Loading Referenced DLLs from Memory

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Hey guys,

I have an application (let's call it LoaderApp) that reads a byte[] into memory and loads it as an assembly (provided that the byte[] is an executable. This works fine. But how can I set the LoaderApp to also load the referenced DLLs of the byte[] into its Assembly as well?

The code so far is as follows:

C#

byte[] bytes = ; // Executable bytes are loaded here...

Assembly assembly = Assembly.Load(bytes);
MethodInfo method = assembly.EntryPoint;

if (method != null)
{
    object o = assembly.CreateInstance(method.Name);
    try
    {
        method.Invoke(o, null);
    }
    catch (TargetInvocationException e)
    {
        // TODO: Handle exception
    }
}

I have read that the loaded assembly can search for its referenced DLLS by itself, as described here: Load Assembly at Runtime Method #3.

But since the LoaderApp will be loading more than one possible executable, I'd rather have that logic placed in it, rather than for every executable...

Thanks a lot :)

Posted 23-Oct-13 0:16am

Trapper-Hell

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2 solutions

Solution 3

Hi,

To get referenced assemblies frorm a specific type, you can try using the code below.

C#

(typeof(Item).Assembly).GetReferencedAssemblies()

Thank you,

Posted 23-Oct-13 0:52am

Antony Linish

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Trapper-Hell 23-Oct-13 6:54am

Yes I am aware of that function. But how does that help me in loading the DLLs to the same assembly that I am about to load / or in such a way that the loaded assembly can access them?

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Trapper-Hell · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-24T00:14:00

Not the best way to do it, but since no one else provided any suggestions, here's what I did:

1. The LoaderApp loads all the referenced assemblies in memory (as shown in the code snippet of the original question
2. The loaded Assemblies are passed to a private method implemented in the dynamically loaded assemblies which simply accepts (and stores) an Assembly[] collection.
3. I've added to the dynamically loaded assmeblies:

C#

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += new ResolveEventHandler(MyResolveEventHandler);

4. For each unresolved assembly, the dynamic assembly checks its Assembly[] collection and returns the matching one as the correct referenced assembly.