[RESOLVED] My dll doesn't appear

[FunkyDexter]

Hi guys, I've got an odd problem I'm hoping someone can make a suggestion on.

I have a dll that handles various registry functions. I didn't actually write it myself but took some existing code and wrapped it in a dll for ease of use. If I include the dll in an installation package as part of another product all goes well and the exe for the other product works fine and appears to use the dll (it uses it's functionality certainly). However, if I then open vb the dll isn't available in the references. I've tried having my installer package (inno setup) register it, I've tried registering it manually using regsvr32 and I've even tried rebuilding it in VB but nothing seems to work, it just doesn't appear and I can't work out why not.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could check?

[Hack]

The .Dll will only be available in the VB projects to which you wish to reference it as it isn't a standard.

If you go to references, click Browse, locate it, double click on it and click OK, it will become a part of the project you are currently working on.

[FunkyDexter]

Sorry Hack, you've missunderstood me. I'm trying to add it in the references section but it's not appearing in the list. Various other dll's of mine are in there and I can use them as normal if I set a reference, but this one seems to have done a Houdini.

In fact, if I copy a project which already references the dll onto the machine and open the references list it shows as 'MISSING'. However, if I bring a compiled version of the same project onto the machine the exe works fine.

[Hack]

Sorry Hack, you've missunderstood me. I'm trying to add it in the references section but it's not appearing in the list. Various other dll's of mine are in there and I can use them as normal if I set a reference, but this one seems to have done a Houdini.

In fact, if I copy a project which already references the dll onto the machine and open the references list it shows as 'MISSING'. However, if I bring a compiled version of the same project onto the machine the exe works fine.

Well that sounds darned odd. The .dll is actually on your machine right?

Did you compile it on your machine?

[FunkyDexter]

I originally compiled it on a different machine. Notably it DOES appear in the references on that machine and is usable as normal.

And yeah, it's definitely on this machine. If I register it using regsvr I get the registration succeeded message but it's still not there in my references section. I've even tried rebuilding on this machine and it still doesn't appear. I have a hunch I'm being a bit blonde and missing something obvious but I just can't figure out what.

(NB. it shouldn't make any difference but when I'm talking about different machines I actually mean different VMWare sessions)

[Hack]

I'm trying to add it in the references section but it's not appearing in the list. Various other dll's of mine are in there and I can use them as normal if I set a reference, but this one seems to have done a Houdini.

If you click the browse button on the references screen, locate it, does it allow you to add it to a project that way?

[FunkyDexter]

Now this is getting REALLY weird. I went into the project that already referenced it but showed it as missing and browsed for the dll. It let me select it and add it with no errors but it STILL showed as missing in list.

I then opened a new project, drop down the list of references and there it is! Go back to the project that originally referenced it and it still shows as missing. Go figure.

[Hack]

Open up the .vbp file associated with the projects. You can use NotePad for that.

It is altogether possible that somewhere along the line something gotten written back to the project file itself, and for some reason, it didn't get removed.

If you find MISSING entrys in the .vbp file, remove them and save it.

Then open up the project and see if this issue goes away.

[FunkyDexter]

It doesn't show as missing in the vbp. I assume it would appear on this line:-

Reference=*\G{91F8E33A-B2FB-44F3-95A7-FE17EDB150DF}#3.0#0#..\..\Registry Editor\Registry.dll#E1RegistryEditor

Thanks for all your help with this by the way

[Hack]

Thanks for all your help with this by the way

No problem.

I then opened a new project, drop down the list of references and there it is! Go back to the project that originally referenced it and it still shows as missing. Go figure.

I just re-read everything in this thread so far, and this stood out.

So, if you open up a new project, you can reference the .dll with no problems. It is just with a couple of existing projects that this issue is showing up. Right?

I'm wondering if you open up a new project, reference this .dll, save this project, compile project1.exe, then close the project, close VB, reopen VB and reopen that project, if the reference will remain intact. Try that.

[FunkyDexter]

So, if you open up a new project, you can reference the .dll with no problems. It is just with a couple of existing projects that this issue is showing up. Right?

Well, a couple of hours ago I'd have said no, even when trying to build a new project it wasn't available. Thing is, now it seems to be appearing for new projects (but still not existing ones). I swear blind it wasn't appearing earlier but I may just be losing the plot on a Friday afternoon.

I'm wondering if you open up a new project, reference this .dll, save this project, compile project1.exe, then close the project, close VB, reopen VB and reopen that project, if the reference will remain intact. Try that.

hmm, I'll give it a go.
edit> The reference remained intact. Which makes it sound like the problems with the projects I'm bringing across rather than the dll itself. I think I'll try some observation again after the weekend (5 mins to go ).

Thanks again and have a good weekend, Hack.

[Hack]

Which makes it sound like the problems with the projects I'm bringing across rather than the dll itself. I think I'll try some observation again after the weekend (5 mins to go ).

Thanks again and have a good weekend, Hack.

Based on everything that we have said so far, that is exactly what I'm thinking.

You have a good weekend to Funky and post back your results after you have run those tests.

[FunkyDexter]

Aha, I think I might be there. I tried various experiments which I won't bore you with but eventually I've found that if I go back to the original project which referred to my dll and removed the reference, saved it, put the reference back in and saved it again before copying across to the other machine it's fine. There's one other project that exhibits so I should be able to fix that one now as well.

The only conclusion I can reach is that there was something wrong with the reference that was originally set. I can't see what though, it looks perfectly normal, has the correct path and works fine on the original machine.

[Hack]

Aha, I think I might be there. I tried various experiments which I won't bore you with but eventually I've found that if I go back to the original project which referred to my dll and removed the reference, saved it, put the reference back in and saved it again before copying across to the other machine it's fine. There's one other project that exhibits so I should be able to fix that one now as well.

The only conclusion I can reach is that there was something wrong with the reference that was originally set. I can't see what though, it looks perfectly normal, has the correct path and works fine on the original machine.

I'm glad you got it working but based on all the things we have said and done, I'm not sure what happened either. However, I am going to bookmark this thread as a reference. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to have this type of thing happen to someone else too.