CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#.netvb.netwinformsvisual-studio-2012
D. Bunnell
D. Bunnell

Reputation: 463

Changing source code in a class library seems to have no effect on application

I was given a project in which I am supposed to debug a problem in a Windows Forms application. I found where the problem is located but it is within a Class Library which is included as a component of my Windows Forms application solution.

How can I add/modify code in the Class Library project and actually run it live so that I can debug it? If I make any changes to the Class Library as is, the application ignores the changes and resorts to the original source code.

The only things contained in the Class Library's folder are plain source code files, some settings files, and a .vbproj. I just want to make changes to the Class Library and actually be able to debug them. If anyone could please explain what I have to do, it would be greatly appreciated!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2624

Answers (2)

Swapna Chaulkar
Swapna Chaulkar

Reputation: 1

I just went to Project Properties ....Project Dependencies and checked(ticked ) the class /assembly(.dll) name... It worked for me. Now i dont need to run the class project for the changes to reflect in the Startup Project ..

Upvotes: 0

James World
James World

Reputation: 29796

Your application is not loading the assembly produced by compiling the class library. It is loading another copy from somewhere.

One quick way to find out where is to start the application from Visual Studio, break into the debugger and then bring up the Modules windows (Debug>Windows>Modules). Look for the class library in the Name column and check the Path.

If it is under C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly... then there is an older version being loading from the GAC. If it's another location, you will need to ensure the class library project output is going to that location.

Does the startup project have a project reference to the class library in the solution? You could always remove and re-add the reference to the class library in the startup application project and ensure you add it as a project reference.

Be careful though, there may be a good reason why this wasn't the case originally.

EDIT

A full explanation of how assemblies are located is way beyond the scope of an SO post - you'll need to study How the Runtime Locates Assemblies.

With no changes made to typical solution defaults, a library is most likely to be loaded from the same folder where the start-up executable is located. Setting a project reference to a library causes it to be compiled and copied to that project's bin folder - so make sure the startup project has a project reference to your class library project. (Right-click startup project and check Add References... dialog. The reference should come from the Solution section).

You'll need to examine the project property pages to see if something special has been configured.

99.99% of the time, building the WHOLE solution and hitting run should work. If it doesn't work, something is messed up in the solution and/or there is some kind of custom deployment set up.

There are simply so many ways to deviate from the default deployment that I just can't give specific guidance here; you best bet is to get someone knowledgeable who can take a look in person, or to whom you can send the source for inspection.

Upvotes: 3

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