Question

I’m creating a custom server control which uploads files asynchronously to the server.
This solution uses flash element that posts the files to Generic Web handler aka ashx which then saves the posted file in a desired location.

It works grate, but with this approach I do need to create ashx file in each project, potentially, to handle the posts from the flash element.

What I would like to achieve is fully encapsulated server control that will use it’s own ashx (or whatever can replace it) handler to upload the files.

Is it possible to do? Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You could include the handler within the class library containing the control and then only register it in web.config using the <httpHandlers> section:

<configuration>
   <system.web>
      <httpHandlers>
         <add verb="*" 
              path="upload.ashx" 
              type="MyControl.MyUploadHandler.New, MyControl" />
     </httpHandlers>
   <system.web>
</configuration>

and if you are using IIS 7 Integrated pipeline mode to the <handlers> section:

<system.webServer>
    <handlers>
        <add name="UploadHandler" 
             verb="*" 
             path="upload.ashx" 
             type="MyControl.MyUploadHandler.New, MyControl" />
    </handlers>
</system.webServer>

And if you are using ASP.NET 4.0 you could checkout the PreApplicationStartMethod infrastructure which allows you to dynamically register handlers:

[assembly: WebActivator.PreApplicationStartMethod(typeof(MyControl.StartUp), "PreApplicationStart")]