.NET custom dependencies (no nuget) - c#

So, I'm having trouble adding a git project to my net Core solution, and after spending hours trying to figure this out and being uncapable of finding a solution online, I decided to ask here.
I have a forked github repo (link) in which I modified some files to suit my needs, but I simply can't seem to get it to work with my current project.
The problem I'm having is that normally, when I want a package for a .NET project, I usually simply go to nuget and fetch the necessary dependencies. This is usually very simple and straight forward. But now that I have these modified files, I'm unsure on how to proceed.
I have tried adding it as a submodule, but after I built the project, I got an exception saying that the dll could not be found.
Then I've tried adding the dll itself as a reference, but the ImGui.dll depends on a C dll which couldn't be found then (nor added to the project).
Finally, I've tried adding the csproj as a project of my solution, but that didn't work either
Do you know what am I doing wrong here? Am I missing a key piece or is it just something obvious I'm not seeing? It can't be this hard to get it to work

From the look of it, that repository produces a DLL (output type Class Library). So modify it to your liking, and use the sample program build (ImGui.NET.SampleProgram) to test your changes. Once you're happy, build the DLL project (ImGui.NET) and use the resulting DLL as a Reference in your own app.
In Visual Studio:
Solution Explorer>YourApp>References>Right Click>Add Reference...>Locate your DLL
This means you should also keep track of your modifications to the ImGui.NET project itself, since you may/will be required to maintain this in the future.
Hope this gets you started -- update your question with more specific issues once you're underway.
Edit:
Like #CoolBots mentions, I probably misread your question. Seems like the build depends on cimgui.dll, which you can hotlink from the ImGui repo along with your custom DLL. In fact, the demo app is using cimgui.dll, cimgui.dylib and cimgui.so. Regardless of linking method, you want the files to copy into your build folder. I don't believe subfolder /bin is necessary.
You can find all the cimgui dependencies for various operating systems in the ~/ImGui.NET/deps/cimgui folder.
The demo also utilizes NuGet packages Velrid and Velrid.StartupUtilities.
Depending on your own codebase, you may or may not require these NuGet packages along with the aforementioned class library.

Related

Reference seemingly not working, no apparent error thrown

I have superficial knowledge on referencing libraries in projects. Usually most of the time a simple 'add reference' and then browsing to the appropriate path, just works. I am following an issue I will try to explain , and show all the approaches I tried to tackle it.
I am trying to use AutoIt. In their website it is stated that simply adding the .dll and using it, is enough to integrate their functionality in visual studio.
I am doing just that but for the moment I can not get my head around what is happening.
AutoItX is a public static class, as also the Run function is the same (public static). After adding the reference I can navigate to the appropriate .cs (if I control click on it for example). So the class AutoItX is not something unknown for the project. Moreover, the function Run indeed exists
however not inside the project itself. AutoItX also needs staff from (dont know if it is important):
The main error is that AutoItX doesnt exist in this context.
I have tried to register the dll, I have tried to add the com reference and remove it, I have tried to move the .cs files inside the project. None of those corrected the issue.
Any help would be valuable. If I missed something and you need extra info, I am willing to provide it. (Latest vs, latest autoit version, .net framework type of project).
Actually the above works.
For future reference.
The reason I did not try it first was, that they propose in their website to reference the autoItX.assembly.dll. This is probably deprecated and does NOT work anymore.
Second, if you have already referenced it , downloading this from NuGet WONT fix it.
Finally, the NuGet package does NOT work with .net CORE but ONLY with .net Framework project
I installed AutoItX.Dotnet 3.3.14.5, my test is no problem.
You can refer to my steps to create a new project to test it.
Right click References=>Manage NuGet Packages=>Browse=>AutoItX.Dotnet=>Install
Running result:

