In my WPF project, I have some JSON files that are set as Content/Copy to Output Folder. When running as standard WPF, I access them as follows and it works fine.
foreach (var config in Directory.GetFiles("HostConfigs", "*.json"))
But when I run the app under the Desktop Bridge using the packaging project, it throws the following exception
System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: 'Could not find a part of the path 'C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\HostConfigs'.'
Desktop Bridge projects don't automatically set your current directory to your project's output folder... they use Windows' default directory instead.
To fix this across your project, at the main launching point (App.xaml.cs), simply add the following...
public partial class App : Application
{
public App()
{
SetCurrentDirectory();
}
/// <summary>
/// Sets the current directory to the app's output directory. This is needed for Desktop Bridge, which
/// defaults to the Windows directory.
/// </summary>
private void SetCurrentDirectory()
{
// Gets the location of the EXE, including the EXE name
var exePath = typeof(App).Assembly.Location;
var outputDir = Path.GetDirectoryName(exePath);
Directory.SetCurrentDirectory(outputDir);
}
}
Related
I made a windows forms app and exported it to a release folder.
I am trying to make it run on startup but the application needs to be in the same folder as it's application files.
I understand that you put it in shell:startup folder. But I cannot run just the exe because it depends on the other applications.
Is there a way that I can just run the application while keeping it in the folder. Or any other solutions?
You don't need to put the whole app in the startup folder. You just need to put the shortcut of your application there. Here's a Windows 10 help topic: Add an app to run automatically at startup in Windows which shows you how to do it manually:
Press Win + R keys to open Run window
Type shell:startup and press Enter
Right click and Add new shortcut to your application.
How to add the application to startup folder using C#
You can use either of the following options to add an application to the startup folder using C#:
Put application in startup folder using an installer
Put application is startup folder using code
Example 1 - Put application in startup folder using an installer
Follow these steps:
Download and install Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects extension. (VS2022, VS2017 & VS2019)
Add a new Windows Forms Project
Add a new Setup project to the solution
Right click on the Setup project → Add → Project Output, then select primary output from your windows forms project.
Right click on the Setup project → View → File System
Right click on the FileSystem → Add Special Folder → User's Startup Folder
Right click In the User's Startup Folder (in the list with two columns, name and type) → Create New Shortcut → Browse Application Folder and choose Primary output from the Windows Application and click OK.
Edit the name of the shortcut or set an icon for it.
Rebuild all the projects (including the setup).
Install the setup (approve if requested to modify system)
if you sign out and sign in again, you will see the application is in startup folder.
To verify and see if the app is inside the folder:
Press Win + R keys to open Run window
Type shell:startup and press Enter
See the shortcut of your application in the startup folder.
Example 2 - Put application is startup folder using code
Follow these steps:
Create Windows Forms Application
Drop a CheckBox on the form and change its text to "Run at startup of Windows"
Drop a Button on the form and change its text to "Save".
