Strong Naming an assembly using command line compile

Question

I am trying to use NAnt in order to compile and sign an assembly using the vbc compiler. I have a project set up and am able to successfully sign the assembly compiling with VS2010. When I try to sign it using the command line I get this error:

vbc : error BC30140: Error creating assembly manifest: Error signing assembly -- The parameter is incorrect.

I even created a trivially simple app (just an assemblyinfo.vb file) that will not compile and sign using vbc.exe What am I doing wrong?

here is my assemblyinfo.vb:

Option Strict Off
Option Explicit On

Imports System
Imports System.Reflection
<Assembly: AssemblyVersionAttribute("2010.05.18.0918"),  _
 Assembly: AssemblyCopyrightAttribute("Copyright © Patient First 2007"),  _
 Assembly: AssemblyCompanyAttribute("Patient First, Inc."),  _
 Assembly: AssemblyProductAttribute("Patient First Framework"),  _
 Assembly: AssemblyDelaySign(false),  _
 Assembly: AssemblyKeyFile("test.pfx"), _
 Assembly: AssemblyTitleAttribute("PatientFirst.Framework")>

test.pfx is located in the same folder as assemblyinfo.vb

Here is how I am trying to compile it:

vbc /target:library /verbose assemblyinfo.vb

I also tried using

vbc /target:library /verbose assemblyinfo.vb /keyfile:test.pfx

and tried using /keyfile parameter without the AssemblyDelaySign and AssemblyKeyFile attributes

If I remove the AssemblyDelaySign and AssemblyKeyFile attributes and leave off the /keyfile command line parameter it compiles fine. What is the correct way to do this with vbc?

--EDIT: I have found that MSBuild also does not like having the AssemblyKeyFile attribute as I have defined it in the AssemblyInfo.vb, it gives the same failure message. So the only way I can currently get this to build correctly is to set properties on the project to tell it which key file to use and to sign the assembly.

--EDIT: The reason this appears to work building the project from within VS2010 is that msbuild is passing /keycontainer to vbc.exe on the command line instead of using /keyfile. Still don't know how to use the /keyfile command line parameter.

Answer 1

I have found that MSBuild also does not like having the AssemblyKeyFile attribute as I have defined it in the AssemblyInfo.vb, it gives the same failure message. So the only way I can currently get this to build correctly is to set properties on the project to tell it which key file to use and to sign the assembly.

The reason this appears to work building the project from within VS2010 is that msbuild is passing /keycontainer to vbc.exe on the command line instead of using /keyfile. Still don't know how to use the /keyfile command line parameter.