Modifying a web.config in ASP.NET 4.0

Question

I have a VB project that I have been assigned. My VB is not great, and my preference is C#, so I converted the code.

Converting the code was straight forward, but getting a Web.config file that works is causing me lots of headaches.

The VB project was started with ASP.NET 2.0 and upgraded with 3.5 features.

Here are the full Web Config files, in all their gory details, starting with the VB web.config file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <sectionGroup name="system.web.extensions" type="System.Web.Configuration.SystemWebExtensionsSectionGroup, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
      <sectionGroup name="scripting" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingSectionGroup, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
        <section name="scriptResourceHandler" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingScriptResourceHandlerSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
        <sectionGroup name="webServices" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingWebServicesSectionGroup, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
          <section name="jsonSerialization" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingJsonSerializationSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="Everywhere"/>
          <section name="profileService" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingProfileServiceSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
          <section name="authenticationService" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingAuthenticationServiceSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
          <section name="roleService" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingRoleServiceSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
        </sectionGroup>
      </sectionGroup>
    </sectionGroup>
  </configSections>
  <appSettings/>
<connectionStrings>
  <add name="MaintenanceConnectionString" connectionString="Data Source=data1;Initial Catalog=Catalog1;User Id=abc123;Password=abc123;" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient"/>
</connectionStrings>
<system.net>
  <mailSettings>
    <smtp>
      <network host="172.16.8.200" port="25"/>
    </smtp>
  </mailSettings>
</system.net>
<system.web>
  <compilation debug="true" strict="false" explicit="true">
    <assemblies>
      <add assembly="System.Core, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
      <add assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
      <add assembly="System.Xml.Linq, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
      <add assembly="System.Data.DataSetExtensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
      <add assembly="System.Design, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>
      <add assembly="System.Web.Extensions.Design, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
      <add assembly="System.Windows.Forms, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
      <add assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=1.0.61025.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
      <add assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>
      <add assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.Common, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>
    </assemblies>
    <buildProviders>
      <add extension=".rdlc" type="Microsoft.Reporting.RdlBuildProvider, Microsoft.ReportViewer.Common, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"/>
    </buildProviders>
  </compilation>
  <pages>
    <namespaces>
      <clear/>
      <add namespace="System"/>
      <add namespace="System.Collections"/>
      <add namespace="System.Collections.Generic"/>
      <add namespace="System.Collections.Specialized"/>
      <add namespace="System.Configuration"/>
      <add namespace="System.Text"/>
      <add namespace="System.Text.RegularExpressions"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.Caching"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.SessionState"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.Security"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.Profile"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.UI"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.UI.WebControls"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts"/>
      <add namespace="System.Web.UI.HtmlControls"/>
    </namespaces>
    <controls>
      <add tagPrefix="asp" namespace="System.Web.UI" assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
      <add tagPrefix="asp" namespace="System.Web.UI.WebControls" assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
    </controls>
  </pages>
  <authentication mode="Windows" />
  <customErrors mode="Off"/>
  <httpHandlers>
    <remove path="*.asmx" verb="*"/>
    <add path="*.asmx" verb="*" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" validate="false"/>
    <add path="*_AppService.axd" verb="*" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" validate="false"/>
    <add path="ScriptResource.axd" verb="GET,HEAD" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptResourceHandler, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" validate="false"/>
    <add path="Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd" verb="*" type="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.HttpHandler, Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" validate="false"/>
  </httpHandlers>
  <httpModules>
    <add name="ScriptModule" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
  </httpModules>
</system.web>
<system.codedom>
  <compilers>
    <compiler language="c#;cs;csharp" extension=".cs" type="Microsoft.CSharp.CSharpCodeProvider,System, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" warningLevel="4">
      <providerOption name="CompilerVersion" value="v3.5"/>
      <providerOption name="WarnAsError" value="false"/>
    </compiler>
    <compiler language="vb;vbs;visualbasic;vbscript" extension=".vb" type="Microsoft.VisualBasic.VBCodeProvider, System, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" warningLevel="4">
      <providerOption name="CompilerVersion" value="v3.5"/>
      <providerOption name="OptionInfer" value="true"/>
      <providerOption name="WarnAsError" value="false"/>
    </compiler>
  </compilers>
</system.codedom>
<system.webServer>
  <validation validateIntegratedModeConfiguration="false"/>
  <modules>
    <remove name="ScriptModule"/>
    <add name="ScriptModule" preCondition="managedHandler" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
  </modules>
  <handlers>
    <remove name="WebServiceHandlerFactory-Integrated"/>
    <remove name="ScriptHandlerFactory"/>
    <remove name="ScriptHandlerFactoryAppServices"/>
    <remove name="ScriptResource"/>
    <add name="ScriptHandlerFactory" verb="*" path="*.asmx" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
    <add name="ScriptHandlerFactoryAppServices" verb="*" path="*_AppService.axd" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
    <add name="ScriptResource" verb="GET,HEAD" path="ScriptResource.axd" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptResourceHandler, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
  </handlers>
</system.webServer>
<runtime>
  <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Extensions" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"/>
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-1.1.0.0" newVersion="3.5.0.0"/>
    </dependentAssembly>
    <dependentAssembly>
      <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Extensions.Design" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35"/>
      <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-1.1.0.0" newVersion="3.5.0.0"/>
    </dependentAssembly>
  </assemblyBinding>
</runtime>
</configuration>