Add a the following code to the project (Thanks to the ref1, ref2):
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Text;
[ComImport]
[Guid("00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")]
class ShellLink
{
}
/// <summary>The IShellLink interface allows Shell links to be created, modified, and resolved</summary>
[ComImport()]
[InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)]
[Guid("000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")]
interface IShellLinkW
{
/// <summary>Retrieves the path and file name of a Shell link object</summary>
void GetPath([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszFile, int cchMaxPath, out IntPtr pfd, int fFlags);
/// <summary>Retrieves the list of item identifiers for a Shell link object</summary>
void GetIDList(out IntPtr ppidl);
/// <summary>Sets the pointer to an item identifier list (PIDL) for a Shell link object.</summary>
void SetIDList(IntPtr pidl);
/// <summary>Retrieves the description string for a Shell link object</summary>
void GetDescription([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszName, int cchMaxName);
/// <summary>Sets the description for a Shell link object. The description can be any application-defined string</summary>
void SetDescription([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszName);
/// <summary>Retrieves the name of the working directory for a Shell link object</summary>
void GetWorkingDirectory([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszDir, int cchMaxPath);
/// <summary>Sets the name of the working directory for a Shell link object</summary>
void SetWorkingDirectory([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszDir);
/// <summary>Retrieves the command-line arguments associated with a Shell link object</summary>
void GetArguments([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszArgs, int cchMaxPath);
/// <summary>Sets the command-line arguments for a Shell link object</summary>
void SetArguments([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszArgs);
/// <summary>Retrieves the hot key for a Shell link object</summary>
void GetHotkey(out short pwHotkey);
/// <summary>Sets a hot key for a Shell link object</summary>
void SetHotkey(short wHotkey);
/// <summary>Retrieves the show command for a Shell link object</summary>
void GetShowCmd(out int piShowCmd);
/// <summary>Sets the show command for a Shell link object. The show command sets the initial show state of the window.</summary>
void SetShowCmd(int iShowCmd);
/// <summary>Retrieves the location (path and index) of the icon for a Shell link object</summary>
void GetIconLocation([Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] StringBuilder pszIconPath,
int cchIconPath, out int piIcon);
/// <summary>Sets the location (path and index) of the icon for a Shell link object</summary>
void SetIconLocation([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszIconPath, int iIcon);
/// <summary>Sets the relative path to the Shell link object</summary>
void SetRelativePath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszPathRel, int dwReserved);
/// <summary>Attempts to find the target of a Shell link, even if it has been moved or renamed</summary>
void Resolve(IntPtr hwnd, int fFlags);
/// <summary>Sets the path and file name of a Shell link object</summary>
void SetPath([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string pszFile);
}
Doubleclick on the Button and add the following code to the event handler
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var startupPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup);
var exeFilePath = Application.ExecutablePath;
var appName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(exeFilePath);
var lnkFilePath = Path.Combine(startupPath, $"{appName}.lnk");
if (checkBox1.Checked)
{
if (File.Exists(lnkFilePath))
return;
var lnk = (IShellLinkW)new ShellLink();
lnk.SetPath(exeFilePath);
lnk.SetDescription("My application!");
lnk.SetIconLocation(exeFilePath, 0);
var file = (IPersistFile)lnk;
file.Save(lnkFilePath, false);
}
else
{
if (File.Exists(lnkFilePath))
File.Delete(lnkFilePath);
}
}
Double click on the Form and add the following code:
private void Form2_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
checkBox1.Checked = IsInStartup();
}
bool IsInStartup()
{
var startupPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup);
var exeFilePath = Application.ExecutablePath;
var appName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(exeFilePath);
var lnkFilePath = Path.Combine(startupPath, $"{appName}.lnk");
if (File.Exists(lnkFilePath))
return true;
return false;
}
Run the application and you can put the checkmark or remove it to save/remove the application in/from startup:
I am trying to deploy a plugin to a customer.
We use MEF, import, export attributes. I use the Export and the client imports it
My application uses DevExpress XtraGrid, XtraEditors and many other DevExpress DLL's(see screenshot), System.Data.Services.
Inspite of providing all these required DLL's and many of their dependencies, the plugin still seems to be requiring DevExpress.ExpressApp. DevExpress.ExpressApp and all its other dependencies are definitely not needed.
Since the client kept complaining that they have a FileNotFound exception, I decided to make a test project to import my own plugin. This is my test code to test the clients theory that he is getting is the following.
