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-vbruntime

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Specifies that the compiler should compile without a reference to the Visual Basic Runtime Library, or with a reference to a specific runtime library.

Syntax

-vbruntime:{ - | + | * | path }

Arguments

-
Compile without a reference to the Visual Basic Runtime Library.

+
Compile with a reference to the default Visual Basic Runtime Library.

*
Compile without a reference to the Visual Basic Runtime Library, and embed core functionality from the Visual Basic Runtime Library into the assembly.

path
Compile with a reference to the specified library (DLL).

Remarks

The -vbruntime compiler option enables you to specify that the compiler should compile without a reference to the Visual Basic Runtime Library. If you compile without a reference to the Visual Basic Runtime Library, errors or warnings are logged on code or language constructs that generate a call to a Visual Basic runtime helper. (A Visual Basic runtime helper is a function defined in Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll that is called at run time to execute a specific language semantic.)

The -vbruntime+ option produces the same behavior that occurs if no -vbruntime switch is specified. You can use the -vbruntime+ option to override previous -vbruntime switches.

Most objects of the My type are unavailable when you use the -vbruntime- or -vbruntime:path options.

Embedding Visual Basic Runtime core functionality

The -vbruntime* option enables you to compile without a reference to a runtime library. Instead, core functionality from the Visual Basic Runtime Library is embedded in the user assembly. You can use this option if your application runs on platforms that do not contain the Visual Basic runtime.

The following runtime members are embedded:

If you compile using the -vbruntime* option and your code references a member from the Visual Basic Runtime Library that is not embedded with the core functionality, the compiler returns an error that indicates that the member is not available.

Referencing a specified library

You can use the path argument to compile with a reference to a custom runtime library instead of the default Visual Basic Runtime Library.

If the value for the path argument is a fully qualified path to a DLL, the compiler will use that file as the runtime library. If the value for the path argument is not a fully qualified path to a DLL, the Visual Basic compiler will search for the identified DLL in the current folder first. It will then search in the path that you have specified by using the -sdkpath compiler option. If the -sdkpath compiler option is not used, the compiler will search for the identified DLL in the .NET Framework folder (%systemroot%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\versionNumber).

Example

The following example shows how to use the -vbruntime option to compile with a reference to a custom library.

vbc -vbruntime:C:\VBLibraries\CustomVBLibrary.dll

See also