Stubborn assembly, wrong key ? Or is it a Strong Name issue?

Question

I'm using two dll assembly from Microsoft to compare Xml. XmlComparer.cs uses Microsoft.XmlDiffPatch and the two references are correctly added in Visual Studio. However I get this message :

Error: Could not load file or assembly 'XmlDiffPatch, Version=1.0.8.28, Culture= neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. The locate d assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Excepti on from HRESULT: 0x80131040) exception: System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'XmlDiff Patch, Version=1.0.8.28, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or on e of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040) File name: 'XmlDiffPatch, Version=1.0.8.28, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f 5f7f11d50a3a' at XmlCompareLib.XmlComparer.Compare(String comparisonOptions, String sourceX mlFileName, String changedXmlFileName, String resultHtmlViewFile) in C:\Users\xx\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\ConsoleApplication3\ConsoleAp plication3\XmlComparer.cs:line 214 at Ionic.Zip.Examples.ReadZip.Main(String[] args) in C:\Users\xx\ Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\ConsoleApplication3\ConsoleApplication3\Pr ogram.cs:line 44

WRN: Assembly binding logging is turned OFF. To enable assembly bind failure logging, set the registry value [HKLM\Software\Md icrosoft\Fusion!EnableLog] (DWORD) to 1. Note: There is some performance penalty associated with assembly bind failure lo gging. To turn this feature off, remove the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fus ion!EnableLog].

I think it is related with Strong Name. Because I checked the two DLL and they are not strong named so I tried to generate a key and strong name the assembly but it was obviously not the same key. I'm stuck now..

Answer 1

This is usually the point where I turn on the Fusion logger and log all the bindings. The logs out of Fusion are usually a little clearer on what it is doing.

To enable Fusion logging, you can open a VisualStudio command prompt, and run "fuslogvw.exe". Mine ends up being installed at:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\x64\FUSLOGVW.exe

but that may differ based on your install.

You then click the "Settings" button int hat tool, and enable logging by flipping a radio button, then running your app, then clicking "Refresh" in fusion logger, and it will show you all the bindings that happened (and ones that failed).

Remember to go back into the settings window and turn off logging when you are done :)