Browser URL changing even after using Server.Transfer

Question

I am using Asp.net 4.0. I do a server.transfer from page 1 to page 2. The URL remains page 1. Now I click a link on page 2 and that will transfer me to page 3. So the URL should remain page 1. Instead the browser now shows the URL of page 2. Is that the expected behaviour?

I was actually trying to hide the Page URL.

Can anybody help me on this.

I know there is duplicate question on stack overflow but it doesn't have any convincing answer and question is 4 years old too. Please Help me with this or suggest better way to achieve this

Code :

On page1

Btn1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

server.Transfer("Page2.aspx");

}

On Page2

Btn2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

server.Transfer("Page3.aspx");

}

Answer 1

Remember "Server.Transfer does not change the URL in the address bar"

Check this site you will get clear idea about Server.Transfer and Response.Redirect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJVjRUHXYbE&index=54&list=PL6n9fhu94yhXQS_p1i-HLIftB9Y7Vnxlo

When Using Server.Transfer

For ex:

Page1.aspx, Page2.aspx

In page1.aspx assume code in button click like this

Server.Transfer("~/page2.aspx");

Then you will redirect to page2.aspx but url shown in address bar is same i.e; page1.aspx eventhough you are in page2.aspx.

when you use Response.Redirect it will show page2.aspx when you redirected to page2.aspx

Coming To your Question:

This is an expected behavior.

You asking Url changes if you use Server.Transfer in second time

If you run page1.aspx for first time then it shows

Address Bar : `http://localhost:1234/WebSite3/Page1.aspx`

Action Name : "page1.aspx"//see pagesource

if you click button in page1.aspx it will shows page2.aspx but with same url like:

Address Bar : `http://localhost:1234/WebSite3/Page1.aspx`  but different

Action Name="page2.aspx"//see pagesource

if you click button in page2.aspx it will shows page3.aspx but with different url like:

Address Bar : `http://localhost:1234/WebSite3/Page2.aspx`  but different 

Action Name="page3.aspx"//see pagesource

Here you find different url why because eventhough your url is page1.aspx but your request comes from page2.aspx see page source.So for this reason the url changes from page1.aspx to page2.aspx.

Answer 2

Arjun, You page2.aspx is making server calls after it is rendered. It is that server call that is causing the name change. Server.Transfer wont change your name.

Check if this problem happens in IE, if not, you may be missing certain images that referred by the page. Else watch the server calls using fiddler