Running Angular App from IIS without using URL Rewrite

Question

My Angular web application installs in IIS under an existing web site through an MSI installer. Since its not my server, I cannot require URL Rewrite to be installed.

I came up with a simple solution to just drop a Global.asax file (without code behind) in the app folder.

I simply coded a really basic redirect to bring the user back to index.html if he hits Refresh.

The Gobal.asax is like this:

<%@ Application Language="C#" %>

<script runat="server">

    protected void Application_BeginRequest(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        var httpApp = sender as HttpApplication;
        string path = httpApp.Context.Request.Path;

        if (path.StartsWith(@"/WebApp/") && path.ToLower() != @"/WebApp/Index.html")
        {
            HttpContext.Current.Response.Redirect("/TimeSpent.DataService/WebApp/Index.html");
        }
    }

</script>

Its not an ideal solution but prevents users to get stuck with a 404.

Does someone has a clean idea to improve this and bring back the user to the route he was trying to reload?

Many thanks