.net – Warning: Found conflicts between different versions of the same dependent assembly

netwarnings

I am currently developing a .NET application, which consists of 20 projects. Some of those projects are compiled using .NET 3.5, some others are still .NET 2.0 projects (so far no problem).

The problem is that if I include an external component I always get the following warning:

Found conflicts between different versions of the same dependent assembly.

What exactly does this warning mean and is there maybe a possibility to exclude this warning (like using #pragma disable in the source code files)?

Best Answer

This warning means that two projects reference the same assembly (e.g. System.Windows.Forms) but the two projects require different versions. You have a few options:

Recompile all projects to use the same versions (e.g. move all to .Net 3.5). This is the preferred option because all code is running with the versions of dependencies they were compiled with.
Add a binding redirect. This will suppress the warning. However, your .Net 2.0 projects will (at runtime) be bound to the .Net 3.5 versions of dependent assemblies such as System.Windows.Forms. You can quickly add a binding redirect by double-clicking on error in Visual Studio.
Use CopyLocal=true. I'm not sure if this will suppress the warning. It will, like option 2 above, mean that all projects will use the .Net 3.5 version of System.Windows.Forms.

Here are a couple of ways to identify the offending reference(s):

You can use a utility such as the one found at https://gist.github.com/1553265
Another simple method is to set Build output verbosity (Tools, Options, Projects and Solutions, Build and Run, MSBuild project build output verbosity, Detailed) and after building, search the output window for the warning, and look at the text just above it. (Hat tip to pauloya who suggested this in the comments on this answer).

Related Solutions

.net – Resolving MSB3247 – Found conflicts between different versions of the same dependent assembly

Change the "MSBuild project build output verbosity" to "Detailed" or above. To do this, follow these steps:

Bring up the Options dialog (Tools -> Options...).
In the left-hand tree, select the Projects and Solutions node, and then select Build and Run.
- Note: if this node doesn't show up, make sure that the checkbox at the bottom of the dialog Show all settings is checked.
In the tools/options page that appears, set the MSBuild project build output verbosity level to the appropriate setting depending on your version:
- Diagnostics when on VS2012, VS2013 or VS2015 (the message in these versions says you should use "Detailed", but this is plain wrong, you should use "Diagnostics")
- Detailed when you're on VS2010
- Normal will suffice in VS2008 or older.
Build the project and look in the output window.

Check out the MSBuild messages. The ResolveAssemblyReferences task, which is the task from which MSB3247 originates, should help you debug this particular issue.

My specific case was an incorrect reference to SqlServerCe. See below. I had two projects referencing two different versions of SqlServerCe. I went to the project with the older version, removed the reference, then added the correct reference.

Target ResolveAssemblyReferences:
    Consider app.config remapping of assembly "System.Data.SqlServerCe, ..." 
        from Version "3.5.1.0" [H:\...\Debug\System.Data.SqlServerCe.dll] 
        to Version "9.0.242.0" [C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\PublicAssemblies\System.Data.SqlServerCe.dll]
        to solve conflict and get rid of warning.
    C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v3.5\Microsoft.Common.targets : 
        warning MSB3247: Found conflicts between different versions of the same dependent assembly.

You do not have to open each assembly to determine the versions of referenced assemblies.

You can check the Properties of each Reference.
Open the project properties and check the versions of the References section.
Open the projects with a Text Editor.
Use .Net Reflector.

.net – Why would finding a type’s initializer throw a NullReferenceException

with csc test.cs:

(196c.1874): Access violation - code c0000005 (first chance)
mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0xa3:
000007fe`e5735403 488b4608        mov     rax,qword ptr [rsi+8] ds:00000000`00000008=????????????????

Trying to load from [rsi+8] when @rsi is NULL. Lets inspect the function:

0:000> ln 000007fe`e5735403
(000007fe`e5735360)   mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0xa3
0:000> uf 000007fe`e5735360
Flow analysis was incomplete, some code may be missing
mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[]):
000007fe`e5735360 53              push    rbx
000007fe`e5735361 55              push    rbp
000007fe`e5735362 56              push    rsi
000007fe`e5735363 57              push    rdi
000007fe`e5735364 4154            push    r12
000007fe`e5735366 4883ec30        sub     rsp,30h
000007fe`e573536a 498bf8          mov     rdi,r8
000007fe`e573536d 8bea            mov     ebp,edx
000007fe`e573536f 48c744242800000000 mov   qword ptr [rsp+28h],0
000007fe`e5735378 488bb42480000000 mov     rsi,qword ptr [rsp+80h]
000007fe`e5735380 4889742420      mov     qword ptr [rsp+20h],rsi
000007fe`e5735385 41b903000000    mov     r9d,3
...    
mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0x97:
000007fe`e57353f7 488b4b08        mov     rcx,qword ptr [rbx+8]
000007fe`e57353fb 85c9            test    ecx,ecx
000007fe`e57353fd 0f848e000000    je      mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0x131 (000007fe`e5735491)

mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0xa3:
000007fe`e5735403 488b4608        mov     rax,qword ptr [rsi+8]
000007fe`e5735407 85c0            test    eax,eax
000007fe`e5735409 7545            jne     mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0xf0 (000007fe`e5735450)
...

