How to access a .dll (VB .Net 2005 Express Edition)

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I am trying to access the library ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.dll from within my VB .NET environment. The authors have sent me the file along with the following instructions.

Quote: You need to add a reference to the dll to your project and setup a reference to the assembly in your source code. Unfortunately I am not VB literate so cant really tell you how to do this in a way that fits your environment. In c#/visual studio you open up the project and can right click on the references browse to the dll and add it to do the reference part. In the source code you would add a statement at the top using ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib; and you can then use it. Unquote.

Can someone please translate this into instructions that can be understood by a longtime programmer but coming from VB 1 (late

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It’s the same in VB, except that you use the keyword “Imports” instead of “using”.

Here’s an article on how to add a reference. You’ll want to look at the section called “To add an assembly DLL to your Web site project”

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Thank you Mark. Your remarks were enough to get me going. Now I just have to find some documentation on how to use the .dll .

John

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You should be able to look in the object browser in the development environment, find the name of the dll (without the extension), and expand a list of its methods and properties. Intellisense should also be available in code if you have added the Imports call above the start of your class.

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Thank you Charlotte,
The Object Browser is a new concept for me. (For that matter, as is everything to do with VB after 1990.) Can you recommend any resource (a book?) that can explain the object browser to one that is rather overwhelmed by the vastness of the VB 2005 Express Edition Help System?

Thank you again, John

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To get your feet wet in all the new objects and features without spending a fortune, try the Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition for Dummies. It should help you navigate the maze of differences and you can go on from there.

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Thank you,

John

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