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c#visual-studio-2012dllwixfusion

Adding Project as Reference results in Cannot load file or assembly or one of its dependencies

I have a solution in Visual Studio 2012 containing several Projects. I am trying to add a project to another project as a Reference to be able to use them together, but I cannot figure out why adding this project reference is resulting in a missing DLL when deployed/ran (FusionLog below). I have used this method before without this issue so I must be missing something here...

Solution Configuration:

Main Project: Bootstrapper
Sub Project: BootstrapperCustom
Project I am trying to add as a Reference: LicenseCheck to BootstrapperCustom
Missing DLL when deployed: LicenseCheck.dll

[Bootstrapper]
--Installer: Configuration: N/A, Platform: N/A
--Build: Configuration: Active (Debug), Platform: Active (x86)
--Ref:
----[BootstrapperCustom]

[BootstrapperCustom]
--Application: Configuration: N/A, Platform: N/A, Target framework: .NET 4.5, Output type: Class library
--Build: Configuration: Active (Debug), Platform: Active (Any CPU), Platform target: Any CPU
--Ref:
----[BootstrapperCore] (Copy Local: True)
----[LicenseCheck] (Copy Local: True)
----[Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller] (Copy Local: True)
----[Microsoft.Practices.Prism] (Copy Local: True)

[LicenseCheck]
--Application: Configuration: N/A, Platform: N/A, Target framework: .NET 4.5, Output type: Class library
--Build: Configuration: Active (Debug), Platform: Active (x86), Platform target: Any CPU
--Ref:
----[Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller] (Copy Local: True)
----[Parse] (Copy Local: True)

Error message:

Run Bootstrapper.exe = `Could not load file or assembly 'LicenseCheck, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.`

FusionLog (Confirmed LicenseCheck.dll is Missing):

[%TEMP%\{x}\.ba1]
--BootstrapperCore.dll
--BootstrapperCustom.dll
--Microsoft.Practices.Prism.dll

=== Pre-bind state information ===
LOG: User = NOTTHOR\dirt
LOG: DisplayName = LicenseCheck, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
 (Fully-specified)
LOG: Appbase = file:///C:/Users/dirt/AppData/Local/Temp/{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}/.ba1/
LOG: Initial PrivatePath = NULL
Calling assembly : BootstrapperCustom, Version=1.0.5028.16514, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null.
===
LOG: This bind starts in default load context.
LOG: Using application configuration file: C:\Users\dirt\AppData\Local\Temp\{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}\.ba1\BootstrapperCore.config
LOG: Using host configuration file: C:\Users\dirt\AppData\Local\Temp\{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}\.ba1\BootstrapperCore.config
LOG: Using machine configuration file from C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\config\machine.config.
LOG: Policy not being applied to reference at this time (private, custom, partial, or location-based assembly bind).
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/dirt/AppData/Local/Temp/{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}/.ba1/LicenseCheck.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/dirt/AppData/Local/Temp/{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}/.ba1/LicenseCheck/LicenseCheck.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/dirt/AppData/Local/Temp/{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}/.ba1/LicenseCheck.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/dirt/AppData/Local/Temp/{94ef2c32-a419-410e-a8a0-df404f022ff7}/.ba1/LicenseCheck/LicenseCheck.EXE.

Note: When I rebuild the BootstrapperCustom project, I do see LicenseCheck.dll being generated in Bootstrapper\bin\Debug.

Solution

  • Turns out this was something in the main project (WiX Bootstrapper) configuration. I failed to include the LicenseCheck.dll in my Payload list for the BootstrapperApplication.

    Added to Bootstrapper\Bundle.wxs:

    <Payload SourceFile="$(var.BootstrapperCustom.TargetDir)LicenseCheck.dll" />