.Net Framework Tools Part 1

Assemly Linker (Al.exe)

In .Net, basic (versionable) entity is an assembly. This is nothing but a collection of classes presented as DLLs or EXE file. When it is DLLs you can call it as components and when it is EXEs you can call it application. But in both the cases it is stored in disk as portable executables (PE) and loaded on demand. Further more, assemblies can be private assemblies used by a single program or global assemblies that are shared by many programs. You can use AL.exe to create a multi module assembly. The Assembly Linker generates a file with an assembly manifest from one or more files that are either modules or resource files. A module is a Microsoft intermediate language (MSIL) file that does not have an assembly manifest.

Example> al /t:library /out:bin\Linked.dll bin\One.dll bin\Two.dll

For more information on Al.exe goto: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfAssemblyGenerationUtilityAlexe.asp

Asp Net IIS Registeration Tool (Aspnet_regiis.exe)

The ASP.NET IIS Registration tool allows you to update the script maps for an ASP.NET application to point to the ASP.NET ISAPI version associated with the tool. If your machine has multiple versions of .Net Framework installed, run it from the sub-directory of the version you want to install. This tool should be used when you install your OS (like Windows XP) and IIS first and then you install your .Net Framework. Also use this tool to Install the client-side
scripts for ASP.NET, such as client-side validation scripts, to the aspnet_client subdirectory of each IIS site directory.

To install ( for the current version)

C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322> aspnet_regiis -i

To copy/install client side scripts

C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322> aspnet_regiis -c

For more information on this tool goto: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfASPNETIISRegistrationToolAspnet_regiisexe.asp

Code Access Security Policy Tool (Caspol.exe)

The Code Access Security Policy tool(Caspol) helps your to modify security policy for the machine policy level, the user policy level, and the enterprise policy level. Usage varies on what you want to do,

For more information goto: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfCodeAccessSecurityPolicyUtilityCaspolexe.asp
Here is a link to a
good article by David Myers on configuring code security (http://www.15seconds.com/issue/040121.htm)

Cetificate Manager (CertManager.exe)

The Certificate Manager tool manages certificates, certificate trust lists (CTLs), and certificate revocation lists (CRLs). This is a useful tool if you are dealing with secure site and developing using VS.Net against a remote server where SSL certificate is installed. In this particular case, you should instruct your Visual Studio (using IE security) to trust your remote web server
as a trusted publisher. You can use CertManager to do this (or use IE Admin tool),

C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322> certmgr.exe -add
yourcert.cer /r/s localMachine local_machine\Root

C:\WINNT\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322> certmgr.exe -add
yourcert.cer /r/s localMachine ;ocal_machine\TrustedPublisher\

For more information on this tool goto:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfCertificateManagerToolCertmgrexe.asp

Contd...