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Martin Hart
 
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Default Assembly version detecting utility? - 11-26-2007 , 07:51 AM






Hi:

Can anyone suggest an utility to detect specific assembly versions that
are required by an exe?

I find that, sometimes, I update some assemblies in the GAC and forget
to update the client installation. When I execute the new exe file it
unceremoniously exits. I then start looking at the assemblies in the GAC
for different versions. It would be nice to have a utility that read the
expected versions from my exe and report if any where missing.

Does such a utility exist?

TIA,
Martin.

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  #2  
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Default Re: Assembly version detecting utility? - 11-26-2007 , 08:21 AM






Why are you *updating* assemblies in the GAC?
You should really replace them with a new version, so that older versions of
software still work.

A few questions then :

Is there any reason you cannot re-distribute the exe with the GAC
assemblies?
How many exe's are using the GAC assemblies?
Do the assemblies really need to be in the GAC?


--
Ged Moretta
www.appsense.com

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"Martin Hart" <"martin dot hartturner at gmail dot com"> wrote

Quote:
Hi:

Can anyone suggest an utility to detect specific assembly versions that
are required by an exe?

I find that, sometimes, I update some assemblies in the GAC and forget to
update the client installation. When I execute the new exe file it
unceremoniously exits. I then start looking at the assemblies in the GAC
for different versions. It would be nice to have a utility that read the
expected versions from my exe and report if any where missing.

Does such a utility exist?

TIA,
Martin.


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  #3  
Old   
Martin Hart
 
Posts: n/a

Default Re: Assembly version detecting utility? - 11-26-2007 , 10:05 AM



Ged:

Quote:
A few questions then :

Is there any reason you cannot re-distribute the exe with the GAC
assemblies?
The assemblies that are being updated are minor builds, not major new
versions, so I don't want 4-5 different versions of an assembly in the
GAC, I want to update the old assembly. There may also be new assemblies
that are in the application folder, and it would be nice to know if
these are outdated also.

Quote:
How many exe's are using the GAC assemblies?
Depends, some 5 or 6 currently.

Quote:
Do the assemblies really need to be in the GAC?
The main shared dll's, yes. I am talking about reporting assemblies that
are updated with very minor fixes on a monthly basis. I don't want lots
of very minor versions in the GAC. See point number 1.

So, my question reiterated: Are there any such utilities available?

TIA,
Martin.


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  #4  
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Default Re: Assembly version detecting utility? - 11-26-2007 , 11:29 AM



I'm not sure if there are any utilities available to do what you want.
However, there is another solution

If you go to the properties for your referenced assembly, there is a
property "Specific Version", which is set to True.
If you set this to False, then, *I believe*, your app will always use the
latest version in the GAC.

Also, setting this value does mean you will have to redistribute the exe,
but only this once.

HTH

--
Ged Moretta
www.appsense.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This signature isn't automatic. I have to type it manually every time.


"Martin Hart" <"martin dot hartturner at gmail dot com"> wrote

Quote:
Ged:

A few questions then :

Is there any reason you cannot re-distribute the exe with the GAC
assemblies?

The assemblies that are being updated are minor builds, not major new
versions, so I don't want 4-5 different versions of an assembly in the
GAC, I want to update the old assembly. There may also be new assemblies
that are in the application folder, and it would be nice to know if these
are outdated also.

How many exe's are using the GAC assemblies?

Depends, some 5 or 6 currently.

Do the assemblies really need to be in the GAC?

The main shared dll's, yes. I am talking about reporting assemblies that
are updated with very minor fixes on a monthly basis. I don't want lots of
very minor versions in the GAC. See point number 1.

So, my question reiterated: Are there any such utilities available?

TIA,
Martin.


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  #5  
Old   
Martin Hart
 
Posts: n/a

Default Re: Assembly version detecting utility? - 11-26-2007 , 11:44 AM



Ged:

Yes, you are right. I use the "Specific Version" for local assemblies,
but this can't be used for the GAC.

Thanks for your help.

Regards,
Martin.


Ged escribió:
Quote:
I'm not sure if there are any utilities available to do what you want.
However, there is another solution

If you go to the properties for your referenced assembly, there is a
property "Specific Version", which is set to True.
If you set this to False, then, *I believe*, your app will always use
the latest version in the GAC.

Also, setting this value does mean you will have to redistribute the
exe, but only this once.

HTH


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  #6  
Old   
Phil Wilson
 
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Default Re: Assembly version detecting utility? - 11-26-2007 , 01:34 PM



That's pretty much what the .NET Reflector does.
--
Phil Wilson
[MVP Windows Installer]

"Martin Hart" <"martin dot hartturner at gmail dot com"> wrote

Quote:
Hi:

Can anyone suggest an utility to detect specific assembly versions that
are required by an exe?

I find that, sometimes, I update some assemblies in the GAC and forget to
update the client installation. When I execute the new exe file it
unceremoniously exits. I then start looking at the assemblies in the GAC
for different versions. It would be nice to have a utility that read the
expected versions from my exe and report if any where missing.

Does such a utility exist?

TIA,
Martin.



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