Question

My web.config file contains this

<compilation debug="false" targetFramework="4.0">
   <assemblies>
      // some assemblies
   </assemblies>
</compilation>

And in my _Layout.cshtml file I have

@{#if DEBUG}
  // include all css and js files
@{#else}
  // include the minified and combined versions of the css and js files
@{#endif} 

Problem is that the @{#if DEBUG} branch gets executed. If I change that branch to @{#if !DEBUG} then the else branch gets executed. Why is this?

Thanks.

Sachin

Answer 1

The Web.config debug="" attribute does not affect preprocessor symbols.

You can check for that attribute directly like this:

var compilation = WebConfigurationManager.GetSection("system.web/compilation") as CompilationSection;
return compilation != null && compilation.Debug;

(You should put this in a static property in any class, then check that property in a normal if statement)