94
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Reflection.ReflectionActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +185
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
   Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +24
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.TryResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters, Object& instance) +74
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.ResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +54
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.Resolve(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +118
   Nop.Web.Framework.SettingsSource.<BuildRegistration>b__5(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +35
   Autofac.Builder.<>c__DisplayClass1`1.<ForDelegate>b__0(IComponentContext c, IEnumerable`1 p) +14
   Autofac.Core.Activators.Delegate.DelegateActivator.ActivateInstance(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +32
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Activate(IEnumerable`1 parameters) +48
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.<Execute>b__0() +8
   Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.GetOrCreateAndShare(Guid id, Func`1 creator) +120
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.InstanceLookup.Execute() +132
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.GetOrCreateInstance(ISharingLifetimeScope currentOperationScope, IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +133
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.Execute(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +44

[DependencyResolutionException: An exception was thrown while executing a resolve operation. See the InnerException for details. ---> The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. (See inner exception for details.)]
   Autofac.Core.Resolving.ResolveOperation.Execute(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +112
   Autofac.Core.Lifetime.LifetimeScope.ResolveComponent(IComponentRegistration registration, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +108
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.TryResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters, Object& instance) +74
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.ResolveService(IComponentContext context, Service service, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +54
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.Resolve(IComponentContext context, IEnumerable`1 parameters) +118
   Autofac.ResolutionExtensions.Resolve(IComponentContext context) +46
   Nop.Core.Infrastructure.DependencyManagement.ContainerManager.Resolve(String key, ILifetimeScope scope) +89
   Nop.Core.Infrastructure.NopEngine.Resolve() +55
   FoxNetSoft.Plugin.Misc.RFQ2.UpdateStartUpTask.Execute() +34
   Nop.Core.Infrastructure.NopEngine.RunStartupTasks() +477
   Nop.Core.Infrastructure.NopEngine.Initialize(NopConfig config) +36
   Nop.Core.Infrastructure.EngineContext.Initialize(Boolean forceRecreate) +92
   Nop.Web.MvcApplication.Application_Start() +30

[HttpException (0x80004005): An exception was thrown while executing a resolve operation. See the InnerException for details. ---> The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. (See inner exception for details.)]
   System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.EnsureAppStartCalledForIntegratedMode(HttpContext context, HttpApplication app) +9916673
   System.Web.HttpApplication.RegisterEventSubscriptionsWithIIS(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context, MethodInfo[] handlers) +118
   System.Web.HttpApplication.InitSpecial(HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers, IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +172
   System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetSpecialApplicationInstance(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +336
   System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.InitializeApplication(IntPtr appContext) +296

[HttpException (0x80004005): An exception was thrown while executing a resolve operation. See the InnerException for details. ---> The argument 'nameOrConnectionString' cannot be null, empty or contain only white space. (See inner exception for details.)]
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.FirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +9930568
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.EnsureFirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +101
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) +254

Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:4.0.30319; ASP.NET Version:4.0.30319.36215

UPDATE

From the links in my comment I think I need to define the connection string in the below?? from NopObjectContext.cs

namespace Nop.Data
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Object context
    /// </summary>
    public class NopObjectContext : DbContext, IDbContext
    {
        #region Ctor

        public NopObjectContext(string nameOrConnectionString)
            : base(nameOrConnectionString)
        {
            //((IObjectContextAdapter) this).ObjectContext.ContextOptions.LazyLoadingEnabled = true;
        }
     }
}

I recognise the nameOrConnectionString parameter from the DbContext constructor in EF. What value do you pass in here? and where do you get the value from? Sounds to me like you're missing a configuration point. Does your Autofac IOC container pass this in?? — heymega, Apr 20 '15 at 08:50
Thank you for your reply. I will look into these questions you have raised and will get back to you ASAP. Thanks — ZacHall1991, Apr 22 '15 at 01:26
@heymega this is all new to me so please bare with me! There is a settings.txt file with the connection string and when executed locally it connects to the database on Azure fine. Ive read [link](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15888150/ef-5-azure-migrationfirst-overrides-database-name-why) and [link](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13776686/entity-framework-code-first-with-t4-template) so i think i need to define the connection string in DbContext or parameter less constructor in the DbContext. I will update my question with the code. I am heading in the right direction? thanks — ZacHall1991, Apr 23 '15 at 07:53

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 23 '15 at 08:02

0

In NopCommerce the connection string is set in a file called Settings.txt which is in your Presnetation\Nop.Web\App_Data folder. However it's not part of the solution so does not get deployed. You can either:

Manually publish that file.
Add the file to your Nop.Web project and deploy it.

answered Apr 23 '15 at 08:02

DavidG

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thanks for the reply. I noticed that settings.txt is not published and put it in the directory via FTP. Unfortunately it trows a different error then - This webpage is not available DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN The server can't be found, because the DNS lookup failed. DNS is the network service that translates a website's name to its Internet address. This error is most often caused by having no connection to the Internet or a misconfigured network. It can also be caused by an unresponsive DNS server or a firewall preventing Google Chrome from accessing the network. – ZacHall1991 Apr 26 '15 at 08:20
That's a Chrome error that means you have no internet connection – DavidG Apr 26 '15 at 09:08
That's almost 100% not related. Just Google `DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN` and you will see that it relates to Chrome not being able to find the domain you are asking for. – DavidG Apr 27 '15 at 09:52
Clearly yes... But it throws DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN if settings.txt is present and Server Error in '/' Application if not.... – ZacHall1991 Apr 28 '15 at 09:04

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered May 13 '15 at 00:24

Okay so here is what i found.

The statement of the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error if settings.txt is present in App_Data if 100% correct. The problem is the URL Azure provides http://yourwebsite.azurewebsites.net/ does not work, and its not until the custom domains are hooked up and used to navigate to the website that the site runs as expected.

Server Error in '/' Application when publish to Azure

2 Answers2