Strong-Named Assemblies

PowerBuilder can generate strong-named assemblies from all .NET Project painters.

A strong name consists of an assembly's identity -- its simple text name, version number, and culture information (when provided) -- plus a public key and digital signature. It is generated from an assembly file using the corresponding private key. The assembly file contains the assembly manifest that includes the names and hashes of all the files that make up the assembly.

Project painter Sign tab

PowerBuilder includes a Sign tab in the Project painters for all .NET component projects. The Assembly group box on the Sign tab allows you to attach strong name key files to the assemblies that the.NET projects generate. The Assembly group box contains the following fields:

Assembly group box field

Description

Sign the assembly

Select this check box to enable the "Choose a strong name key file" single line edit box, the browse and New buttons, and the "Delay sign only" check box.

Choose a strong name key file

Name of the key file you want to attach to the generated assembly. This field is associated with a browse (ellipsis) button and a New button. The browse button opens a Select File dialog box where you can select a key file with the .snk extension. The New button lets you create a key file with the .snk extension. PowerBuilder uses the Sn.exe tool from the .NET Framework to create the key file.

Delay sign only

Select this check box if your company's security considerations require the step of signing the assembly to be separate from the development process. When this check box is selected, the project will not run and cannot be debugged. However, you can use the strong name tool Sn.exe (in the .NET Framework) with the -Vr option to skip verification during development.

Mark the assembly with AllowPartiallyTrustedCallerAttribute (.NET Web Service and .NET Assembly projects only)

By default, a strong-named assembly does not allow its use by partially trusted code and can be called only by other assemblies that are granted full trust. However, you can select this check box to allow a strong-named assembly to be called by partially trusted code.


Error messages

If you select a strong name key file in either the Assembly or Intelligent Updater group boxes, and the key file is invalid, PowerBuilder displays a message box telling you that the key file is invalid. If the key file you select is password protected, PowerBuilder prompts you to enter the password for the key file. If you enter an incorrect password, a message box informs you that the password you entered is invalid.