System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'DevExpress.ExpressApp.v14.2, Version=14.2.7.0,
Our Plugin
[Export(typeof (ISomething))]
public class MyClass : ISomething
{
}
TESTER
class Program
{
[ImportMany]
public IEnumerable<ISomething> Somethings { get; set; }
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var rp = new Program();
rp.Run();
}
public void Run()
{
Compose();
}
public void Compose()
{
try
{
AppDomain.CurrentDomain.FirstChanceException += FirstChanceHandler;
AggregateCatalog aggregatecatalogue = new AggregateCatalog();
aggregatecatalogue.Catalogs.Add(new DirectoryCatalog(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory));
CompositionContainer container = new CompositionContainer(aggregatecatalogue);
CompositionBatch batch = new CompositionBatch();
batch.AddPart(this);
container.Compose(batch);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
throw ex;
}
}
static void FirstChanceHandler(object source, FirstChanceExceptionEventArgs e)
{
System.Text.StringBuilder msg = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
msg.AppendLine(e.Exception.GetType().FullName);
msg.AppendLine(e.Exception.Message);
System.Diagnostics.StackTrace st = new System.Diagnostics.StackTrace();
msg.AppendLine(st.ToString());
msg.AppendLine();
String desktopPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop);
string logFilePath = String.Format("{0}\\{1}", desktopPath, "logfile.txt");
System.IO.File.AppendAllText(logFilePath, msg.ToString());
}
Sure enough, I saw in the output window and found out that it was indeed loading this DLL and some of the dependencies related to ExpressApp from GAC.
Question: How do I figure out where and why is ExpressApp needed?
I can simply just deliver the DLL but then it goes on and on about a TON of dependencies which I have clue why they would be needed.
there are tools for checking managed assembly dependencies. The MS Windows SDK contains the ildasm.exe utility. Chances are you already have it installed in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v8.0A\bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\ildasm.exe
When I had a similar problem (it was dll version mismatch) I have also used cygwin's 'grep' from command line to search for the missing dependency string across all DX and our custom assemblies to locate the actual .dll file referencing the missing dependency dll version. Then opened it in ildasm.exe and double clicked on the MANIFEST tree node. There I've seen the reference to the .dll version I didn't have.
You may follow the same steps to try to track the missing dependency. Run the "DevExpress.ExpressApp" string search against all DX dlls in your project's bin directory then if result is found, open the reported file with ildasm.exe
Note, most probably you don't have 'grep' from the https://www.cygwin.com/ package installed, so use the string search utility which is available to you.
There are also other 3rd party tools for checking dll dependencies but those have to be installed separately, while ildasm.exe is a part of Windows SDK. See this question's answers for other tools refs:
How do I determine the dependencies of a .NET application?
UPDATE:
if you don't have all your DX libs in the bin folder because your app is a plugin and uses DX libs directly from GAC, then you may search for DevExpress.ExpressApp references right in the DX installation folder, in my case:
C:\Program Files (x86)\DevExpress 15.2\Components\Bin\Framework
I've copied the above folder contents to a temp folder, removed all locale subfolders as well as all DevExpress.ExpressApp.* dlls and then ran a command:
grep -nr "DevExpress.ExpressApp"
which produced the following results:
Binary file DevExpress.EasyTest.v15.2.dll matches
Binary file DevExpress.Persistent.Base.v15.2.dll matches
Binary file DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.EF.v15.2.dll matches
Binary file DevExpress.Persistent.BaseImpl.v15.2.dll matches
Binary file DevExpress.Workflow.Activities.v15.2.Design.dll matches
Binary file DevExpress.Workflow.Activities.v15.2.dll matches
See if any of the above dlls is used by either your plugin or the host app where the plugin is to be deployed.
HTH
I try to make a little application with Prism and MEF in order to learn how it works. I'm stuck on a fairly frustrating problem.
I would like to have a "Modules" subdirectory in my base app directory where I copy all the module's dll as a post build event.
These modules are MVVM app with View and ViewModel.
My problem is : When I copy my module's dll in the main app directory, the views are displayed in the shell, but when my modules are in the subdirectory, nothing is displayer.
My modules and their parts are found but according to fuslogvw the views can't be found :
* Assembly Binder Log Entry (27/11/2015 # 16:45:28) *
The operation failed.
Bind result: hr = 0x80070002. The system cannot find the file specified.
Assembly manager loaded from: C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\clr.dll
Running under executable C:\Users\mouarf\Downloads\Prism-Samples-Wpf-master\Prism-Samples-Wpf-master\HelloWorld\HelloWorld\bin\Debug\HelloWorld.vshost.exe
--- A detailed error log follows.
