Still required to install NationalInstruments.Common 13.0.40.190 to GAC?

[nathanreyes]

Before I begin, this question is basically a repost of this question...

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Measurement-Studio-for-NET/Missing-assembly-NationalInstruments-Common-Versi...

Basically, I am deploying my Visual Studio 2013 solution via the WIX method. I also prefer not to install reference assemblies to the GAC on my users' computers. Therefore, I am installing the reference dll files "beside" the executable.

However, I have confirmed an issue in that if I reference NationalInstruments.Common 13.0.40.190, it does in fact get copied to the application target directory, but for some reason at runtime it can't be found and tries to load 13.0.40.188 (from somewhere, application directory or GAC?). Because I have not deployed 13.0.40.188 at all, my application crashes with the System.IO.FileLoadException.

The solution is to copy version 13.0.40.190 to the GAC, which was what I was trying to avoid. Just wondering if anyone had any insight on this issue. I would think this would be a big deal for people deploying under my same conditions.

Thanks.

[Jason-H]

Hi,

Custom DLL's may be installed beside the application but all National Instruments DLL's and Assemblies must be installed in the GAC. If you comment out all the 'Config_' lines in Common.wxs for the 32 and 64 bit sections, this will install the NI DLL's and Assemblies to the GAC without having to manually copy them over on the deployment machine.

Please let me know if you have any further questions about this.

[Nathan_Reyes]

Thanks Mr. Voorhees,

I think I understand now, but I'm still curious as to why there is even an option to install to the local directory if they are still required in the GAC.

Will use the GAC method from now on. Thanks for the clarification.

[Jason-H]

In the past, Windows would check the local directory first for DLL's and Assemblies. Windows 7, however, looks directly to the GAC.