I am trying to configure VS2013 so that IISExpress works in a similar way to the builtin web server (Cassini) in VS2010.
For the past year or so, I have worked with multiple local TFS workspaces for a web site which all map the same TFS branch. When running the web site, the solution sets a default port which is used if I only have one VS 2010 instance in use. If I use multiple instances, a new random port is assigned, but the instance works fine and I can debug both sessions without problem.
Having installed VS2013, the 'internal' web server is no longer provided, so I have to use IISExpress. I cannot figure out how to configure this to work the same way as the server in VS2010.
As far a I can tell, IISExpress always uses the workspace folders on the first site specified in the applicationhost.config file. If I create a second site, it seems to be ignored and the second instance uses the files in the first set of folders!
Reading elsewhere, it seems it might be possible to get IISExpress to use a second workspace folder by editing the config file every time, but (a) this is tedious and (b) something, probably IISExpress, rewrites the file at various times, so it's not clear whether changes would persist.
I can't believe I'm the only developer using VS2013 who regularly will be working on a new feature for a website and want to bring up a second instance of in using either a workspace which does not have the changes made in the first or even another site with a different set of changes and have them run smoothly in parallel! VS2010's internal web server just worked!