从不同于exe目录的文件夹引用.net dll

Question

I have a structure:- \\bin\\debug\\abc.exe and \\Libs\\win32\\xyz.dll . Now I need to refer xyz.dll so as to run my abc.exe . I tried with "probing" tag in app.config but in that case the possibility was only when I had 'Libs ' folder in ' debug ' folder ie where .exe is present. But I want to come 2 folders out from .exe and then go into \\Libs\\win32 to refer to .dll . Please suggest me what should I do.

Answer 1

One option is handling AssemblyResolve event, every time .NET couldn't find required assembly in current path, it will trigger AssemblyResolve event:

{
    // Execute in startup
    AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += CurrentDomainOnAssemblyResolve;
}

private Assembly CurrentDomainOnAssemblyResolve(object sender, ResolveEventArgs args)
{
    string RESOURCES = ".resources";
    try
    {
        /* Extract assembly name */
        string[] sections =  args.Name.Split(new char[] { ',' });
        if (sections.Length == 0) return null;

        string assemblyName = sections[0];

        /* If assembly name contains ".resource", you don't need to load it*/
        if (assemblyName.Length >= RESOURCES.Length &&
                assemblyName.LastIndexOf(RESOURCES) == assemblyName.Length - RESOURCES.Length)
        {
            return null;
        }

        /* Load assembly to current domain (also you can use simple way to load) */
        string assemblyFullPath = "..//..//Libs//" + assemblyName;
        FileStream io = new FileStream(assemblyNameWithExtension, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);
        if (io == null) return null;
        BinaryReader binaryReader = new BinaryReader(io);
        Assembly assembly = Assembly.Load(binaryReader.ReadBytes((int)io.Length));

        return assembly;
   }
   catch(Exception ex)
   {}
}

*Another option is loading all of your required assemblies to current domain at your project start-up.

Answer 2

You use ..\\ in the file path to move up a directory.
So if you're in \\bin\\debug\\abc.exe then your reference to \\Libs\\win32\\xyz.dll would be

..\..\Libs\win32\xyz.dll

This should only be necessary when building your projects, when it's built if your executable is referencing the dll correctly it only needs to be put in the same folder as the dll.

Unless of course you're using dllimport or something where you need to know the exact path of the dll during runtime.