Using a compiled c# dll in .net

[GreatSeaSpider]

Ok this may be a daft question, but i just cant figure it out!!

The page i am writing needs to send an email with an attachment. I have been told to use
Quiksoft's FreeSMTP.net

I have their dll file with their compiled code and simply wish to include it in my aspx page. I am very new to asp being a java programmer by trade and i feel i am missing something simple!

can anybody help??

Pete

 

[chiph]

There's two ways to access their assembly.

1) Copy their DLL (assembly) into a convenient directory on your server outside the IIS folder tree, and run the GACUtil.exe function to add it to the Global Assembly Cache (the vendor will have needed to have applied a strong name to it first to cryptographically sign it).

2) Copy their assembly to the directory where your .aspx page is. This is called a XCopy deployment.

The main difference between the two is that when you use the GAC, public users are not able to get access to the DLL (because you put it in a directory outside the IIS web folder tree), and they won't be able to download it. This protects your (and the vendors, in this case) intellectual property.

Another difference is that by putting your common assemblies in the GAC you can control the version of them better. By using the version in the local directory, you could have some configuration management problems where one directory has version 1.0, and another one has v1.1, which behaves slightly differently.

One downside to using the GAC is that some people believe that it should only be used for Microsoft's assemblies. Your call on that one.

Chip H.


If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first

 

[GreatSeaSpider]

thanks for the info Chip!