=== Pre-bind state information ===
LOG: DisplayName = ModuleB.resources, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=en-US, PublicKeyToken=null
(Fully-specified)
LOG: Appbase = file:///C:/Users/mouarf/Prism/HelloWorld/bin/Debug/
LOG: Initial PrivatePath = NULL
LOG: Dynamic Base = NULL
LOG: Cache Base = NULL
LOG: AppName = HelloWorld.vshost.exe
Calling assembly : ModuleB, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null.
===
LOG: This bind starts in LoadFrom load context.
WRN: Native image will not be probed in LoadFrom context. Native image will only be probed in default load context, like with Assembly.Load().
LOG: Using application configuration file: C:\Users\mouarf\Downloads\Prism-Samples-Wpf-master\Prism-Samples-Wpf-master\HelloWorld\HelloWorld\bin\Debug\HelloWorld.vshost.exe.Config
LOG: Using host configuration file:
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/mouarf/Prism/HelloWorld/bin/Debug/en-US/ModuleB.resources.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/mouarf/Prism/HelloWorld/bin/Debug/en-US/ModuleB.resources/ModuleB.resources.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/mouarf/Prism/HelloWorld/bin/Debug/en-US/ModuleB.resources.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/Users/mouarf/Prism/HelloWorld/bin/Debug/en-US/ModuleB.resources/ModuleB.resources.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/USERS/Mouarf/PRISM/HELLOWORLD/BIN/DEBUG/MODULES/en-US/ModuleB.resources.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/USERS/Mouarf/PRISM/HELLOWORLD/BIN/DEBUG/MODULES/en-US/ModuleB.resources/ModuleB.resources.DLL.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/USERS/Mouarf/PRISM/HELLOWORLD/BIN/DEBUG/MODULES/en-US/ModuleB.resources.EXE.
LOG: Attempting download of new URL file:///C:/USERS/Mouarf/PRISM/HELLOWORLD/BIN/DEBUG/MODULES/en-US/ModuleB.resources/ModuleB.resources.EXE.
LOG: All probing URLs attempted and failed.
I don't know why MEF look in "modules\en-US\", I think it's probably why it doesn't find any views, but I couldn't find how to specify otherwise.
My bootstrapper :
public class Bootstrapper : MefBootstrapper
{
protected override void ConfigureAggregateCatalog()
{
base.ConfigureAggregateCatalog();
this.AggregateCatalog.Catalogs.Add(new AssemblyCatalog(typeof(Bootstrapper).Assembly));
string path = Path.Combine(AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory, "Modules");
DirectoryCatalog catalog = new DirectoryCatalog(path, "*.dll");
this.AggregateCatalog.Catalogs.Add(catalog);
}
protected override DependencyObject CreateShell()
{
return this.Container.GetExportedValue<MainWindow>();
}
protected override void InitializeShell()
{
base.InitializeShell();
Application.Current.MainWindow = (MainWindow)this.Shell;
Application.Current.MainWindow.Show();
}
protected override void ConfigureContainer()
{
base.ConfigureContainer();
}
protected override IModuleCatalog CreateModuleCatalog()
{
return new ConfigurationModuleCatalog();
}
}
My modules :
[ModuleExport(typeof(ModuleAModule))]
public class ModuleAModule : IModule
{
IRegionManager _regionManager;
[ImportingConstructor]
public ModuleAModule(IRegionManager regionManager)
{
_regionManager = regionManager;
}
public void Initialize()
{
_regionManager.RegisterViewWithRegion(RegionNames.RightRegion, typeof(ViewA));
}
}
My views :
/// <summary>
/// Interaction logic for ViewA.xaml
/// </summary>
[Export]
public partial class ViewA : UserControl
{
public ViewA()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
}
My viewmodels :
[Export]
public class ViewAViewModel : BindableBase
{
private string _title = "Module A";
public string Title
{
get { return _title; }
set { SetProperty(ref _title, value); }
}
}
Anyone ?
