How to get the location of the DLL currently executing?

Question

I have a config file that I need to load as part of the execution of a dll I am writing.

The problem I am having is that the place I put the dll and config file is not the "current location" when the app is running.

For example, I put the dll and xml file here:

D:\Program Files\Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2010\Application Tier\Web Services\bin\Plugins

But if I try to reference the xml file (in my dll) like this:

XDocument doc = XDocument.Load(@".\AggregatorItems.xml") 

then .\AggregatorItems.xml translates to:

C:\windows\system32\inetsrv\AggregatorItems.xml

So, I need to find a way (I hope) of knowing where the dll that is currently executing is located. Basically I am looking for this:

XDocument doc = XDocument.Load(CoolDLLClass.CurrentDirectory+@"\AggregatorItems.xml") 

Answer 1

You are looking for System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly()

string assemblyFolder = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location); string xmlFileName = Path.Combine(assemblyFolder,"AggregatorItems.xml"); 

Note:

The .Location property returns the location of the currently running DLL file.

Under some conditions the DLL is shadow copied before execution, and the .Location property will return the path of the copy. If you want the path of the original DLL, use the Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().CodeBase property instead.

.CodeBase contains a prefix (file:\), which you may need to remove.