Referencing the Microsoft Enterprise Library DLL file in a wrapper DLL

Question

I am writing an application using the Microsoft Enterprise Library. I wrote a wrapper DLL for that Enterprise Library DLL file. I want to use my wrapper in some Windows Forms application. The problem is that every time I want to use my wrapper I get an error in the compilation that says that a reference to the Enterprise Library DLL file is missing.

I can simply solve it by supplying this reference, but I think I am missing something here, because I just wrapped that Enterprise Library DLL file in my DLL. Why isn't the reference inherited from my wrapper project to the Windows Forms project?

As I understand the Windows Forms application searches the bin directory and then the GAC, and if it doesn't find the wanted DLL file, it raises an error.

The Microsoft Enterprise Library DLL file is already signed and in the GAC so what is the problem here? As I said I feel I am missing something!

Answer 1

Assembly references are not transitive.

If you reference and call assembly A, which references assembly B, you don't automatically get a reference to assembly B. If your interaction with A requires types from B, you'll need to refer to B, too.