How does VS/NuGet decide to create csproj references and what do the differences mean?

Question

When I install a NuGet package, it typically updates my proj file with a new reference like so:

<Reference Include="Newtonsoft.Json, Version=4.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=30ad4fe6b2a6aeed, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
  <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
  <HintPath>..\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\net40\Newtonsoft.Json.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>

There are two parts of this each of which sometimes are not added:

, Version=4.5.0.0...

and

 <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion> <!-- sometimes this is present but set to true -->

What implications do each of these settings have and how does NuGet choose which combination to specify when installing/updating a package?

It might help if you explained what the alternate way it's added is. — Erik Funkenbusch, May 19 '14 at 15:42
@ErikFunkenbusch: sometimes the Version=... section is not added, sometimes specific version is true, and sometimes specific version is missing. — ChaseMedallion, May 19 '14 at 16:37
Do you have examples of nuget packages that get declared differently when you add them? Guessing it has to do with how the package is created/structured. — Christian Hagelid, Apr 01 '15 at 22:19
Check out the AddReference() method of https://nuget.codeplex.com/SourceControl/latest#src/VisualStudio/ProjectSystems/VsProjectSystem.cs — Christian Hagelid, Apr 01 '15 at 22:34

score -2 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 15 '14 at 20:16

-2

Don't worry about this. The only time I ever venture into the csproj is to set build views to true when I have been doing some ropey code. If you are having no issues it's fine. The specific version and version numbers are a remnant from dark times of dll hell in .net where we had multiple versions of Dll's in the GAC. The only time I notice them is when I reference some COM visible assembly.

answered Jun 15 '14 at 20:16

Adrian Booth

154
1
6

Thanks for the advice, but this is not really an answer. I'd love to understand the ins an outs of this. I have to believe that there's some reason why NuGet behaves the way it does. – ChaseMedallion Jun 15 '14 at 22:08

How does VS/NuGet decide to create csproj references and what do the differences mean?

1 Answers1

Linked