Dynamically Loading .NET Assembly (32-bit or 64-bit)

Found a nice technique for dynamically loading a native .NET assembly and automatically choosing the appropriate one to match the loading process’s address space (32-bit or 64-bit). The source is located here: http://www.chilkatforum.com/questions/2966/why-separate-32-and-64-bit-chilkat-libraries-for-net and reproduced here:

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I prefer another solution to this problem. It allows you to have a mix of 32 and 64 bit apps in the same directory.

I install both 32 and 64 bit assemblies into the same directory by renaming them.

	ChilkatDotNet4-32.dll
	ChilkatDotNet4-64.dll

In the project references you just refer to the one you want for that particular project.

Then I get them to load using the AssemblyResolve event which fires when a dll can’t be found.

In Program.Main() add this

	AppDomain.CurrentDomain.AssemblyResolve += CurrentDomain_AssemblyResolve;

Then add this code somewhere

	private const string ChilkatRootFileName = "ChilkatDotNet4";

	static Assembly CurrentDomain_AssemblyResolve(object sender, ResolveEventArgs args)
	{
		if (args.Name.StartsWith(ChilkatRootFileName, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
		{
			string path = string.Empty;
			string current_folder = string.Empty;
			try
			{
				current_folder = Path.GetDirectoryName(new Uri(
					Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().CodeBase).LocalPath);
				path = Path.Combine(current_folder, ChilkatRootFileName + 
					string.Format("-{0}.dll", IntPtr.Size == 4 ? "32" : "64"));
				Assembly assembly = Assembly.LoadFrom(path);
				return assembly;
			}
			catch (Exception ex)
			{
				Console.Error.WriteLine(ex.Message);
				throw;
			}
		}
		return null;
	}