Sharing code between 2 projects without a dll

Question

How can I have code-sharing between two projects without making a dll?

The issue is: I have a tool that syncs users & groups from LDAP to a database.

Now the tool is a windows service, but testing it as such is very difficult and time consuming.

Which is why I made a console application where I can test the LDAP syncing, and then just copy the respective sourcecode-files over to the service project.

But... keeping the common files in sync is a bit of a problem. I don't want to make a dll, because this probably creates me a problem with the 3rd project, a windows installer (for the service) where I have to use ExecutingAssembly path...

Is there a way to share the code without making a separate dll? Automagic statical linking, so to say ?

Answer 1

How about adding a file as a link.

In Visual Studio right click on your console test app project -> select add existing file -> in the file add dialog navigate to files in your actual windows service project -> select the files you want to share -> and on add button select add as link option.

Answer 2

You can add a file to a project as a link. On the Add Existing Item dialogue the Add button has a drop down on its right. Use this to select "Add as Link":

Put the file as a solution item and add as a link to each project.

Answer 3

How about hand-modify the project files to point to the same source file?

Another option - put both projects in the same folder. Add a class to one, then in the other project add existing class and point to the class just created.

Answer 4

You could:

• maintain the shared code in a separate project that produces a DLL and then use a tool such as ILMerge to turn the DLL & EXE into one assembly.
• share the source-files between multiple projects, either by tweakiing your project files or doing something funky with your source-tree layout.

All that said, the best approach would be to bite the bullet and store the shared code in a shared assembly (DLL). What happens when you decide to, for example, expose this code via a WCF service? It starts getting more complicated then as you have 3 places that reference the same code files. Don't just think about what makes your life easiest now, think about what'll make your life (and that of anyone else who has to maintain the code) easier in the future as well! =)