Overview

The PostSharp search path is the set of directories into which plug-in files (.psplugin) and assemblies are looked for.

Note. The PostSharp search path is not related to the system path or the assembly private paths. None of these paths are used by PostSharp.

Default search path

By default, the search path contains the following directories:

• The directory containing the source module (i.e. the assembly being analyzed or transformed).
• The directory containing the project file.
• The PlugIns subdirectory of the PostSharp directory (e.g. C:\Program files\postsharp.org\PostSharp\PlugIns). This directory is called the system-level plug-in directory. The complete location of this directory is stored in the PlugInDirectory property.
• The PostSharp 1.0 subdirectory of the user Application Data directory (e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\userName\Application Data\PostSharp 1.0). This directory is called the user-level plug-in directory. The complete location of this directory is stored in the UserPlugInDirectory property.

When PostSharp is integrated in the MSBuild process and the default project is used, the following directories are also included in the path:

• The output directories of the project being built (e.g. bin\debug), where the dependencies have been copied earlier during the build process.
• All directories specified in the Reference Paths tab of the project properties in Visual Studio.

Extending the search path

Users will typically add a directory to the Reference Path list present in the Project Properties dialog box.

Plug-in developers will add directoriesto the path using the SearchPath element either in application configuration file, plug-in configuration file or project file.

 

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