Accessing Assemblies not contained in the Web App

[Mike M]

Hello,

I created a simple C# library assembly that exposes general facilities I
would like to use in my ASP.NET web applications. If I added the assembly
into the bin directory of my asp.net app, the runtime finds the assembly
without a problem and resolves any references to the classes exposed by the
assembly. However, I do not wish to deploy the assembly into each bin
directory for each web application. I would like to specify the library
assembly in a "global" directory on my web server. (By global I'm referring
to a directory that is not part of any web application.) Then each web
application that references my custom assembly will reference the only copy
of the assembly found in a global directory. The problem I'm having is that
my ASPX module does not like assembly directives that point to assemblies
outside the web application. I tried modify the application web.config file
to include a <codebase> and <probing> element in the configuration's runtime
element but without success. So, is it possible to reference "global"
assemblies? If so, how should the web.config file be setup?

Thanks for you time,
Mike M.

[Steve C. Orr, MCSD]

It sounds like you should install your shared library to the Global Assembly
Cache (GAC)

Here's more info:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...emblycache.asp
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...emblyCache.asp
http://www.aspzone.com/articles/john/GAC/

--
I hope this helps,
Steve C. Orr, MCSD
http://Steve.Orr.net
"Mike M" <ma******@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:%2********************@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl.. .

Hello,

I created a simple C# library assembly that exposes general facilities I
would like to use in my ASP.NET web applications. If I added the assembly
into the bin directory of my asp.net app, the runtime finds the assembly
without a problem and resolves any references to the classes exposed by the assembly. However, I do not wish to deploy the assembly into each bin
directory for each web application. I would like to specify the library
assembly in a "global" directory on my web server. (By global I'm referring to a directory that is not part of any web application.) Then each web
application that references my custom assembly will reference the only copy of the assembly found in a global directory. The problem I'm having is that my ASPX module does not like assembly directives that point to assemblies
outside the web application. I tried modify the application web.config file to include a <codebase> and <probing> element in the configuration's runtime element but without success. So, is it possible to reference "global"
assemblies? If so, how should the web.config file be setup?

Thanks for you time,
Mike M.

[Mike M]

I'll have to see if my web hosting service provider is willing to add
assemblies to the GAC. Unfortunately, I'm kinda at the mercy of an
out-sourced production environment. That's why I'm looking for a self
contained method for accessing assemblies.

Thanks for the help.
"Steve C. Orr, MCSD" <St***@Orr.net> wrote in message
news:#X**************@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...

I can't say for sure if it's the only way, I can only say that it is the
right way.
This is exactly what the GAC was designed for. I suggest you use it unless it has some specific shortcoming that does not meet your requirements.

--
I hope this helps,
Steve C. Orr, MCSD
http://Steve.Orr.net
"Mike M" <ma******@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:uG**************@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

Hi Steve,

Yes, that would probably solve the problem but is that the only solution
available? Is there no way to structure
the web.config file to search outside the current web application?

Thanks,
Mike
"Steve C. Orr, MCSD" <St***@Orr.net> wrote in message
news:eb**************@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

It sounds like you should install your shared library to the Global Assembly

Cache (GAC)

Here's more info:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...us/cpguide/htm

l/cpconglobalassemblycache.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...us/vsintro7/ht

ml/vxconInstallingToGlobalAssemblyCache.asp

http://www.aspzone.com/articles/john/GAC/

--
I hope this helps,
Steve C. Orr, MCSD
http://Steve.Orr.net
"Mike M" <ma******@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:%2********************@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl.. .
> Hello,
>
> I created a simple C# library assembly that exposes general facilities I

> would like to use in my ASP.NET web applications. If I added the

assembly

> into the bin directory of my asp.net app, the runtime finds the assembly > without a problem and resolves any references to the classes exposed by the
> assembly. However, I do not wish to deploy the assembly into each

bin > directory for each web application. I would like to specify the

library > assembly in a "global" directory on my web server. (By global I'm
referring
> to a directory that is not part of any web application.) Then each web > application that references my custom assembly will reference the only copy
> of the assembly found in a global directory. The problem I'm having is that
> my ASPX module does not like assembly directives that point to

assemblies

> outside the web application. I tried modify the application web.config file
> to include a <codebase> and <probing> element in the configuration's
runtime
> element but without success. So, is it possible to reference "global" > assemblies? If so, how should the web.config file be setup?
>
> Thanks for you time,
> Mike M.
>
>