Edit :
Here's the solution for who whould like to take a look : HelloWorldPrismMef
Edit 2 :
The investigation still goes on, I discovered the really handy mefx ! So my problem seems to be :
[Part] ModuleA.ModuleAModule from: DirectoryCatalog (Path="Modules")
[Primary Rejection]
[Export] ModuleA.ModuleAModule (ContractName="Prism.Modularity.IModule")
[Import] ModuleA.ModuleAModule..ctor (Parameter="regionManager", ContractName="Prism.Regions.IRegionManager")
[Exception] System.ComponentModel.Composition.ImportCardinalityMismatchException: No exports were found that match the constraint contract name
ContractName Prism.Regions.IRegionManager
RequiredTypeIdentity Prism.Regions.IRegionManager n'a été trouvée.
at System.ComponentModel.Composition.Hosting.ExportProvider.GetExports(ImportDefinition definition, AtomicComposition atomicComposition)
at Microsoft.ComponentModel.Composition.Diagnostics.CompositionInfo.AnalyzeImportDefinition(ExportProvider host, IEnumerable`1 availableParts, ImportDefinition id)
Does that mean that I need to Export a IRegionManager class ?
The log you have posted is for an attempt to load a resource .dll, something that MEF will never load (resource .dlls are used to store application resource information, like strings for internationalization). You should look for errors that do not mention resource .dlls.
Also, it seems to me you are attempting to edit the Prism Library HelloWorld example from GitHub. This particular example has tight coupling with ModuleA (by that I mean that ModuleA is used as a project dependency in HelloWorld) and to my knowledge you can not simply move the ModuleA.dll from the main folder to a modules folder and expect it to work.
My suggestion would be to add a new project, set that to output to a modules folder and see if that loads (leaving the ModuleA project alone). Or you could remove the reference from the HelloWorld project and use the post build event.
Now regarding the loading of modules from a directory, in my humble opinion, you are over complicating it. All you need is
AgregateCatalog.Catalogs.Add(new DirectoryCatalog(#".\Modules"));
Or presuming you have a convention that specifies a pattern for module file names that resembles AppName.Modules.[ModuleNameHere].dll (eg: AppName.Modules.LoginModule.dll you could use something like this to load the modules
AgregateCatalog.Catalogs.Add(new DirectoryCatalog(#".\Modules", "AppName.Modules.*Module.dll"));
Although this does not seem the case here, if you ever try to load modules from a zone deemed as untrustworthy, the default security policy is to ignore the module. This would happen if you attempt to run the application over a network connection like Windows Share. For this scenario you need to add these instructions to App.config
<runtime>
<loadFromRemoteSources enabled="true" />
</runtime>
These should be added after <startup /> section.
Hope this helps you.
Edit:
Does that mean that I need to Export a IRegionManager class ?
No, that's just complaining because mefx has not loaded the assembly that exports it (Prism.Wpf.dll I think it is called).
Personally I found mefx.exe to be cumbersome; I prefer the GUI version
Now regarding your code, I took a look at the GitHub repository and made some changes but not that many (had some issues with references with ModuleC so I had to remove and add again Prism.Mef & company):
Removed the PostBuildEvent from Infrastructure project
Changed the PostBuildEvent from the module projects. This needs some explaining:
all macros come appended with the directory delimiter "\" so you do not need to add it (I am reffering to $(OutDir)\Modules => $(OutDir)Modules).
COPY/XCOPY require the destination path to end with a delimiter or the destination path will be intepreted as a destinaiton directory ( $(OutDir)Modules => *$(OutDir)Modules* ).
Destination directory needs to exist (so first command should be MKDIR)
I also commented (lines that start with REM are comments) out the command that copies the .pdb because I do not think it is needed and added the /z flag to XCOPY.
Added ILoggerFacade as a dependency to demonstrate that the modules actually load. If you run the application from the Visual Studio Debugger, you will see some messages in the debug window.
Added <loadFromRemoteSources enabled="true" /> in App.config => <configuration /> => <runtime /> so I can run the app over a mounted partition where the project is stored.
All of this is in the PR.
