How to add FreeImage.dll to C# project

Question

I have successfully added other .dll files to other C# project this way:

Right click Reference > Add Reference > Browse > Double click the .dll file

but Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 issues the following complaint:

A reference to ...\dll\FreeImage.dll could not be added. Please make sure that the file is accessible, and that it is a valid assembly or COM component.

I am using .NET Framework 3.5. I believe this is a 32bit dll (it downloaded with FreeImage3151Win32) so I changed the configuration of the project to x86.

What is the correct method to add FreeImage.dll to a C# project?

Is FreeImage.dll a .Net dll? Can you open it with ildasm, reflector or ilspy? — rene, Dec 27 '11 at 19:19
I guess (since this library also works on Linux) that the DLL exposes a C API. If so, you need to use Interop to declare all the DLL exports, much as you would for the Win32 API. Or find someone who's done it already. — arx, Dec 27 '11 at 19:22

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 27 '11 at 19:20

9

Use the wrapper provided in the download. There are C# samples in the \Wrapper\FreeImage.NET\cs\Samples directory.

answered Dec 27 '11 at 19:20

keyboardP

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No, it is no longer in that directory. – Yván Ecarri Sep 23 '12 at 12:11
I just tried downloading what seems to be the latest binary (3.15.3) and it's still in that directory for me. Where is it for you? – keyboardP Sep 23 '12 at 14:04
FreeImage3153.zip so I guess it's the same version :-/ – Yván Ecarri Sep 23 '12 at 14:24
Ah, my one is FreeImage3152Win32.zip (binary, not source code). – keyboardP Sep 23 '12 at 14:29
Actually, in the current release (3.15.4), have to build the project in FreeImage\Wrapper\FreeImage.NET\cs to produce the DLL for C#. Then you find it in FreeImage\Wrapper\FreeImage.NET\cs\Library\bin\Release or Debug. – werner Dec 07 '12 at 13:17

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 27 '11 at 19:22

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The FreeImage.dll isn't a .Net dll. You need to write a wrapper in .Net which call the methods of the unmaged code. There is an example here but they also supply a .net wrapper in the binary distribution here

answered Dec 27 '11 at 19:22

kev

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score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 12 '13 at 09:05

0

In the current release (3.15.4), have to build the project in FreeImage\Wrapper\FreeImage.NET\cs to produce the DLL for C#. Then you find it in FreeImage\Wrapper\FreeImage.NET\cs\Library\bin\Release or Debug.

answered Feb 12 '13 at 09:05

werner

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score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 27 '11 at 19:18

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I've seen this before with files downloaded from the Internet that are "blocked" by the file system. Try going into the file's properties and clicking the "Unblock" button.

answered Dec 27 '11 at 19:18

Jacob

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that's not the problem in this case – kev Dec 27 '11 at 19:22

score -3 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 18 '12 at 13:12

-3

Save the file into the Bin folder and click Project > Add Reference > Browse > Double click the .dll file

C# sharp helps link

answered Apr 18 '12 at 13:12

Bamara Coulibaly

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How to add FreeImage.dll to C# project

5 Answers5

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