BUG: NationalInstruments.DAQmx .Net assembly references wrong NationalInstruments.Common version

[pgruebele]

In the latest NIDaq software install (8.1.2?) , the NationalInstruments.DAQmx .Net assembly references the wrong NationalInstruments.Common version.  NationalInstruments.Common is version 8.1.20.237 but the NationalInstruments.DAQmx manifest says it needs 8.1.20.168.  This causes problems with some XML help compilers etc.  I would expect an install like this should have consistent version/dependency information...  Please fix this.

[JonathanN]

Hi pgruebele,

The issue you are seeing is not a bug but rather intended behavior.  Versioning of the NationalInstruments.Common .NET class library works differently than versions of other Measurement Studio libraries because it includes types that all Measurement Studio .NET class libraries reference. Therefore, the Nationalnstruments.Common .NET class library must be compatible with all versions of Measurement Studio .NET assemblies.  If you install a later version of the  NationalInstruments.Common .NET class library over an earlier version, the later version replaces the earlier version in the GAC and installs a publisher policy file so that all applications that reference the earlier version can load the later version. 

If you are worred about deploying, we talk about how versioning works with Common in the subtopic entitled Common .NET Class Library Versioning for Deployment under the help topic Measurement Studio .NET Class Library Versioning for Development and Deployment. 

So even though the DAQmx assembly was built against version 8.1.20.168, it will use the latest version of Common installed on your system. For example, on my system, the NationalInstruments.DAQmx assembly was built agains 8.1.20.168 but I have version version 8.1.20.415 of Common on my system.  This means that the DAQ assembly will use version 8.1.2.415.

This topic is discussed in more detail in the Measurement Studio .NET Class Library Versioning for Development and Deployment help topic found in the NI Measurement Studio Help. 

Best Regards,

[pgruebele]

Thanks, I will then post this as a bug to Microsoft Sandcastle since it is not able to deal with this...

[andytheape]

Hi pgruebele,

Did you get any luck in tracking this issue down? I've just upgraded my own Measurement Studio installation with the latest NI-DAQ and my Sandcastle doc build is now failing as you describe. I'd be keen to get to the bottom of this one too.

Many thanks,


Andy

[pgruebele]

Unfortunately I'm currently busy with other things so I have not had a chance to work it out.  I'm guessing there must be some way of using the sandcastle options in order to prevent sandcastle from needing these assemblies....

I'll post results when I get to them.  Perhaps you can do the same?

Thanks

Philip

[andytheape]

Philip,

Well I have a fix of sorts, which may or may not be wholesome.

What I did was to grab a copy of the old ("missing") NationalInstruments.Common (8.1.20.168 in my case) and dropped it into my c:\windows\assembly directory. My documentation now appears to build just fine.

I am guessing that this issue is a bug in Sandcastle (or maybe more specifically MRefBuilder) which is not handling the assembly referencing correctly with the backwards compatable newer NationalInstruments.Common.

I'll dig a little more to see if I can understand the issue better. Anyone wiser than me on this matter, please feel free to chime in.


Andy

[Visual Studio 2005 Pro SP2, latest Sandcastle (January 2008 CTP) and DocProject (1.10.0)]

[pgruebele]

Thanks for the update.

I posted the following bug for sandcastle:  http://www.codeplex.com/Sandcastle/WorkItem/View.aspx?WorkItemId=1014

Nothing yet, but I think there must be a simple way to work around this using the options. 

PhilipG

[andytheape]

Well that's rather annoying. I'm on a new box now and went to rebuild my documentation and hit the same problem as before. Trouble is now that I've done a bunch of upgrades and I can't find a copy of NationalInstruments.Common 8.1.20.168 anywhere on any of our systems here.

Anyone know where I can find a copy of this specific version?

Thanks,


Andy

[DRock]

Andy,

I believe this forum thread describes the installation from which NationalInstruments.Common 8.1.20.168 was installed.  I hope this helps!

Message Edited by DRock on 05-20-2008 06:16 PM

[JAK]

I'm having the same issue with SandCastle.  It would be helpful if National Instruments would have an area where "old" versions could be downloaded.  I've also upgraded several times and can't find 8.1.20.168.  Thanks.