How to embed a reference in VS created exe? - c#

I'm using a mysql .NET Connector library (Mysql.Data) in my project. As far as I understand it, I only need to use the mysqldata.dll which is in the assemblies folder after the connector is installed. I'm going to be using the program on a computer that has .NET 2.0 but doesn't have the connector.
How do I add the .dll file to a project such that the dll is used internally - I hope that makes sense. If the program calls out to .NET to find it, (as it does) - the whole thing fails and errors out.

In Solution Explorer, under your project, expand References, select the MySql.Data assembly, view the Properties for the assembly, and change Copy Local to True. Now when you compile the project, MySql.Data.dll will be output to the bin directory.
(You will not embed one assembly into another. Instead, you deploy the MySql.Data.dll along with everything else in your build output which is required. This is simply known as adding a reference ... I don't think you really wanted to embed it.)

Related

Setting up a project for release in visual studio 2013

I'm working on a C# project that is nearing release. As part of this, I have started building the project and testing it on another machine. This has revealed some odd problems. My biggest concern, though, is that my project is failing to run. I can do some basic things, but when I try to use my projects primary functionality it crashes. Using Visual Studio, I was able to determine the exception that was causing the crash.
Essentially, I'm getting a FileNotFoundException on the dll that contains most of my project's functional code. I'm not sure if I've made an error in adding the dll to my project, or if there's a problem in one of the files in the dll.
The dll was added as a reference using the Project -> Add Reerences feature of the user interface.
The dll contains three files which contain absolute file paths (these are for #import statements). Example follows.
#import "C:\Users\Me\Documents\Projects\MyProject\Delegates\bin\MyDelegate.tlb" raw_interfaces_only
My hang up is I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing wrong here. I suspect that those import statements are causing problems, but I'm not exactly sure how to fix them if they in fact are the problem. This is my first c#/c++ project so any help would be appreciated.
Adding the dll as a reference DOES NOT include the dll with your project--you are simply telling your project to use the library for your code. The dll will need to be installed on all computers that run your application, for your application to use the dll.
If the dll also uses three files (as you specified), then those files must also be included, and be installed in the expected path.
Presuming you have redistribution rights on the dll you mention, you can include the dll in your project. Be sure to set the "copy" property as "copy always" or "copy if newer" and change the reference to use the copy that ends up in you bin folder. Then you only need to be sure to include that dll and install it in the same folder as your application.

vs2012 build fails, though it runs locally

I have created a build task in vs2012.
I ran it.
It complains that there are some missing references,
though I see them on my proj and they lead to relative path
(the folder that exists in the source control)
I have ereased the sln locally,
I did get latest from the source control and rebuilt it.
The references were missing. I have fixed it. Re-run the taks and again similar error.
How can it be if the sln builds successfuly on my machine and on a colleage clean machine?
If I had to take a guess, it would be one of the following:
The missing types are located in one or more assemblies that are either not checked into source control; or
Those assemblies are referenced via a path reference that isn't the right path in your source control.
Those assemblies aren't part of the normal project structure that would be pulled down by the build server.
Those assemblies are gac'd locally and you are referring to gac'd versions instead of the correct ones.
It's a web site project and someone on your team has those assemblies gac'd or installed in some other directory and they screw up the project every time they check it in. (common in web site projects, highly unusual in web application projects).

Whether or not to include external DLLs in C# project

Our project has a lot of external DLLs, most but not all of which are 3rd party DLLs.
Currently we do not have these DLLs included in our project. They are included in SVN and given a path to our build output directory. So, after building our project the neccessary files are there, because of SVN, but the project itself has no knowledge of them.
My feeling is that we should have a folder under the root of our project named something like Dependancies or ThirdParty with all of the DLLs included there and set their build event to copy to the output directory. They would exist in SVN as well, but in the same structure as the project, not in the build output directory.
The project itself only references one of these DLLs called CommunicationProc.DLL. The CommunicationProc.DLL then references all of the other DLLs. We have numerous DLLs to support different types of radio. So not all DLLs will be used, but any one of them may be used depending on the radio type.
As to whether or not the DLLs should be included in the project we have differing opinions internally, some of the team beleives they should only be in SVN and not part of the project itself.
Of note is that this are not .NET DLLs, most are old C DLLs.
What is the accepted practice? Can someone please provide me with a compelling arguement one way or the other as to whether to include them in the project or just SVN?
Its better to have them in a folder on source control and then copy them over to the debug folder on build event. This way you can manage their versions. If a newer version of some dll comes then you can replace the old one and put some comments with check in. Also if you are working in a team, then instead of copying files from debug folder to each team member, you can let each team member to use the same set of dlls from source control. If you are developing some control and want your customers to use that control then its easier for you to have a set of dependent dlls some where so that you can give those to your customer along with your .Net dlls.
I had the same issue with some un-managed dlls and ended up putting them in a folder so that all the team members have the same version of the dlls. Hope this helps.
I include a project that has no code but contains a folder where all the external assemblies and their dependencies are kepts. For each file set the Build Action to None and Copy to Output as Do Not Copyp. The project then references the binaries from this location. In your other projects, reference this special project. When you build, because the special project is referenced and it references all the needed dependencies, the binaries are copied as needed.
If you do not want a special project, still create the folder in your main project, added the assemblies, set their properties, then reference the assemblies as needed.
This gives you complete control over the versions and output, and more importantly, it is simple.

