How to set customErrors attribute in sharepoint 2013?

Question

I am trying to see the full errors of my application page but the only thing displayed is "Sorry, something went wrong". I tried setting this:

<customErrors mode="Off" />
<compilation batch="false" debug="true">
<SafeMode CallStack="true".... />

In these locations:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\15\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\web.config
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\15\CONFIG\web.config

After performing an iisreset there is no affect. What else do I need to do? My page is in a subfolder of LAYOUTS.

Answer 1

Every change you make in that config files have no effect on the web application. You have to go the web.config file that is generated once the web application is created.

So edit the web.config file in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\your port number and modify the parameters you have indicated in that web.config file:

• customErrors mode must be "Off"
• compilation debug must be "true"
• SafeMode CallStack must be "true"

The 'your port number' piece of path is the port you assigned when you created the Web Application in the Central Administration

Answer 2

I solved this problem editing this file: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\15\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\web.config

Answer 3

I had to change both web.config files:

• C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\15\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\web.config

• C:\inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\{your port number}

Only then it is showing detailed error message

Answer 4

The config file under LAYOUTS affects the files under layouts, the one in virtualdirectories.. the rest.

So ... what page is failing? Is it under /_layouts/ or is it not? There you have your answer.

(granted there are a few more edgecases but let's not confuse the main point)

Answer 5

In my case, have an ashx handler deployed to _vti_bin in SharePoint 2016. Needed to also update the web.config in the ISAPI folder:

c:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\web server extensions\16\ISAPI