Could not copy temporary files to the output directory

[Bob]

Cannot copy assembly '<...>' to file <...>.dll'. The process cannot access
the file because it is being used by another process.

Could not copy temporary files to the output directory.
The file '<...>.dll' cannot be copied to the run directory. The process
cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.

I'm sick of this. At times I need to tinker with a dll that's being used by
the project I'm working on - and every time I have to shut it down before I
can recompile. What can't the IDE shadow copy and just watch for changes to
the original files? Is there some setting I can set to tell it "too bad just
break when things change and make me recompile just don't lock the effin
dll's"?

I *know* the IDE can use shadow copy because I've had cases where a can
version a file but mysteriously a project can be referencing an older copy
that doesn't exist even in the GAC.

*grumble*
Bob

 

[Guest]

If you already shut down you exe before you recompile, maybe it stays in
memory for some reason like a waiting thread. You don't have to close IDE.
See if the exe is still alive in the task manager.

 

[Bob]

Yes, you do if your dll contains controls. The IDE itself is 'running' the
dll for design-time functionality, as it's supposed to. My question remains,
can the IDE be forced to use shadow copy? I think it's wrong for VS to lock
satellite files given that it already allows in-project control versioning.
And I don't want to use the GAC, one of several reasons being that I can't
tell VS to throw updates into it automatically and delete all older versions
not in use.

Robert