Add reference programmatically

Sanjay Kulkarni 0

I have searched the net for almost 4 hours using a variety of phrases but could get a simple workable solution.
So here is my problem:
How to add references to a VB Project programmatically.

In VBA, I can use Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject.References.AddByFile ...
What is equivalent code in VB.Net

Viorel 112.1K Reputation points

2023-05-18T04:43:35.6066667+00:00
If you are interested in loading assemblies (plug-ins) dynamically, the check this:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/tutorials/creating-app-with-plugin-support

https://github.com/dotnet/samples/tree/main/core/extensions/AppWithPlugin
Sanjay Kulkarni 0 Reputation points

2023-05-18T05:10:46.37+00:00

Thanks. But I am still not clear how, for example, I can add reference to Excel library using code .
Jiachen Li-MSFT 26,426 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-05-25T08:47:38.57+00:00

Hi @Sanjay Kulkarni , May I know if you have any updates about Castorix31's soution?
Sanjay Kulkarni 0 Reputation points

2023-05-25T11:24:48.6933333+00:00

Nothing worth mentioning. No success yet.

Will try afresh again after a couple of days.
Jiachen Li-MSFT 26,426 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2023-06-02T09:51:07.3233333+00:00

Hi @Sanjay Kulkarni , May I know if you have any updates?

1 answer

Castorix31 81,636

It can be done with System.Reflection

Test with Excel 2016 Interop (just open Excel, show 1 second, quit) :

    Dim sExcel = "Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel, Version=15.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=71e9bce111e9429c"
    Dim assembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(sExcel)
    Dim oExcel = assembly.CreateInstance("Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.ApplicationClass")

    ' Test
    Dim methods As MethodInfo() = oExcel.[GetType]().GetMethods(BindingFlags.[Public] Or BindingFlags.Instance)
    Dim props As PropertyInfo() = oExcel.[GetType]().GetProperties()
    ' {Void set_Visible(Boolean)}
    ' {Void Quit()}

    InvokeMethod(oExcel, "set_Visible", True)
    Thread.Sleep(1000)
    InvokeMethod(oExcel, "Quit", Nothing)
    Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oExcel)

with :

    ' https//sudonull.com/post/12432-Bug-when-working-TextBoxGetLineText-in-NET-WPF       
    Public Shared Function InvokeMethod(ByVal obj As Object, ByVal methodName As String, ParamArray methodParams As Object()) As Object
        Dim methodParamTypes = If(methodParams?.[Select](Function(p) p.GetType()).ToArray(), New Type() {})
        Dim bindingFlags = Reflection.BindingFlags.NonPublic Or Reflection.BindingFlags.Public Or Reflection.BindingFlags.Instance Or Reflection.BindingFlags.Static
        Dim method As MethodInfo = Nothing
        Dim type = obj.GetType()
        While method Is Nothing AndAlso type IsNot Nothing
            method = type.GetMethod(methodName, bindingFlags, Type.DefaultBinder, methodParamTypes, Nothing)
            type = type.BaseType
        End While
        Return method?.Invoke(obj, methodParams)
    End Function

Sanjay Kulkarni 0 Reputation points

2023-05-20T03:14:43.3333333+00:00
Thank you but this does not help me.
I thought it would be a simple generic procedure but it seems to be complicated.

So, it seems I need to give more details.

I am not a trained or experience VB.Net programmer.

I use VB.Net Express version and not full version of VB.Net. This serves me well for my limited purpose.

I mentioned Excel as an example, but the manual procedure for the application I want to make reference to is more complicated than making reference to Excel.

Here is the manual procedure I want to automate using code (assuming that the name of the application I want to make reference to is 'App1'):
4.1 References > Add > COM > Select App1 Type Library - This is the file C:\Program Files\App1\App1.tlb
4.2 After making the reference, the name of the file referenced changes to ..\obj\x86\debug\Interop.App1.dll

So, I am not sure how to go about this.
Castorix31 81,636 Reputation points

2023-05-20T08:06:05.99+00:00

the manual procedure for the application I want to make reference to is more complicated than making reference to Excel

Here is the manual procedure.....

No, it is exactly the same procedure for Excel

So use System.Reflection with the classes or interfaces from the .tlb
Sanjay Kulkarni 0 Reputation points

2023-05-20T11:26:43.8233333+00:00

Can you explain me in more details. Otherwise I am stuck. I have to abandon this.

Castorix31 81,636

It depends on what is in your .TLB or .DLL

You can also use LoadTypeLibEx and TypeLibConverter

For example with an acrobat.tlb I have for test, this works too :

            Dim sDLL = "E:\Sources\VB_Test4\acrobat.tlb"
            Dim typeLib As Object
            LoadTypeLibEx(sDLL, RegKind.RegKind_None, typeLib)
            Dim Converter As TypeLibConverter = New TypeLibConverter()
            Dim eventHandler As ConversionEventHandler = New ConversionEventHandler()
            Dim assembly = Converter.ConvertTypeLibToAssembly(typeLib, "Interop.acrobat.dll", 0, eventHandler, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing, Nothing)
            Dim oAcrobat = assembly.CreateInstance("Interop.acrobat.AcroAXDocClass")
            Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oAcrobat)

with :

    Public Class ConversionEventHandler
        Implements ITypeLibImporterNotifySink
        Private Sub ITypeLibImporterNotifySink_ReportEvent(eventKind As ImporterEventKind, eventCode As Integer, eventMsg As String) Implements ITypeLibImporterNotifySink.ReportEvent
            ' log events here
            Return
        End Sub
        Private Function ITypeLibImporterNotifySink_ResolveRef(typeLib As Object) As Assembly Implements ITypeLibImporterNotifySink.ResolveRef
            Return Nothing
        End Function
    End Class

    Private Enum RegKind
        RegKind_Default = 0
        RegKind_Register = 1
        RegKind_None = 2
    End Enum

    <DllImport("Oleaut32.dll", SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)>
    Private Shared Sub LoadTypeLibEx(ByVal strTypeLibName As String, ByVal regKind As RegKind, <Out> <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Interface)> ByRef typeLib As Object)
    End Sub

Sanjay Kulkarni 0 Reputation points

2023-05-20T17:05:21.4466667+00:00

Thank you sooooooooo much. I will try and let you know.