how to restart asp.net application besides modifying web.config

Question

Is there a recommended way to bounce an asp.net application besides touching web.config from inside the application? is HttpRuntime.UnloadAppDomain(); the preferred way to do this ? and if so where do you do this? In the unload of a page or some other place in the application?

Answer 1

Touching web.config from inside an application is a bad idea, IMO. Also, the idea of having a file that you modify is a little hackney, IMO.

The documentation specifically states that UnloadAppDomain will shut the application down:

UnloadAppDomain allows programmatic shutdown of unused applications.

You should be able to make this call anywhere in the application. Mind you, you might get a SecurityException, so make sure that the runtime gives you the appropriate permissions (you might want to put this in a library and make a call and then set the library up in the GAC with evidence to give it full trust).