Missing DLL's own dependencies in consuming projects

I created a class library project using C# and .Net.
In this project I used two external dependencies(to be more specific: Microsoft.Win32.Registry(4.6.0) and System.Data.SqlClient(4.7.0) Nuget packages).
After I build this project, I can see the generated DLL file under /bin/debug folder.
Now I want to import this generated DLL in another project and consume its methods. Once imported and I run this project, it complains about not being able to find those two external dependencies I had in class library project.
As a temporary fix, I can import these two missing references in this project and it will work fine and as expected. But this is not what I want(and I guess is not a clean solution as well).
I want to know why the dependencies of class library project is not reflected in generated dll file? And is there any way to fix this?
Many thanks for your help.
If your class library is in the same solution or source control repository as the app that's using it, you should use a project-to-project reference, rather than referencing the assembly directly. As the docs say, this way it automatically detects changes to the class library when you compile the app, but what the docs didn't say is that dependencies flow though as well.
Otherwise, as Lance Li wrote, you should create a NuGet package from your class library. Unfortunately there's a bit of a barrier to get started. Creating the package is easy, but then you need to publish the nupkg file somewhere. For early development (before the package is ready to be shared), the easiest option is to use a local file feed. You'll then need a nuget.config in the app that will use the package to add that local feed as a source, then you can install the package in your consuming project, which will bring dependencies.
As you can see, for development, this is slow and difficult because if your consuming app finds a bug in your package, or if you're trying to develop a new feature in both the consuming app and class library at the same time, it means every time you make code changes to class library, you need to increment the version number, pack a package, publish the package, then update the package version in the consuming project. It's far, far easier to use a ProjectReference which lets you simply edit code, compile, run. Nothing else to think about.
See this, the way you reference that assembly is not a recommended way when both the projects are in same machine.
You're using the file reference(Add reference => browse...). And that's why you have to import these two missing references in this project manually.
So I suggest you add the project reference, if both the two projects are in same solution, you can right-click current project=>add reference=>project tab find that assembly you need.(instead of browsing...)
If the referenced project is not in same solution. Right-click solution in solution explorer=>add existing project to import it. Then add project reference.

Really Confusing Reference Situation for System.IO and System.Runtime

First of all, thanks for the help in advance, and excuse me for my relative lack of knowledge on these subjects, and this long post. I have a strange reference issue I'm trying to work out. I've done many hours of research on this subject, but I think my limited knowledge is holding me back from understanding. I'm losing my mind a bit here.
We are reviewing a project and came across an odd situation where there are references to System.IO and System.Runtime in the original .csproj file for an application (Sitefinity 10.1.6502), but in the copy of the .csproj we have on file post-development they have been removed. There are still references to System.Runtime.Caching and System.Runtime.Serialization in both.
When I looked online and in Sitefinity's public Git example repos, I found that about 1/2 of the examples with code for the same version DO have and like the original file does, and 1/2 DO NOT have them like the file in our repo. Some appear to have those references added at a later time when upgraded versions (to 10.2 or 11).
I also do not see System.Runtime.dll in the current /bin folder, or see it mentioned in web.config. I do not have access to the GAC.
The question is whether these missing references will cause any problems. The project seems to compile properly in VS2017 using the post-development .csproj file we have (without System.IO and System.Runtime)
We believe the project was originally built in VS2015, and found this article that mentions the exact references we're dealing with, so perhaps VS2015 was part of the problem? Unresolved Project References for System.IO, System.Runtime
I understand these are facades and that System.IO is a namespace in System, which is directly references in both .csproj versions, so that should be covered, correct?
The real question is whether the missing in the post-dev .csproj file could cause any issues. Like I mentioned above, the project is compiling without it in VS2017, and the files seem to work fine on a testing server (can navigate the front-end web pages and all functionality works, but we have not been able to test any of the back-end functionality due to it sharing a database with the live environment (out of our control).
Through my research I've seen it mentioned that System.Runtime should get automatically included during tooling/compiling, and that in normal circumstances it does not need to be directly referenced like it is in half the repos we saw. Is this correct?
I worry less about System.IO because it is already included via System, but from what I understand that isn't the case with System.Runtime
Again, thanks so much for helping clear this up for us, we're beginning to go batty trying to figure out if this is an issue we should worry about or not!