Now regarding why it will not auto-display the views in the regions, I can not say yet. I will keep investigating during my free time, but you might have better luck asking Brian Lagunas as he is one of the developers of Prism.
Edit 2:
As I was looking at Brian Lagunas's profile I saw he answered this post that luckily solves the issue.
Will also add a PR to GitHub.
I have a Windows Forms project. I have a Resources folder and I wan to use the files there using relative path. Here is a printscreen of my project tree
As you may see I have folder UserControls where I have FileExplorer.cs it contains aa openFileDialog + pictureBox. I use this control in some of my forms which are in Forms folder. The case is that in Resources folder I have this T380.jpg image that I want to load by default but for now I can do it only by inserting the full path to it. Here is my code where I try to load the image:
private void FileExplorer_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
pictureBox1.ImageLocation = #"ShoesUnlimitedAdmin\Resources\T380.jpg";
pictureBox1.Load();
}
I use the Load event of the user control to load my image but it only works when I set the full path to the image like C:\\... and so. How can I point to the Resources folder of the project using relative path?
If these images are small then favor adding them as resources in the executable file so you can use Properties.Resources in your code and don't have to deploy the files on the user's machine. Use Project + Properties, Resources. Click the arrow on the "Add Resource" button and select Add Existing File.
If they are big (more than a couple of megabytes) then you'll indeed want to deploy them as separate files. You can find them back by using the location of the EXE program, here's a helper method, spelled out for clarity:
public static string GetResourcePath(string filename) {
string exepath = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location;
string exedir = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(exepath);
string resdir = System.IO.Path.Combine(exedir, "Resources");
return System.IO.Path.Combine(resdir, filename);
}
I am developing a WPF app that contains a webbrowser control that loads a silverlight application. I would like to be able to launch the app from visual studio (F5) and have the debugger attach to the silverlight code. However, I've not had any luck with this.
The best I can currently do is to launch the app without attaching, then once it is up and running, attach to the process manually with silverlight as the specified type of code to debug, and this works. (When I cause the web browser control to load the silverlight app, it will hit breakpoints in my silverlight code). I've written some macros to automate this launching/attaching somewhat, but it still isn't the best.
I've tried specifying the WPF app as the external program to run when launching/debugging the silverlight app, but Visual Studio attaches to the process wanting to debug the managed .NET code.
Any ideas? Ideally, I would really like to attach to the process and debug both the managed .NET and the silverlight code, but I don't think this is possible. I'd really like to automatically be attached to the silverlight code at launch so that I can easily debug all issues with the silverlight app, including those that occur on load.
Thanks for your ideas Brandorf and fatty. Brandorf's almost gets me to where I wanted to go, but does require that my SL app be capable of running on its own. I really want to have only the one app, which is both wpf and silverlight, with the SL side being debugged.
A long time after I asked this question (I forgot I had asked it here), I actually pieced together a solution that I'm really happy with. I use visual studio automation within the WPF/.NET side of my app, to find all running instances of visual studio, figure out which one produced my exe (since it typically sits in a folder below the vcproj/sln folder), and then use visual studio automation to have that VS attach to the app, debugging silverlight code. After this is done, I then load my silverlight content.
It works really well. You end up with an app that goes and finds a debugger to attach to itself every time it runs (so you probably want this code only in a debug build, or somehow able to be turned off). So you just launch the app with ctrl-F5 (launch without debugging) from visual studio whenever you want to debug the silverlight side.
Here's my code:
#if DEBUG
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Collections;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.IO;
namespace Launcher
{
//The core methods in this class to find all running instances of VS are
//taken/inspired from
//http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/automatingvisualstudio.aspx
class DebuggingAutomation
{
[DllImport("ole32.dll")]
private static extern int GetRunningObjectTable(int reserved,
out UCOMIRunningObjectTable prot);
[DllImport("ole32.dll")]
private static extern int CreateBindCtx(int reserved,
out UCOMIBindCtx ppbc);
///<summary>
///Get a snapshot of the running object table (ROT).
