How to use Server.MapPath when HTTPContext .Current is Nothing

Question

I have some code that works fine when I need to delete some image files from a directory on my web server:

Dim ImageURL As String = dsImages.Tables(0).Rows(iImgRow).Item("ImageURL")
Dim physicalName = Server.MapPath(ImageURL)
oUpload.DeleteFileFromServer(physicalName, iAdid, iImgID)

..but I am running into a problem when a maintenance task running in a separate thread at set intervals determines that files like the above need to be deleted:

Dim ImageURL As String = dsImage.Tables(0).Rows(i - 1).Item("ImageURL")
Dim iImgID As Integer = dsImage.Tables(0).Rows(i - 1).Item("ImageId")
Dim physicalName As String = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(ImageURL)
oUpload.DeleteFileFromServer(physicalName, iAdID, iImgID)

In this latter case, HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(ImageURL) has a value of Nothing.

Is there a way to get the full path for this case?

Answer 1

The HttpContext.Current is not available when your code is running inside a thread.

To have your web application path you can either use :

System.Web.Hosting.HostingEnvironment.MapPath("~/")

or you can simply find it in the HttpRuntime.AppDomainAppPath property (recommended/faster).