title: MVC project startup
body: <p>I have an existing MVC project which has a knockout front end and a WebAPI back end.</p>
  
  <p>Due to a change in requirements I had to remove all the back end files from the project, leaving only the front end files.</p>
  
  <p>Now I need to a WebAPI controller back into the project.</p>
  
  <p>In order to configure the WebAPI I need to find an entry point into the C# code to trigger the configuration methods.</p>
  
  <p>My understanding is that if the project has a Global.asax file, the <code>Application_Start()</code> will automatically be fired on start up. And also if I have a startup.cs file with an <code>owinStartup</code> property, this will also be triggered by default.</p>
  
  <p>So I copied both these files from another project and edited as required, but neither files are being triggered on startup.</p>
  
  <p>I assume I am missing some kind of configuration, but am not sure what?</p>
  
  <p>Here is my startup.cs file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>using System.Web.Http;
  using Microsoft.Owin;
  using Newtonsoft.Json;
  using Owin;
  
  [assembly: OwinStartup(typeof(ClearviewLocal_ONFrontEnd_Rest.Startup))]
  namespace ClearviewLocal_ONFrontEnd_Rest
  {
      /// &lt;summary&gt;
      /// Application startup
      /// &lt;/summary&gt;
      public class Startup
      {
          /// &lt;summary&gt;
          /// Configure app
          /// &lt;/summary&gt;
          /// &lt;param name="app"&gt;Owin AppBuilder&lt;/param&gt;
          public void Configuration(IAppBuilder app)
          {         
              var config = new HttpConfiguration();         //breakpoint here that is not being hit
          }
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and here is the Global.asax file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>using System;
  using System.Web;
  using System.Web.Http;
  
  namespace ClearviewLocal_ONFrontEnd_Rest
  {
      /// &lt;summary&gt;
      /// 
      /// &lt;/summary&gt;
      public class WebApiApplication : HttpApplication
      {
          /// &lt;summary&gt;
          /// 
          /// &lt;/summary&gt;
          protected void Application_Start()
          {
              var config = new HttpConfiguration(); //Breakpoint here            
          }
      }
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have looked at the answer to this question: <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19760545/owinstartup-not-starting-why">OwinStartup not Starting ... Why?</a> but this code was never in the Web.Config</p>
  
  <p>Also, I have not removed any references from the project</p>