In my efforts to try and get the integrated Windows security to work, I have tried to duplicate most of its structure in this C# Web.config file:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <sectionGroup name="system.web.extensions" type="System.Web.Configuration.SystemWebExtensionsSectionGroup, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
      <sectionGroup name="scripting" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingSectionGroup, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
        <sectionGroup name="webServices" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingWebServicesSectionGroup, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35">
          <section name="jsonSerialization" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingJsonSerializationSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="Everywhere"/>
          <section name="profileService" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingProfileServiceSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
          <section name="authenticationService" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingAuthenticationServiceSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
          <section name="roleService" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingRoleServiceSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="MachineToApplication"/>
        </sectionGroup>
      </sectionGroup>
    </sectionGroup>
  </configSections>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="WAREHOUSE" value="http:\\web2\Warehouse.aspx" />
    <add key="WAREHOUSE_STATUS" value="http:\\web2\WarehouseStatus.aspx" />
  </appSettings>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="WEB2" connectionString="Data Source=data2;Initial Catalog=Catalog2;User Id=abc123;Password=abc123;" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />
  </connectionStrings>
  <system.net>
    <mailSettings>
      <smtp>
        <network host="172.16.8.200" port="25"/>
      </smtp>
    </mailSettings>
  </system.net>
  <system.web>
    <authentication mode="Windows" />
      <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.0">
        <assemblies>
          <add assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.Common, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>
          <add assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>
          <add assembly="System.Core, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
          <add assembly="System.Data.DataSetExtensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
          <add assembly="System.Design, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A" />
          <add assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
          <add assembly="System.Web.Extensions.Design, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" />
          <add assembly="System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089" />
          <add assembly="System.Xml.Linq, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B77A5C561934E089"/>
          <add assembly="*"/>
        </assemblies>
        <buildProviders>
          <add extension=".rdlc" type="Microsoft.Reporting.RdlBuildProvider, Microsoft.ReportViewer.Common, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"/>
        </buildProviders>
      </compilation>
    <customErrors mode="Off" />
    <pages>
      <namespaces>
        <clear/>
        <add namespace="System"/>
        <add namespace="System.Collections"/>
        <add namespace="System.Collections.Generic"/>
        <add namespace="System.Collections.Specialized"/>
        <add namespace="System.Configuration"/>
        <add namespace="System.Text"/>
        <add namespace="System.Text.RegularExpressions"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.Caching"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.Security"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.SessionState"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.Profile"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.UI"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.UI.HtmlControls"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.UI.WebControls"/>
        <add namespace="System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts"/>
      </namespaces>
      <controls>
        <add tagPrefix="asp" namespace="System.Web.UI" assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
        <add tagPrefix="asp" namespace="System.Web.UI.WebControls" assembly="System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
      </controls>
    </pages>
    <trace enabled="true" />
    <httpHandlers>
      <remove path="*.asmx" verb="*"/>
      <add path="*.asmx" verb="*" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" validate="false"/>
      <add path="*_AppService.axd" verb="*" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" validate="false"/>
      <add path="ScriptResource.axd" verb="GET,HEAD" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptResourceHandler, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" validate="false"/>
      <add path="Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd" verb="*" type="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.HttpHandler, Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" validate="false"/>
    </httpHandlers>
    <httpModules>
      <add name="ScriptModule" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
