Introduction
The Microsoft framework tools are designed to make it easier to create, deploy and manage applications and components that target the .NET Framework.
The .NET Framework tools can be divided into the following categories.
Configuration and Deployment tools
- Debugging tools
- Security tools
- General tools
In this article we will be discussing the following tools.
- gacutil.exe
- sn.exe
- al.exe
- aspnet_regiis.exe
- aspnet_compiler.exe
- dbgCLR.exe
- aspnet_regsql.exe
- installutil.exe
- disco.exe
- ildasm.exe
- ilasm.exe
- aspnet_regbrowsers.exe
- wsdl.exe
Gacutil.exe
Gacutil.exe is a .NET utility library which provides the command-line interface tool that manages the Global Assembly Cache. The global assembly cache util tool is used to view and manipulate the contents of the global assembly cache.
location : "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bin"
The command syntax of the gacutil.exe tool looks like the following.
gacutil [options] [assembly name | assembly path | assembly listfile]
assemblyName : The name of the assembly.
assemblyPath : The path of the file that contains the assembly manifest.
assemblyListFile : The path to an ANSI text file that lists assemblies to install or uninstall.
Here are the some of the commands of Gacutil.exe tool through which we can manage the Global Assembly Cache.
|
Command Name
|
Description
|
| /l |
This command is used to display the list of all the assemblies that are contained in the Global Assembly Cache.
Eg: gacutil /l
|
| /I assemblypath |
This command is used to deploy a strongly named assembly into Global Assembly Cache.
Eg: gacutil /i test.dll
|
| /u assemblypath |
This command is used to remove a DLL from Global Assembly Cache.
Eg: gacutil /u test.dll
|
| /h |
This command displays the command syntax and options for the tool.
Eg: gacutil /h
|
| /if assembly path |
This command installs the DLL in the Global Assembly Cache and if the DLL already exists in GAC, it overrides it.
|
| /ldl |
This lists the contents of the downloaded files cache.
Eg : gacutil /ldl
|
|
/ul Assembly path
|
It uninstalls one or more assemblies specified in the assemblylistfile from the GAC.
|
|
/?
|
This displays the command syntax and options for the tool.
|
|
/f
|
It specifies this option with the /i or /il options to force an assembly to reinstall. If an assembly with the same name already exists in the global assembly cache, the tool overwrites it.
|
Sn.exe
This is the tool which helps assemblies to sign with strong names. Sn.ex provides various options for key management, signature generation and signature verification.
Here are the some of the commands of Sn.exe tool through which we can manage the strong key and signing an assembly.
location : "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bin"
|
Command Name
|
Description
|
| -k |
Creates a random key pair and stores in a file.
Eg : sn –k keypair.snk
|
| -v |
This command is used to check whether the assembly is valid or not.
Eg: Sn –v TestAssem.dll
|
| -p |
This command is used to extract the key pair value from one file to another file.
Eg: sn –p kepair.snk ss.snk
|
| -? |
Displays all the options available for the tool.
Eg : sn –?
|
| -h |
Displays all the options available for the tool.
Eg : sn –h
|
| -c |
This is used to set the default Cryptographic service provider for signing the assembly.
Eg: sn -c |
| -e |
Extracts the public key from the assembly and stores it in outfile. |
| -vl |
Lists current settings for strong name verification on this computer. |
| -R |
assembly infile Re-signs a previously signed or delay signed assembly with the key pair in infile. |
Also See : How to Integrate external took to generate PublicKeyToken for workflow.xml (Get Sn Token)
Al.exe
The Assembly linker tool generates a file with an assembly manifest from one or files that are either modules or resource files.
location : "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\Bin"
The general syntax of using tool is as below:
Al Source options
Here are the some of the commands of the al.exe and their description in detail.
|
Command Name
|
Description
|
| /embed [resource file name] |
This command embeds the file into an image and copies the contents of the file into the portable executable file.
The output for the resource file will be a assembly which is called satellite assembly.
|
| /link [resource file name] |
The file name can be in any of the format and here the file is not copied. This option will generate a native dll and can be installed in the global assembly cache. |
| /bugreport [file name] |
Creates a bug report in the specified path if there are any bugs. |
| /copy[right]:text |
This is used to specify the copyright field in the assembly. |
| /c:text |
This option is used to specify the culture for the assembly. |
| /delay[sign][+][-] |
Specifies whether assembly can should be fully signed or partially signed. By default it is fully signed. |
| /descr:text |
Specifies the description filed in the assembly. |
| /fileversion:version name |
This option is used to specify the file version for the assembly. |
| /help |
This displays all the options available with the tool. |
| /key:filename |
It specifies the key pair value in a file to sign the assembly. |
| /main:methodname |
Specifies the fully qualified name (class.method) of the method to use as an entry point when converting a module to an executable file. |
| /out:filename |
Specifies the name of the file produced by Al.exe. This is a required option. |
Examples:
Example 1: Generating an satellite assembly using the resource file
Al /link:"c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Samples\Exensys.Resources.resx", "c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Samples\Exensys.Resources.resx" /out:Testsss.resources.dll /c:en-US.
Source : Introduction to .NET Framework Tools