.NET Framework apps¶

This guide covers packaging .NET Framework apps, i.e. classic .exe binaries that run on the .NET Framework on Windows and on Mono on POSIX. For modern .NET (.NET Core, .NET 5+) see .NET apps.

Choosing the right runner¶

There are two interchangeable runtime feeds:

https://apps.0install.net/dotnet/clr.xml: A "virtual" feed which selects the .NET Framework on Windows and Mono on POSIX. Pick this when your app does not load .NET DLLs published as separate Zero Install feeds.
https://apps.0install.net/dotnet/clr-monopath.xml: Same as clr.xml, but adds a small shim on Windows so that the MONO_PATH environment variable is honored. Pick this when you want to inject library DLLs from other Zero Install feeds.

Both feeds use .NET Framework profile numbers (e.g. 2.0, 3.5, 4.5, 4.6.2) as their version, so you constrain the runtime via <version not-before="..."/>.

Tip

clr.xml and clr-monopath.xml both treat the runtime as a runner, so 0install will choose a compatible .NET Framework / Mono version. You don't need to detect the framework yourself.

A self-contained .exe¶

For a .exe that bundles all its dependencies (or only relies on the BCL), use clr.xml as the runner:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<interface xmlns="http://zero-install.sourceforge.net/2004/injector/interface">
  <name>MyApp</name>
  <summary>does something useful</summary>
  <homepage>https://example.com/myapp</homepage>
  <icon href="https://example.com/myapp.png" type="image/png"/>
  <icon href="https://example.com/myapp.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon"/>

  <feed-for interface="https://example.com/myapp.xml"/>

  <group license="MIT">
    <command name="run" path="MyApp.exe">
      <runner interface="https://apps.0install.net/dotnet/clr.xml">
        <version not-before="4.5"/>
      </runner>
    </command>

    <implementation version="{version}" released="{released}" stability="stable">
      <manifest-digest/>
      <archive href="https://example.com/downloads/myapp-{version}.zip"/>
    </implementation>
  </group>
</interface>

When 0install runs this on Windows it locates the .NET Framework (or installs it if missing) and launches MyApp.exe. On Linux/macOS it does the same with Mono.

Tip

Prefer self-contained ZIP releases over installers; .NET Framework installers (.msi) can be used via the application/x-msi archive type but require the app to behave with arbitrary install locations.

Apps with library dependencies¶

If your app loads DLLs published as separate feeds, switch the runner to clr-monopath.xml and add a <requires> for each library that binds it into MONO_PATH:

<command name="run" path="MyApp.exe">
  <runner interface="https://apps.0install.net/dotnet/clr-monopath.xml">
    <version not-before="4.5"/>
  </runner>
</command>

<requires interface="https://example.com/somelibrary.xml">
  <environment name="MONO_PATH" insert="." mode="append"/>
</requires>

Note

MONO_PATH is named after Mono but clr-monopath.xml makes Windows honor it too. .NET DLLs are not loaded via PATH.

The library feed itself is just a feed without a <command>:

<interface xmlns="http://zero-install.sourceforge.net/2004/injector/interface">
  <name>SomeLibrary</name>
  <summary>helpers for doing X</summary>

  <implementation version="1.0">
    <manifest-digest/>
    <archive href="https://example.com/downloads/somelibrary-1.0.zip"/>
  </implementation>
</interface>