Cannot use external references with C# Console Application

I have tried all the suggestions below but still no joy.
I'm now trying a console application, and let me explain exactly what I'm doing.
I create a new console project in VS 2010
I add a number of references (dll's) some that aren't mine such as Castle.Winsor and N2 CMS dlls
in the console app I can add using statements indicating I am using name spaces within the referenced DLLs
I start writing code.
As soon as I compile all the code that uses the referenced DLLs immediately complains with "The type or namespace name '' could not be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)"
I have tried setting the dlls to copy to local always, I have copied the DLL into the same directory, I have tried added reference by project and adding a reference to the DLL's themselves
I don't get this problem with a web application project or a ASP.net project they always work fine, only something that is compiled to an EXE like a console app or windows service.
there must be something I'm missing or I would have got this working by now.
Change the project Target to a non Client Profile target. Right click the Project and select Properties, you should see a list of Framework versions. As you are using VS2010, the Console project you've created by default targets .NET Framework 4.0 Client Profile, change that to .NET Framework 4.0.
Check if Copy Local is set to true for the referenced assembly.
First, as to your question, its hard to know exactly what you're doing wrong, but from the fact that you're using an underscore in an assembly name (and probably in namespaces and type names), it suggests you're rather new to the .NET world.
This suggests that you're adding references to other projects in your solution by browsing to the compiled assembly, rather than by adding a Project Reference. When adding a reference, you must select the Project tab rather than browsing for the assembly.
Even if you don't believe this is the issue, remove all references and re-add project references to make absolutely sure. Assumption, asses etc.
Once you've done that, I'd strongly suggest remove all the underscores from your types, namespaces and assemblies. You might want to go read the framework design guidelines, too.
Open your .Proj(Windows service project file) file in notepad and check whether your assembly location(data_object) is the same which you are pointing.
When you open .Proj file in notepad you can check for,
Project reference,
<ProjectReference Include="C:\StackOverflow\StackOverflow.csproj">
And if you giving dll or exe refrence then
<Reference Include="StackOverflow, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, processorArchitecture=x86">
<SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
<ExecutableExtension>.exe</ExecutableExtension>
<HintPath>C:\StackOverflow\bin\Debug\StackOverflow.exe</HintPath>
</Reference>
I suggest you to give exact location including drive name like above example.
Other option you may try,
1. Clean and rebuild
2. Add Project reference if you already tried dll reference
3. Check whether the folder (referred assembly location) is Read Only then remove it.
In VS 2019, I had two projects, one C++ and other one C# Console in one solution file. When tried to add a dll reference through "Add reference", I was not able to see Browse button in "Reference Manager" window, to select dll file.
But when I created only C# Console app inside solution then I could add dll reference.

Amazon Mechanical Turk DLL references keep disappearing during compilation

I've downloaded and compiled Amazon's .NET SDK for Mechanical Turk, producing two DLLs: Amazon.WebServices.MechanicalTurk.dll and Amazon.WebServices.MechanicalTurk.Domain.dll .
I then created a new WPF project and added the two DLLs as references. When I create objects from their space, Intellisense has no trouble browsing the assemblies- I can see the classes inside.
When I compile, however, I get an "type not found" error from the compiler. Intellisense no longer works for the Amazon namespace, and the DLLs have vanished from the Object Browser window inside Visual Studio, though they're still listed as references in Solution Explorer.
What's going on? I think I'm missing something obvious. I can see, for example, MTConfig, but when I try to instantiate it, it fails and I need to re-add the DLLs to try again.
Thanks!
How have you added the references? Did you copy the DLLs into your new project's output folder and add references to them there? I can imagine that giving the behaviour you describe, if VS wipes the output folder before a build. If that's what's happening, simply move the DLLs to a different directory (I typically create a "lib" directory) and point the reference there.
What I did to solve this same problem was to recompile the DLLs changing the .NET version from 2.0 to 4.0 in the project properties. Not sure why that works, but in my case it solved the issue.

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