Visual Studio 2.0 and Signing with Strong name keys

August 5, 2005 · 1 min read

So the “new” way is to specify Signing in the projects' properties.

You can easily Sign the assembly with a key file by convieniently setting this nice project setting here.

Except for major failures.

A) Why does VS insist on copying the Strong name key into every project that uses it?  Last I heard you should “build the key and throw away the HD on which you did it...”   (Somewhat of overkill to throw out the hard drive, IMO)   Ok, so that being said, now we have VS merrily copying the Key to N directories.  Smart idea if the “Strong Name Key” is so sensitive.

B) Why generate a warning about the AssemblySign attribute?  AssemblySign is a better solution because you're tying the Strong Name Key to the ASSEMBLY and not the PROJECT.  Whats the point of Obsoleteing the attribute?  IMO the Project Settings should USE that value if present.

So whats the deal here?

This article is part of the GWB Archives. Original Author: Eric Newton

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