Side-by-Side Manifest Maker

 

2008 Server R2 side-by-side knowledge base article is available

Knowledge base article discussing the problem with IIS 7.5 (2008 Server R2) is available on the Microsoft support site:
Calls to CreateActCtx fail when the calls try to set a process-wide manifest inside an IIS 7.5 application
The actual hotfix, which exists since December, has not been made public yet. Watch this space.

Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 break side-by-side in IIS

Both Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 7 include a new version of w3wp.exe - the IIS application pool host process - which has an embedded manifest. The embedded manifest is loaded as the process default manifest and the recommended web application isolation method no longer works. Microsoft is working on a hotfix which will probably be available before the end of the year. We will post new information as it becomes available.

Version 3.4

  • Manifest Maker is now using a new, simplified, licensing model. Read pricing structure here.
  • Manifest Maker can now generate assembly references using generic 'processorArchitecture'. Check online help for more information.
  • Added corresponding options to the Manifest Maker command line build tool. Check online help for more information.

Version 3.3.545

  • Manifest Maker can now compress shared assemblies into MSI files. Check online help for more information.
  • Added new options to the Manifest Maker command line build tool. Check online help for more information.
  • Resource manifest viewer can now reformat the manifest XML to make it more readable.
  • Shared assembly names can now use non-ANSI characters.

Version 3.3

  • Added new build options to Manifest Maker. Check online help for more information.
  • Added new options to the Manifest Maker command line build tool. Check online help for more information.
  • Changed Visual Studio Integration start menu icons. Added new icons for adding and removing Manifest Maker path to/from Visual Studio VC++ project properties. Check online help for more information.
Known issues:
Signing shared side-by-side assemblies fails if the assembly file path (folder or file name) contains non-ASCII characters. We are working on a fix.

Windows Server 2003 SP1 side-by-side performance problem: hotfix is now available

The slow side-by-side response on 2003 Server sp1 has now been addressed by Microsoft. Details are at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953876.

Version 3.1

  • Manifest Maker did not work on some non-English versions of Windows Vista - fixed.
  • Manifest Maker now searches for tools in the path and only if a tool is not found, in other locations.
  • A memory leak on Windows Vista is fixed.

New information on isolating ASP .Net 2.0 web applications

ASP .Net 1.1 included support for using Windows win32 side-by-side (registration-free COM) to access COM objects without having to register them on the server. ASP .Net 2.0 dropped that support. Updated examples are now included with the latest Manifest Maker download. Read the online help on how to isolate ASP .Net 2.0 applications.

Version 3.0


Vista-compatible Side-by-Side Manifest Maker 3.0 is available for download. What is new:
  • Changed UI. The main window is now a resizable splitter. As previously the main project is in the top list and the build dependencies are in the bottom list.
  • Manifest Maker now recognizes embedded resource manifests. During build DLLs with embedded manifests are treated as assemblies. No manifests are built for them but, instead, the embedded manifests are referenced.
  • New utility for viewing embedded manifests.
  • Refined rules for using files in various build types.
  • Version 3.0 uses the same license files as version 2.
  • Vista users: due to the implementation of side-by-side features in Windows Vista, Manifest Maker must run "as administrator". The embedded manifest contains appropriate information so you will be asked to allow administrative access upon program startup.
  • Vista users: Manifest Maker integrated into Visual Studio also needs administrative access. If you run Visual Studio as limited user you will be prompted each time Manifest Maker runs during your build. We suggest you run Visual Studio "as administrator" to avoid this prompt.
  • Vista users: Auto-fix will not work in Windows Vista unless you install hotfix KB935200.

Vista hotfix for RegisterTypeLib() API is available

Side-by-side with ASP .Net 1.1 on 2003 Server SP2 is now fixed

  • In ASP .Net 1.1 you can take advantage of win32 side-by-side by simply dropping a "web.manifest" file in the application directory (see details).
  • This was broken in 2003 Server service pack 2. A hotfix is now available:
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939044

Service Pack 2 for Windows 2003 Server and Side-by-Side in ASP .Net 1.1

  • In ASP .Net 1.1 you could take advantage of win32 side-by-side by simply dropping a "web.manifest" file in the application directory (see details).
  • Apparently as of Windows 2003 Service Pack 2 this is no longer the case. It appears that this functionality has been removed. Stay tuned for further developments. In the meantime you may need to use the HTTP module approach or simply add explicit activation context management to your application.

Click here for more history...

Note

Support for all builds of version 2 of Manifest Maker will be phased phased out as of April 30, 2010. Please upgrade to version 3. The upgrade is free. Use the same license file.

 

Manifest Maker Links

Click here for the introduction to side-by-side technology.

Manifest Maker help is available online.

How to build manifests with Visual Studio 2005/2008.

Planning corporate deployment using side-by-side? Read this quick guide.

Isolating web applications? ASP .Net 1.x? ASP .Net 2.0?
Read more...

Generate manifest reports.
Read more...

Buy your license online. Check Manifest Maker pricing.
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Request your free evaluation license online.

Download the latest version.


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