An object reference is required for the non-static field, method, or property 'System.Web.UI.Page.Server.get'

Question

So I have two functions and I'm getting an interesting problem. Essentially I'm aiming to make my code more portable in an easily includeable cs file.

Here's said cs file:

namespace basicFunctions {
public partial class phpPort : System.Web.UI.Page {
    public static string includer(string filename) {
        string path = Server.MapPath("./" + filename);
        string content = System.IO.File.ReadAllText(path);
        return content;
    }
    public void returnError() {
        Response.Write("<h2>An error has occurred!</h2>");
        Response.Write("<p>You have followed an incorrect link. Please double check and try again.</p>");
        Response.Write(includer("footer.html"));
        Response.End();
    }
}
}

Here is the page that is referencing it:

<% @Page Language="C#" Debug="true" Inherits="basicFunctions.phpPort" CodeFile="basicfunctions.cs" %>
<% @Import Namespace="System.Web.Configuration" %>

<script language="C#" runat="server">
void Page_Load(object sender,EventArgs e) {
    Response.Write(includer("header.html"));
    //irrelevant code
    if ('stuff happens') {
        returnError();
    }
    Response.Write(includer("footer.html"));
}
</script>

The error I'm getting is the one listed above, namely:

Compiler Error Message: CS0120: An object reference is required for the non-static field, method, or property 'System.Web.UI.Page.Server.get'

On the following line:

Line 5: string path = Server.MapPath("./" + filename);

Answer 1

Server is only available to instances of System.Web.UI.Page-implementations (as it's an instance property).

You have 2 options:

1. Convert the method from static to instance
2. Use following code:

(overhead of creating a System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlGenericControl)

public static string FooMethod(string path)
{
    var htmlGenericControl = new System.Web.UI.HtmlControls.HtmlGenericControl();
    var mappedPath = htmlGenericControl.MapPath(path);
    return mappedPath;
}

or (not tested):

public static string FooMethod(string path)
{
    var mappedPath = HostingEnvironment.MapPath(path);
    return mappedPath;
}

or (not that good option, as it somehow fakes to be static but rather is static for webcontext-calls only):

public static string FooMethod(string path)
{
    var mappedPath = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(path);
    return mappedPath;
}