How to deploy a DLL that is constantly changing?

I have created several small applications that use my own DLL. The problem is, this DLL is constantly changing. My current solution to this problem is that I have a Setup project in the class library solution that creates and registers the DLL. In all my applications I then have to open the solution and re-reference the newly created/registered DLL. Then I have to re-compile their setup projects, uninstall the old applications, and then re-install the new application.
There has to be a better way and I'm just not sure because I'm fairly new to all this. I have looked into ClickOnce but I don't think that will solve my issue as I cannot publish a class library. I have looked into checking version numbers but I must be doing something wrong because it doesn't work either.
I understand that once a DLL is created and being used in an application it should essentially not be touched. I do not have that option in this situation. It is constantly updated. Done.
So, is there a better way? A point in the direction of a guide or related question/answer/forum would be greatly appreciated.
Edit: The DLL is not constantly changing during runtime but it is constantly evolving to allow more functionality and detail within the other applications. Also, one big thing I guess I should have mentioned is the Public interface is constantly chaning - usually adding new methods.
Make sure the references to your DLL specify SpecificVersion=false. Then just deploy each new version into the GAC and that should do the trick.
Eventually, you can also manually force versions using Binding Redirection.
A solution you can try is to use a single solution for your project and reference the project wherever it needs to go.
Check out NuGet
You could set up an internal Nuget repository (really just a folder that stores nupkg files.) Then when you build a new DLL, you can update the apps as needed in studio. This would ensure it had the latest version. They shouldn't need a redployment unless there are bugs in the DLL that you're fixing.
One solution is as follows:
Physically separate the interface from the implementation. e.g. AssemblyA is the interface, the application (AssemblyB say) knows only the interface at compile time. The implementation (AssemblyC) also knows/references AssemblyA of course. The point being that AssemblyB does not reference AssemblyC. This will require you to use an IoC container (like MS Unity 2.0 but there are many others) in order to resolve and instantiate your concretes at runtime.
Write an update process that finds the new AssemblyC.dll, replaces the local copy and uses reflection along with the IoCContainer to 'load' the new implementation at what ever interval you require, typically app start up.
The above relies on your interface being stable. If it isn't, you may be able to write a (more) stable Facade.

C#: How to include dependent DLLs?

I am using a 3rd party API which is defined in 2 DLLs. I have included those DLLs in my project and set references to them. So far so good.
However, these DLLs have at least one dependent DLL which cannot be found at runtime. I copied the missing DLL into the project and set the 'Copy to output' flag but without success.
What should I be doing here to tell the project where it should find the dependent DLL?
Clarification
I tried adding a reference to the missing DLL but as it wasn't recognised as a .Net component. In desperation, I added it directly to the output folder but without success.
Finally, I installed the API on the PC and it all worked. The installation sets the PATH variable and the DLL is found in the installation folder. But how to tell the project to look in one of its internal folders?
It sounds like you need to better understand the third-party library and how it uses its own dependencies. If the installation of the API solves the problem, but copying the files manually does not, then you're missing something. There's either a missing file, or some environment variable or registry entry that's required. Two things that will really help you in this is the depends tool (which is part of the C++ installation) and procmon, which will tell you all the registry keys and files that get used at runtime.
If you're lucky, it's just a file that you're missing. If that's all it is, you can use the "Build Events" section of the project to copy the needed files to the right location on a successful build. If not, you're going to have to solve this some other way - either by requiring the API be installed, or rolling your own installation project.
How are you deploying? Just flat files? If so, it should work as long as the file ends up in the project output directory. Does it?
If you are using another deployment, you will need to tell that engine to include it. This is different for each of msi/ClickOnce/etc.
You can either slowly add the downstream dependencies as references to your project. This is cumbersome, and somewhat fragile
Or your could use a tool like "Depends.exe" from microsoft to inspect your top level assemblies and get a reference list to the dependencies.

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