@rsi is loaded in the beginning from [rsp+20h] so it must be passed by caller. Lets look at the caller:

0:000> k3
Child-SP          RetAddr           Call Site
00000000`001fec70 000007fe`8d450110 mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0xa3
00000000`001fecd0 000007fe`ecb6e073 image00000000_01120000!Test.Main()+0x60
00000000`001fed20 000007fe`ecb6dcb2 clr!CoUninitializeEE+0x7ae1f
0:000> ln 000007fe`8d450110
(000007fe`8d4500b0)   image00000000_01120000!Test.Main()+0x60
0:000> uf 000007fe`8d4500b0
image00000000_01120000!Test.Main():
000007fe`8d4500b0 53              push    rbx
000007fe`8d4500b1 4883ec40        sub     rsp,40h
000007fe`8d4500b5 e8a69ba658      call    mscorlib_ni!System.Console.get_In() (000007fe`e5eb9c60)
000007fe`8d4500ba 4c8bd8          mov     r11,rax
000007fe`8d4500bd 498b03          mov     rax,qword ptr [r11]
000007fe`8d4500c0 488b5048        mov     rdx,qword ptr [rax+48h]
000007fe`8d4500c4 498bcb          mov     rcx,r11
000007fe`8d4500c7 ff5238          call    qword ptr [rdx+38h]
000007fe`8d4500ca 488d0d7737eeff  lea     rcx,[000007fe`8d333848]
000007fe`8d4500d1 e88acb715f      call    clr!CoUninitializeEE+0x79a0c (000007fe`ecb6cc60)
000007fe`8d4500d6 4c8bd8          mov     r11,rax
000007fe`8d4500d9 48b92012531200000000 mov rcx,12531220h
000007fe`8d4500e3 488b09          mov     rcx,qword ptr [rcx]
000007fe`8d4500e6 498b03          mov     rax,qword ptr [r11]
000007fe`8d4500e9 4c8b5068        mov     r10,qword ptr [rax+68h]
000007fe`8d4500ed 48c744242800000000 mov   qword ptr [rsp+28h],0
000007fe`8d4500f6 48894c2420      mov     qword ptr [rsp+20h],rcx
000007fe`8d4500fb 41b903000000    mov     r9d,3
000007fe`8d450101 4533c0          xor     r8d,r8d
000007fe`8d450104 ba38000000      mov     edx,38h
000007fe`8d450109 498bcb          mov     rcx,r11
000007fe`8d45010c 41ff5228        call    qword ptr [r10+28h]
000007fe`8d450110 48bb1032531200000000 mov rbx,12533210h
000007fe`8d45011a 488b1b          mov     rbx,qword ptr [rbx]
000007fe`8d45011d 33d2            xor     edx,edx
000007fe`8d45011f 488bc8          mov     rcx,rax
000007fe`8d450122 e829452e58      call    mscorlib_ni!System.Reflection.ConstructorInfo.op_Equality(System.Reflection.ConstructorInfo, System.Reflection.ConstructorInfo) (000007fe`e5734650)
000007fe`8d450127 0fb6c8          movzx   ecx,al
000007fe`8d45012a 33c0            xor     eax,eax
000007fe`8d45012c 85c9            test    ecx,ecx
000007fe`8d45012e 0f94c0          sete    al
000007fe`8d450131 0fb6c8          movzx   ecx,al
000007fe`8d450134 894c2430        mov     dword ptr [rsp+30h],ecx
000007fe`8d450138 488d542430      lea     rdx,[rsp+30h]
000007fe`8d45013d 488d0d24224958  lea     rcx,[mscorlib_ni+0x682368 (000007fe`e58e2368)]
000007fe`8d450144 e807246a5f      call    clr+0x2550 (000007fe`ecaf2550)
000007fe`8d450149 488bd0          mov     rdx,rax
000007fe`8d45014c 488bcb          mov     rcx,rbx
000007fe`8d45014f e81cab2758      call    mscorlib_ni!System.Console.WriteLine(System.String, System.Object) (000007fe`e56cac70)
000007fe`8d450154 90              nop
000007fe`8d450155 4883c440        add     rsp,40h
000007fe`8d450159 5b              pop     rbx
000007fe`8d45015a c3              ret

(My disassemble shows System.Console.get_In because I added a Console.GetLine() in test.cs to have an opportunity to break in debugger. I validated it doesn’t change the behavior).

We're in this call: 000007fe8d45010c 41ff5228 call qword ptr [r10+28h] (our AV frame ret address is the instruction right after this call).

