How to add exe as reference in my web application

Question

Hi all, I have created an exe with some methods in it (ref example exe below).

using System;  
using System.Collections.Generic;  
using System.Text;  

namespace SampleRef  
{  
  public class Program  
  {  
  static void Main(string[] args)  
    {  
    }  
  }  
  public class Sample  
  {    
   public Sample(int count)  
    {

    }

    public string SampleString(int InputValue)
    {
      //Do something
       return "<the result>";
    }
  }  
}  

I want to add reference this exe into my web application to call (SampleString) methods in side the exe. Is it possible in .net and how can I achieve this?

Answer 1

Yes - just add it as if it were a class library. Visual Studio has supported this since 2005.

EDIT: Okay, it sounds like ASP.NET may not like .exe assemblies :(

In that case I suggest you extract the code from your current executable and put it into a class library. You may find it easier to change the whole of your normal application into a DLL - and just add another executable project which does nothing but call into the DLL to start the "application". That shouldn't be the end-point of your code, but it's an easy way to get up and running.

Answer 2

Yes.

Just go to the Project menu, select Add Reference change to the Browse tab and find and select the executable.

Answer 3

Final compiled output in .Net is called Assemblies and EXEs are no different in this case. It's just that they carry a special header that identify them as executables with program entry points and normal compiled dll assemblies don't have this, but both are assemblies and you can add assemblies as reference in any .net project you're working on.