Print Version Number in ASP.NET MVC 4 app

Question

I have an ASP.NET MVC 4 application. Currently, I am setting the version of the application in the project properties under the "Application" tab. From here, I click the "Assembly Information..." button. Once there, I have entered "1 0 0 *" in the "Assembly version" field.

My question is, how do I show this value on my web page? Currently, I am trying the following

@System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version.ToString()

Unfortunately, it's always printing "0.0.0.0". Realistically, I'd like to have it print 1.0.0.xyz. I would also like to print the date/time when the last build occurred. However, I have no idea how to do that.

What am I doing wrong?

You should have a look at [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/a/1168413/1374267) to see if it solves your problem... — Yannick Blondeau, Oct 02 '12 at 16:25

score 127 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 02 '12 at 16:26

127

To print the version number of the assembly in which was defined the controller that rendered this view:

@ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.GetName().Version

and for the assembly date:

@File.GetCreationTime(ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.Location)

answered Oct 02 '12 at 16:26

Darin Dimitrov

1,023,142
271
3,287
2,928

2

The assembly date is not working for me. The assembly location is pointing to a file in the GAC which is 3 years old. Would `File.GetLastWriteTime` work better? – Jess Nov 17 '14 at 15:36
How to put it in the code. I mean shall I simply paste it in the cshtml file?`
@ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.GetName().Version
` – Unbreakable Jan 16 '17 at 20:05
1

See my comment below to get correct datetime of modification. – lukyer Apr 07 '17 at 10:56

score 24 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 02 '12 at 19:54

I usually make HtmlHelper extension for this purpose. Something like this:

public static class HtmlHelperExtensions
{
    public static IHtmlString AssemblyVersion(this HtmlHelper helper)
    {
        var version = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version.ToString();
        return MvcHtmlString.Create(version);
    }
}

And than inside view you just call:

@Html.AssemblyVersion()

score 22 · Answer 3 · answered May 07 '14 at 07:44

In case you are publishing your application on a production server, I would recommend using something like

@String.Format(
    "{0:dddd, MMMM d, yyyy HH:mm:ss}", 
    File.GetLastWriteTime(ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.Location))

for retrieving the date.

This will print the actual publish date since File.GetCreationTime() will give you the date the actual assembly dll was first copied on the server.

lukyer · Answer 4 · 2017-05-03T14:30:07.527

5

Working solution for correct date of modification after deploy:

@File.GetLastWriteTime(@System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location)

Can be used in MVC5 too.

edited May 03 '17 at 14:30

answered Apr 07 '17 at 10:57

lukyer

7,595
3
37
31

chridam · Answer 5 · 2016-08-19T17:08:27.720

4

This prints the current version number as outlined in your AssemblyInfo.cs file for printing in an ASP.NET MVC view:

@(typeof(MyController).Assembly.GetName().Version.ToString())

Replacing MyController of course with your appropriate MVC controller name.

edited Aug 19 '16 at 17:08

answered Oct 02 '12 at 16:27

chridam

100,957
23
236
235

score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 19 '19 at 18:58

If you need this in a Razor view, this works for me. It needed the System.IO.* prefix to work for me

<!--
Version @System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(typeof(YourNamespace.Program).Assembly.Location).ProductVersion
Last deployed on @System.IO.File.GetCreationTime(typeof(YourNamespace.Program).Assembly.Location)
-->

Outputs the following:

<!--
Version 1.0.0
Last deployed on 04/19/2019 1:36:24 PM
-->

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Oct 02 '12 at 16:25

Your assembly version may be set using the AssemblyFileVersionAttribute, which must be accessed specifically.

AssemblyFileVersionAttribute attr = typeof(MyController).Assembly.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(AssemblyFileVersionAttribute), true).OfType<AssemblyFileVersionAttribute>().FirstOrDefault();

if (attr != null)
{
    return attr.Version;
}

The MvcDiagnostics Nuget package makes this simple.

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 04 '22 at 17:38

For an ASP.NET Master Page display w/ VB.NET ...

Declaration in Master.aspx.vb

Public myAssembly As System.Reflection.Assemply

Define assembly in the Page_Load Sub of Master.aspx.vb

myAssembly = System.Relection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly

Display on the .Master page

<p>Version: <%Response.Write(myAssembly.GetName().Version.ToString())%></p>

Print Version Number in ASP.NET MVC 4 app

8 Answers8

Linked