asp.net: Should dropping dlls into the Bin folder work in asp.net MVC?

views:

answers:

asp.net: Should dropping dlls into the Bin folder work in asp.net MVC?

I am using Visual Stidio 2010 Beta 2 and just started using MVC, I copied a bunch of dlls into a Bin folder and Included this Bin folder in the project. It seems that there is no reference to these dlls from Controller classes?

Is this an MVC thing, or a broken project/VS installation?

+2 A:

What do you mean by "included this bin folder in the project", to add a reference, you need right click the project in visual studio, click "Add Reference", then add those dlls into your project. Is this what you are looking for?

J.W. 2010-02-11 11:59:43

I would prefer to drop them in the Bin folder and have them auomatically referenced, in order to manage versions, than reference a 3rd folder. This does work in VS 2008?

Mark Redman 2010-02-11 12:20:34

OK, I have used "Add Reference" and browsed to the Bin Folder and selected those? I now have reference to those dlls, but this seems wrong? Is this standard practice?

Mark Redman 2010-02-11 12:29:18

You manage references by having something like a "libs" folder where you put all your references. Then when you add a reference you do it from that folder. If you update a reference in the "libs" folder and build the project, the new version will be used. This is usually the easiest way to handle references in a website as well. Because its better for source control tools (like svn or git). This has always been the behavior in a web application.

Mattias Jakobsson 2010-02-11 12:31:03

@Mattias Jakobsson: Thanks, it looks like we will need to take this route. Should we add this Library folder into the App_Data folder so xml and other files remain non-accessible or deleted before deployment etc? Or should this not be part of the application repository?

Mark Redman 2010-02-11 12:41:40

I usually put it outside of my project structure. I have it set up something like this: /[projectname] (solution file)/[projectname]/libs (all my dependencies)/[projectname]/[projectname].Web (the web application structure)And then one folder for each project I have (like a core class library that is in the same solution as my web project).

Mattias Jakobsson 2010-02-11 12:45:03

Thats great, thanks very much for your asnwers..

Mark Redman 2010-02-11 12:46:58

just for info! what if we are to code / build / work on a project from commandline(have no access to IDE), how to reference dll then ? any idea ?

Asad Butt 2010-02-11 12:51:31

+1 A:

edit - J.W. answered as I was typing. :)

Instead of dropping them in the bin folder, try right clicking on "References" and adding them using the Browse... tab.

mark123 2010-02-11 11:59:51

ansaurus

tags:

views:

answers:

asp.net: Should dropping dlls into the Bin folder work in asp.net MVC?

related questions