signing assemblies with a strong name key???

This is probably going to be one of those obvious when you think about it questions :blush: .

I have downloaded the Microsoft Enterprise Library and am reading the docs.

I the section Building the Enterprise Library under Preparing for deployment it says.

Quote:

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Alternatively, the Enterprise Library application block assemblies can be signed with a strong name key. This will ensure that their names are globally unique and will also provide versioning. Therefore, assemblies can be deployed in a shared location and used by multiple applications. A typical situation is that you deploy Enterprise Library application block assemblies in the global assembly cache. This allows all applications on the computer to use the Enterprise Library.

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So what does it mean to sign with a strong name key?
Where is the global assembly cache?

Hi,
strong naming is to do with giving your assemblies info which is embedded which identifies the source (being you) so that it can be determined whether your a trusted source of executables. There is a tool in .net framework which will generate a stong name key file. This is like the encryption key holder device which will also provide the public key, keep it safe! Once you start using it if anyone gets hold of it they can develop apps with your identity and you need it to continue creating under this identity and revising your apps.
You refer to this file in the assemblyinfo file telling it the path to the strong name file.
Other aspects of a strong named assembly are the version and the assembly name - also in the assemblyinfo.
The GAC: remember you may now have dll's in individual bins for apps - multiple times - well if you wish your dll to be available accross the whole machine - put it in the GAC so that all will see it. To ensure nothing goes awry it needs to be strong named as above.
I suggest you read further about this.
Hope this helps.

Does anyone know of any plain english explanation/tutorials on how to use the Enterprise Library, particularly the Exception Handling Block.

I have been reading the documentation provided with the library most of the day but its just confusing.

What has not sunk in to my head yet is
How do policies affect the way exceptions are handled?
What is the minimum set up to get things working?

I have run the QuickStart Project for Exception Handling without adding policies and it runs fine as far as I can tell.

I can't spend all my time looking at the examples.

Do you mean the new Enterprise Library stuff - its a lot to take on board all of a sudden.