    </httpModules>
  </system.web>
  <bindings />
  <client />
  <behaviors>
    <serviceBehaviors>
      <behavior name="debug">
        <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true" />
      </behavior>
      <behavior name="serviceTypeBehaviors">
        <serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="true" />
        <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true" />
        <serviceCredentials>
          <clientCertificate>
            <authentication certificateValidationMode="None" mapClientCertificateToWindowsAccount="true" />
          </clientCertificate>
        </serviceCredentials>
      </behavior>
      <behavior name="">
        <serviceMetadata httpGetEnabled="true" />
        <serviceDebug includeExceptionDetailInFaults="true" />
      </behavior>
    </serviceBehaviors>
  </behaviors>
  <serviceHostingEnvironment multipleSiteBindingsEnabled="true" aspNetCompatibilityEnabled="true">
    <serviceActivations>
      <add factory="System.ServiceModel.Activation.ServiceHostFactory" relativeAddress="~/mainframe/MainFrame.svc" service="AcpServiceNS.MainFrameService" />
    </serviceActivations>
  </serviceHostingEnvironment>
  <services>
    <service behaviorConfiguration="serviceTypeBehaviors" name="AcpServiceNS.AcpCoilService">
      <endpoint address="" binding="basicHttpBinding" contract="AcpServiceNS.IAcpCoilService" />
      <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexHttpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange" />
    </service>
    <service behaviorConfiguration="serviceTypeBehaviors" name="AcpServiceNS.AcpEmployee">
      <endpoint address="" binding="basicHttpBinding" contract="AcpServiceNS.IAcpEmployee" />
      <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexHttpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange" />
    </service>
    <service behaviorConfiguration="serviceTypeBehaviors" name="AcpServiceNS.AcpPackout">
      <endpoint address="" binding="basicHttpBinding" contract="AcpServiceNS.IAcpPackout" />
      <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexHttpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange" />
    </service>
    <service behaviorConfiguration="serviceTypeBehaviors" name="AcpServiceNS.ErpService">
      <endpoint address="" binding="basicHttpBinding" contract="AcpServiceNS.IErpData" />
      <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexHttpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange" />
    </service>
    <service behaviorConfiguration="serviceTypeBehaviors" name="AcpServiceNS.MainFrameService">
      <endpoint address="" binding="basicHttpBinding" contract="AcpServiceNS.IMainFrameService" />
      <endpoint address="mex" binding="mexHttpBinding" contract="IMetadataExchange" />
    </service>
  </services>
</system.serviceModel>
<system.webServer>
  <validation validateIntegratedModeConfiguration="false"/>
  <modules>
    <remove name="ScriptModule"/>
    <add name="ScriptModule" preCondition="managedHandler" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptModule, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
  </modules>
  <handlers>
    <remove name="WebServiceHandlerFactory-Integrated"/>
    <remove name="ScriptHandlerFactory"/>
    <remove name="ScriptHandlerFactoryAppServices"/>
    <remove name="ScriptResource"/>
    <add name="ScriptHandlerFactory" verb="*" path="*.asmx" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
    <add name="ScriptHandlerFactoryAppServices" verb="*" path="*_AppService.axd" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptHandlerFactory, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
    <add name="ScriptResource" verb="GET,HEAD" path="ScriptResource.axd" preCondition="integratedMode" type="System.Web.Handlers.ScriptResourceHandler, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35"/>
  </handlers>
</system.webServer>
</configuration>

Everytime I try to run my project, I get another error from localhost IIS 8.0, like the 500.19 error below:

The requested page cannot be accessed because the related configuration data for the page is invalid.

Detailed Error Information:
Config Error There is a duplicate 'system.web.extensions/scripting/webServices/jsonSerialization' section defined

In the Config Source: section, it is pointing to Line 7:

 <section name="jsonSerialization" type="System.Web.Configuration.ScriptingJsonSerializationSection, System.Web.Extensions, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31BF3856AD364E35" requirePermission="false" allowDefinition="Everywhere"/>

I suppose I should change all of these to use Version 4.0.0.0, but I'm not sure where to get the Public Key Token from, if there is a 4.0 version on my machine, or if I have this defined elsewhere already (I was not able to find another jsonSerialization section with a document search).

How do I fix this?

Is there a way for Visual Studio 2010 to rebuild a proper Web.config file?

Answer 1

system.web.extensions section starting from .net 4.0 is configured by default so you don't need to register section, just use section to configure if defaults not good for you. Just remove it, as it already registered by machine.config

<sectionGroup name="system.web.extensions" ...>
    ...
</sectionGroup>
...

Answer 2

Check your machine.config, may be it's already defined there, or you may be inheriting another web.config that is up in your directory strcture.