SatelliteContractVersionAttribute Class
Instructs the ResourceManager to ask for a particular version of a satellite assembly to simplify updates of the main assembly of an application.
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
The SatelliteContractVersionAttribute type exposes the following members.
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() ![]() | SatelliteContractVersionAttribute | Initializes a new instance of the SatelliteContractVersionAttribute class. |
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() ![]() | Equals | Infrastructure. Returns a value that indicates whether this instance is equal to a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() | Finalize | Allows an object to try to free resources and perform other cleanup operations before it is reclaimed by garbage collection. (Inherited from Object.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() | GetHashCode | Returns the hash code for this instance. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() | GetType | Gets the Type of the current instance. (Inherited from Object.) |
![]() | IsDefaultAttribute | When overridden in a derived class, indicates whether the value of this instance is the default value for the derived class. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() | Match | When overridden in a derived class, returns a value that indicates whether this instance equals a specified object. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() | MemberwiseClone | Creates a shallow copy of the current Object. (Inherited from Object.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() | ToString | Returns a string that represents the current object. (Inherited from Object.) |
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
![]() ![]() | _Attribute::GetIDsOfNames | Maps a set of names to a corresponding set of dispatch identifiers. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() | _Attribute::GetTypeInfo | Retrieves the type information for an object, which can be used to get the type information for an interface. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() | _Attribute::GetTypeInfoCount | Retrieves the number of type information interfaces that an object provides (either 0 or 1). (Inherited from Attribute.) |
![]() ![]() | _Attribute::Invoke | Provides access to properties and methods exposed by an object. (Inherited from Attribute.) |
The SatelliteContractVersionAttribute establishes a contract between a main assembly and all its satellites. When the ResourceManager looks up resources, it explicitly loads the satellite version specified by this attribute on the main assembly, allowing a layer of indirection to facilitate versioning scenarios.
When the main assembly is updated, its assembly version number is incremented. However, you might not want to ship new copies of your satellite assemblies if the existing ones are sufficient and compatible with the newer version of your product. In this case, increment the main assembly's version number but leave the satellite contract version number the same. The ResourceManager will use your existing satellite assemblies.
If you need to revise a satellite assembly but not the main assembly, you must increment the version number on your satellite. In this case, ship a policy assembly along with your satellite assembly stating that your new satellite assembly has backward compatibility with your old satellite assembly. The ResourceManager will still use the old contract number written into your main assembly; however, the loader will bind to the satellite assembly version as specified by the policy assembly.
A publisher policy assembly is the way in which a vendor of a shared component makes a compatibility statement about a particular version of a released assembly. A publisher policy assembly is a strongly named assembly with a name in the format policy.<major>.<minor>.<ComponentAssemblyName>, and is registered in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). The publisher policy is generated from an XML configuration file (see <bindingRedirect> Element) by using the Al.exe (Assembly Linker) tool. The assembly linker is used with the /link option to link the XML configuration file to a manifest assembly, that is then stored in the GAC. The publisher policy assemblies can be used when a vendor ships a maintenance release (Service Pack) that contains bug fixes.
Note |
|---|
Apply this attribute to your main assembly, passing it the version number of the satellite assembly that will work with this version of the main assembly. |
Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2
The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

