Does VB.NET provide the way to deploy library to internal developer?

[meo]

Does .NET provide the way to deploy library to internal developer?

I am trying to find the way to deploy a library file to developer for having
integration to their application BUT the customer who is using that
application will not use that library file.

If I choose to deploy like a DLL file, the DLL file will deploy to the
customer. I thought this is the easy way if customer copy DLL file to
include to the project and use it.

BUT I choose to deploy like a sourcecode, it is hard to control version and
policy.

The past on C++, we have file .LIB to handle this case. but from now what we
can do.

PS: Someone told me to use utility tlbexp.exe to export .DLL to .TLB, but I
cannot include .TLB which is generated from the .DLL to the project by
adding reference.

 

[Tom Shelton]

Does .NET provide the way to deploy library to internal developer?

I am trying to find the way to deploy a library file to developer for having
integration to their application BUT the customer who is using that
application will not use that library file.

If I choose to deploy like a DLL file, the DLL file will deploy to the
customer. I thought this is the easy way if customer copy DLL file to
include to the project and use it.

BUT I choose to deploy like a sourcecode, it is hard to control version and
policy.

The past on C++, we have file .LIB to handle this case. but from now what we
can do.

PS: Someone told me to use utility tlbexp.exe to export .DLL to .TLB, but I
cannot include .TLB which is generated from the .DLL to the project by
adding reference.

About the closest thing I can think of is a netmodule. You can't
create it from the ide, but you can compile one from the command
line. Then the other developer can link it into his assembly - again,
a command line process.

Just a thought.

 

[meo]

Pls let me know more.

Can the other developer bring the assembly to integrate to their application
vua IDE?

 

[Patrice]

AFAIK not directly but as the build process in 2005 is customizable you
could perhaps add this... See the /target:module option
(http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/31xs5fhx(VS.80).aspx) of the
command line compiler.

Another option would be to build something in your application to prevent
this (for example it looks like a licensing scheme). Google comes with
things such as http://www.developer.com/net/net/article.php/3074001

Pls let me know more.

Can the other developer bring the assembly to integrate to their
application vua IDE?

 

[meo]

I see that when I'm using /target:module to compile my sourcecode as a
library. This is work fine.

BUT for using to integrate library with the application, the application has
to use command line to compile too. This cannot be adding library to IDE of
Visual Studio to compile. Do I make something miss?

I thought the solution is work if I can compile *.vb by using commandline
and integrate to the application by using IDE. BUT it is not work if I have
to integrate library to application by using commandline.

AFAIK not directly but as the build process in 2005 is customizable you
could perhaps add this... See the /target:module option
(http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/31xs5fhx(VS.80).aspx) of the
command line compiler.

Another option would be to build something in your application to prevent
this (for example it looks like a licensing scheme). Google comes with
things such as http://www.developer.com/net/net/article.php/3074001