Hi folks, Briefly: I've just gotten mitab.dll to build using VS2010's command-line tools (it won't build in the IDE), but I'm stuck with the same "reference could not be added" error.
First off, I tried downloading the precompiled win32 binaries (MITAB-1.7.0-WIN32.ZIP) from mitab.maptools.org, but when I attempted to add a reference the mitab.dll to my "C# Library" project (I intend to wrap the DLL, leaving my main project in "safe mode") I get an error message box saying: A reference to "D:\DevEnvironments\QIF2MapInfo\MapInfoWrapper\lib\mitab-1.7.0-win32\mit\ ab.dll" could not be added. Please make sure that file is accessible, and that is a valid assembly or COM component. Google found this thread: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mitab/message/1414 <http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mitab/message/1414> (from September 2011) which indicates that mitab builds OK with 2010 command-line tools, so I downloaded the source (mitab-1.7.0.zip) and followed the build-instructions in README_VCPROJ.TXT and the formentioned thread. ASIDE: Interestingly my Visual Studio installation didn't have a shortcut for a "Visual Studio x86 Command Prompt (2010)", so I made one by copying the existing "Visual Studio Itanium Cross Tools Command Prompt (2010)" shortcut and changing its target to "%comspec% /k ""D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat"" x86"... so now when I start it I get the message "Setting environment for using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 x86 tools.", as desired for building mitab (I guess). Once I got the build environment setup, mitab.dll (and everything else) built ok, but when I try to add a reference to my newly-built DLL from a C# project (either a C# Library or C# Console project) I get the same "reference could not be added." error (as above). My Environment: I'm developing in C-sharp using Visual Studio 2010 and .NET 4.0 on XP-SP3 (32 bit), with MapInfo 10.5 (MIF Spec 1.5)... but I've got access to VS2008 and VS2005 installers if required. Unfortunately my existing Translator code-base IS .NET 4.0 dependent, but suppose I could construct my MapInfoTabWriter.dll using an earlier version of Visual Studio, and just reference that DLL from the existing .NET4 Translator project; but I prefer to keep everything "together", if possible. Background: I'd like to use MiTab to write MapInfo tables directly from a translation tool (called QIF2MapInfo) instead of writing MID/MIF files and then importing them via a MapInfo.Application object. My expectation is that writing directly to TAB-files will be a lot faster, and cleaner. I really don't care how I get mitab working, so long as I get it working. Note that the Translator "product" already works, writing TABs directory is a nicety (my own initiative, mainly performance motivated, while I wait for UAT) so nobody will cry if this ends-up in the too-hard basket. Please does anyone know why Visual studio would say "reference to mitab.dll could not be added."? This error message is so damn generic that it really doesn't give me anything to go on in the way of problem-solving research. I guess that even a few keywords for what VS2010 requires in a referenced-dll might help get me over the hump. Thanks in advance for your time. It is appreciated. Cheers. Keith.
