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Question:

Could not load file or assembly 'ChilkatDotNet*.dll' or one of its dependencies. The specified module could not be found.

Dec 03 '15 at 06:54

What are the causes of this error message when trying to run an application with the Chilkat assembly referenced?

Answer

The Chilkat .NET assembly requires the VC++ runtime to be installed on any computer where your application runs. Most computers will already have it installed. Your development computer will have it because Visual Studio has been installed. However, if deploying to a computer where the VC++ runtime is not available, the following error will occur:

    Could not load file or assembly 'ChilkatDotNet45.dll' or one of its dependencies. The specified module could not be found.

Important If using the 32-bit Chilkat assembly, you'll need the 32-bit VC++ runtime. Likewise, if using the 64-bit assembly you'll need the 64-bit VC++ runtime. Both 32 and 64-bit VC++ runtimes may be installed if both are needed.

Important The VC++ version runtime required depends on the version of the .NET Framework being used:

For the .NET 4.5.* Frameworks, Chilkat provides two download options. One is compiled with Visual Studio 2012, and therefore needs the VC++ 2012 runtime redistributable. The other is compiled with Visual Studio 2013, and therefore needs the VC++ 2013 runtime redistributable.
For the .NET 4.0 Framework, Chilkat is compiled with Visual Studio 2010, and therefore needs the VC++ 2010 runtime redistributable.
For the .NET 2.0/3.5 Frameworks, Chilkat is compiled with Visual Studio 2005, and therefore needs the VC++ 2005 runtime redistributable.

Important There is another possible reason for this error. When ZIP and DLL files are downloaded, the file has an alternate data stream assigned which is based on the internet zone from which it was downloaded.

Please refer to http://blogs.technet.com/b/askcore/archive/2013/03/24/alternate-data-streams-in-ntfs.aspx. The right-click the Chilkat DLL to examine the properties. There is an unblock option as per the following screenshot. A release build can’t be built until the unblock is pressed for the DLL.

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