How to Create a DLL of .csproj file

Question

csc /target:library /out:MyMaths.dll ClassLibraryFunction.csproj

I am using this code to generate a DLL in VS.Cmd compiler for a whole solution. However, I am getting a compile error, and the DLL is not being generated.

@skyfoot i am asking that how to Create dll for a hole application in c# — pratik godha, Jan 03 '13 at 09:19
I feel this question is real, genuine and answerable. I'm reopening - I'll edit the question in a moment to improve it. — Marc Gravell, Jan 03 '13 at 09:23
@MarcGravell thnks this is a real question notice that i am creating a DLL for hole project not .exe so how it will be possible . — pratik godha, Jan 03 '13 at 09:25
@pratikgodha why can't you just change the csproj itself to be a library project? — Marc Gravell, Jan 03 '13 at 09:26
@HaemEternal at a guess: lots of syntax errors because xml (the csproj) is *not* C#, and `csc` is a C# compiler — Marc Gravell, Jan 03 '13 at 09:28
@MarcGravell Yeah, I figured that your answer below was correct; I was just hoping to get a little more info added into the question for the sake of people coming along later. — HaemEternal, Jan 03 '13 at 09:32

Marc Gravell · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-03T11:16:52.033

6

csc does not work with .csproj files. You have a few options:

use msbuild; for example
```
msbuild ClassLibraryFunction.csproj
```
noting that you may need to change the output-type of the project (in the IDE this is Project Properties, Application, Output type; in the csproj file this is <OutputType>Library</OutputType>)
use csc with the /recurse switch; for example:
```
csc /target:library /out:MyMaths.dll /recurse:*.cs
```
(which will compile all the .cs files in the current folder or in sub-folders)
do nothing whatsoever, and just use the exe that you already have; a .NET exe can be referenced just like any other assembly, and any public types can be consumed

edited Jan 03 '13 at 11:16

answered Jan 03 '13 at 09:25

Marc Gravell

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@pratikgodha a project **can be** a dll; you just set the project's output as library. The word is "whole", btw; not "hole" - that means something completely different. – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 10:37
yes i can add lib. to the new Application but on that time i am not able to access the classes. what i want when i will create a dll for a application1 which contains the classes and when i will create a new application2 and attach a lib. or dll into application2 i will be able to access all the classes . – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 11:07
@pratikgodha everything you have said is normal behaviour for a library. The only question I have is simply: are the types `public`? BTW: did you know you can also add a reference to an exe? So even if your application is currently an exe, you can **still** reference it from another project, and consume the types. As long as they are `public`. – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 11:13
yes i know that i can add reference .exe but when i am accessing that not able to call classes which it exe contains do you understand what i want and what i want to do ? – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 11:20
@pratikgodha allow me to say again: that should work fine. If you can't see the types, then you need to go and make them `public`. – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 11:33
you mean to say Class will be a **Public** then my all classes is publicly define but i am not able to call. – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 12:06
@pratik then my next guess would be: different namespaces (add a `using` directive). But it has nothing to do with whether it is built as an exe or a dll. – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 12:31
all the namespace and classes is ok when i will make a DLL for a single class and add it into reference this is then ok to call class but prob is to create a DLL for Whole Application. – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 12:41
@pratikgodha there is no fundamental difference between a dll for a single class and a dll/exe containing an entire application. Whatever you are doing wrong, it has nothing whatsoever to do with whether you build it as an exe or a dll – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 12:44
create application having a classes and create another application and add exe/dll of the first application then call classes if you will be able to access that class then please rep. – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 13:03
@pratikgodha yes, you can access the classes. If you can't, you've done something wrong, but I can't tell you what based on the very limited information available. – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 13:10
i told you that i am not able to access any class after attaching the dll/exe. – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 13:18
@pratikgodha then ... is there still a problem? – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 13:19
yes there is a prob i want to access classes in another application which is in first application dll/exe but still i am not able to call the classes – pratik godha Jan 03 '13 at 13:22
@pratikgodha I cannot answer that with the information you have presented, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the question you asked – Marc Gravell Jan 03 '13 at 13:26

How to Create a DLL of .csproj file

1 Answers1