Lets compare this with what happens when we compile csc /debug test.cs. We can set up a bp 000007fee5735360, luckily the module loads at the same address. On the instruction that loads @rsi:

0:000> r
rax=000007fee58e2f30 rbx=00000000027c6258 rcx=00000000027c6258
rdx=0000000000000038 rsi=00000000002debd8 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=000007fee5735378 rsp=00000000002de990 rbp=0000000000000038
 r8=0000000000000000  r9=0000000000000003 r10=000007fee58831c8
r11=00000000002de9c0 r12=0000000000000000 r13=00000000002dedc0
r14=00000000002dec58 r15=0000000000000004
iopl=0         nv up ei pl nz na po nc
cs=0033  ss=002b  ds=002b  es=002b  fs=0053  gs=002b             efl=00000206
mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0x18:
000007fe`e5735378 488bb42480000000 mov     rsi,qword ptr [rsp+80h] ss:00000000`002dea10=a0627c0200000000

Note that @rsi is 00000000002debd8. Stepping through the function shows that this the address that will be dereferenced later at the place when the bad exe bombs (ie. @rsi does not change). The stack is very interesting because it shows an extra frame:

0:000> k3
Child-SP          RetAddr           Call Site
00000000`002de990 000007fe`e5eddf68 mscorlib_ni!System.RuntimeType.GetConstructorImpl(System.Reflection.BindingFlags, System.Reflection.Binder, System.Reflection.CallingConventions, System.Type[], System.Reflection.ParameterModifier[])+0x18
00000000`002de9f0 000007fe`8d460119 mscorlib_ni!System.Type.get_TypeInitializer()+0x48
00000000`002dea30 000007fe`ecb6e073 good!Test.Main()+0x49*** WARNING: Unable to verify checksum for good.exe

0:000> ln 000007fe`e5eddf68
(000007fe`e5eddf20)   mscorlib_ni!System.Type.get_TypeInitializer()+0x48
0:000> uf 000007fe`e5eddf20
mscorlib_ni!System.Type.get_TypeInitializer():
000007fe`e5eddf20 53              push    rbx
000007fe`e5eddf21 4883ec30        sub     rsp,30h
000007fe`e5eddf25 488bd9          mov     rbx,rcx
000007fe`e5eddf28 ba22010000      mov     edx,122h
000007fe`e5eddf2d b901000000      mov     ecx,1
000007fe`e5eddf32 e8d1a075ff      call    CORINFO_HELP_GETSHARED_GCSTATIC_BASE (000007fe`e5638008)
000007fe`e5eddf37 488b88f0010000  mov     rcx,qword ptr [rax+1F0h]
000007fe`e5eddf3e 488b03          mov     rax,qword ptr [rbx]
000007fe`e5eddf41 4c8b5068        mov     r10,qword ptr [rax+68h]
000007fe`e5eddf45 48c744242800000000 mov   qword ptr [rsp+28h],0
000007fe`e5eddf4e 48894c2420      mov     qword ptr [rsp+20h],rcx
000007fe`e5eddf53 41b903000000    mov     r9d,3
000007fe`e5eddf59 4533c0          xor     r8d,r8d
000007fe`e5eddf5c ba38000000      mov     edx,38h
000007fe`e5eddf61 488bcb          mov     rcx,rbx
000007fe`e5eddf64 41ff5228        call    qword ptr [r10+28h]
000007fe`e5eddf68 90              nop
000007fe`e5eddf69 4883c430        add     rsp,30h
000007fe`e5eddf6d 5b              pop     rbx
000007fe`e5eddf6e c3              ret
0:000> ln 000007fe`8d460119

The call is the same call qword ptr [r10+28h] that we've seen before, so in the bad case this function was probably inlined in the Main(), so the fact that there is an extra frame is a red herring. If we look at the preparation of this call qword ptr [r10+28h] we notice this instruction: mov qword ptr [rsp+20h],rcx. This is what loads the address which gets eventually dereferenced as @rsi. In the good case, this is how @rcx is loaded:

000007fe`e5eddf32 e8d1a075ff      call    CORINFO_HELP_GETSHARED_GCSTATIC_BASE (000007fe`e5638008)
000007fe`e5eddf37 488b88f0010000  mov     rcx,qword ptr [rax+1F0h]

In the bad case it looks very different:

000007fe`8d4600d9 48b92012721200000000 mov rcx,12721220h
000007fe`8d4600e3 488b09          mov     rcx,qword ptr [rcx]

This is very different. Unlike the good case that calls CORINFO_HELP_GETSHARED_GCSTATIC_BASE and reads what ends up as the critical pointer that causes the AV from some member at offset 1F0 in a return structure, the optimized code loads it from a static address. And of course 12721220h contains NULL:

0:000> dp 12721220h L8
00000000`12721220  00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000
00000000`12721230  00000000`00000000 00000000`02722198
00000000`12721240  00000000`027221c8 00000000`027221f8
00000000`12721250  00000000`02722228 00000000`02722258

Unfortunately is too late for me to dig deeper right now, the dissasembly of CORINFO_HELP_GETSHARED_GCSTATIC_BASE is far from trivial. I'm posting this in hope someone more knowledgeable in CLR internals can make sense (as you can see, I really considered the issue just from the native instructions POV and completely ignored IL).

Best Answer

Related Solutions

.net – Resolving MSB3247 – Found conflicts between different versions of the same dependent assembly

.net – Why would finding a type’s initializer throw a NullReferenceException

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