ASP.NET MVC Application Timeout Not Working

Question

In my Web.config file, I have been trying to set the session timeout. I used the following code:

<configuration>
   <system.web>
      <sessionState timeout="1"></sessionState>
   </system.web>
</configuration>

When I ran the app, the timeout was still set to the default 20 minutes. Trying to figure out why the settings are not applying. Please help! Thanks!

Darin Dimitrov · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-12 16:48:23Z

5

Don't be confused between ASP.NET session timeout (which is what you set) and Forms Authentication cookie timeout which is something entirely different and controlled by the <forms> tag:

<authentication mode="Forms">
  <forms
    loginUrl="/login"
    timeout="1" />
</authentication>

ASP.NET session uses cookies to track users (it has nothing to do with authentication) and associate their unique id with a hashtable stored on the server. Forms authentication on the other hand is a means of tracking authenticated users in ASP.NET. It uses cookies but it is a different cookie than the ASP.NET session.

answered Jun 12, 2012 at 16:48

Darin Dimitrov

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4 Comments

kalebjon101892 Over a year ago

I already have this kind of code implemented, what I am working on is after about 20 min, all the buttons on the page stop working and the app is essentially broken until you refresh the page. So I want to increase the timeout.

Darin Dimitrov Over a year ago

How are those buttons implemented? Are they relying on forms authentication or ASP.NET session?

kalebjon101892 Over a year ago

They have data-binds on them and the click events are bound to functions on JavaScript view model object.

Darin Dimitrov Over a year ago

So you are using AJAX? And you are invoking controller actions which require authentication? How are those actions implemented? Do they use ASP.NET session? I guess that once the forms authentication timeout expires they redirect to the LogOn page and break your AJAX calls. Read the following article for possible ways of detecting this condition: haacked.com/archive/2011/10/04/…

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