///</summary>
///<returns>
///A hashtable mapping the name of the object
///in the ROT to the corresponding object
///</returns>
private static Hashtable GetRunningObjectTable()
{
Hashtable result = new Hashtable();
int numFetched;
UCOMIRunningObjectTable runningObjectTable;
UCOMIEnumMoniker monikerEnumerator;
UCOMIMoniker[] monikers = new UCOMIMoniker[1];
GetRunningObjectTable(0, out runningObjectTable);
runningObjectTable.EnumRunning(out monikerEnumerator);
monikerEnumerator.Reset();
while (monikerEnumerator.Next(1, monikers, out numFetched) == 0)
{
UCOMIBindCtx ctx;
CreateBindCtx(0, out ctx);
string runningObjectName;
monikers[0].GetDisplayName(ctx, null, out runningObjectName);
object runningObjectVal;
runningObjectTable.GetObject(monikers[0], out runningObjectVal);
result[runningObjectName] = runningObjectVal;
}
return result;
}
/// <summary>
/// Get a table of the currently running instances of the Visual Studio .NET IDE.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="openSolutionsOnly">
/// Only return instances that have opened a solution
/// </param>
/// <returns>
/// A list of the ides (as DTE objects) present in
/// in the running object table to the corresponding DTE object
/// </returns>
private static List<EnvDTE.DTE> GetIDEInstances(bool openSolutionsOnly)
{
var runningIDEInstances = new List<EnvDTE.DTE>();
Hashtable runningObjects = GetRunningObjectTable();
IDictionaryEnumerator rotEnumerator = runningObjects.GetEnumerator();
while (rotEnumerator.MoveNext())
{
string candidateName = (string)rotEnumerator.Key;
if (!candidateName.StartsWith("!VisualStudio.DTE"))
continue;
EnvDTE.DTE ide = rotEnumerator.Value as EnvDTE.DTE;
if (ide == null)
continue;
if (openSolutionsOnly)
{
try
{
string solutionFile = ide.Solution.FullName;
if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(solutionFile))
{
runningIDEInstances.Add(ide);
}
}
catch { }
}
else
{
runningIDEInstances.Add(ide);
}
}
return runningIDEInstances;
}
internal static void AttachDebuggerIfPossible()
{
if (System.Diagnostics.Debugger.IsAttached)
{
//Probably debugging host (Desktop .NET side), so don't try to attach to silverlight side
return;
}
var ides = GetIDEInstances(true);
var fullPathToAssembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location;
var potentials = new List<EnvDTE.DTE>();
foreach (var ide in ides)
{
var solutionPath = ide.Solution.FullName;
var topLevelSolutionDir = Path.GetDirectoryName(solutionPath);
var assemblyName = fullPathToAssembly;
if (assemblyName.StartsWith(topLevelSolutionDir, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
{
potentials.Add(ide);
}
}
EnvDTE.DTE chosenIde = null;
//If you have multiple ides open that can match your exe, you can come up with a scheme to pick a particular one
//(eg, put a file like solution.sln.pickme next to the solution whose ide you want to debug). If this is not a
//concern, just pick the first match.
if (potentials.Count > 0)
{
chosenIde = potentials[0];
}
var dbg = chosenIde != null ? (EnvDTE80.Debugger2)chosenIde.Debugger : null;
if (dbg != null)
{
var trans = dbg.Transports.Item("Default");
var proc = (EnvDTE80.Process2)dbg.GetProcesses(trans, System.Environment.MachineName).Item(Path.GetFileName(fullPathToAssembly));
var engines = new EnvDTE80.Engine[1];
engines[0] = trans.Engines.Item("Silverlight");
proc.Attach2(engines);
}
}
}
}
#endif
It's a bit of a shot in the dark, but assuming your silverlight app is capable of running on its own, you can, under your solution settings, set visual studio to start both apps together, and you should be attached to both of them.
If you can't add the Silverlight project to your solution (which will start debugging automatically), you might be able to make use of this tip. It will load both projects at the same time
http://saraford.net/2008/07/28/did-you-know-you-can-start-debugging-multiple-projects-268/