Add or remove a reference

You can add a reference to any .NET Framework 3.5 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) assembly, Microsoft Silverlight assembly, or compatible COM library DLL to a Microsoft Expression Blend project. For example, you might do any of the following:

• Add a reference to a custom control or user control that you can then select from the Assets panel (after building your project), and then draw on the artboard.

  For an example, see Create an empty user control or Try it: Create a custom control with custom properties.

• Add a reference to an existing project in your solution. This is useful to keep functionality separated into reusable projects that you can build into your active project.

  For more information, see Add a new or existing project to a solution or Add or remove a reference.

• Add a reference to a CLR object data source.

  For an example, see Try it: Display data from a sample SQL database.

• Add a reference to a compatible COM library DLL.

  For more information about COM interoperability with .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, see the Interoperability topics in the .NET Framework section of MSDN.

• Add a reference to the Silverlight SDK assemblies that include system controls such as the TabControl.

  For more information, see Import a custom control by adding a reference.

To add a reference

1. On the Project menu, click Add Reference, if you want to add an assembly (.dll or .exe) to your project.

2. In the Add Reference dialog box, browse to the location of the assembly or COM library that you want to add to the current project, select that item, and then click Open.

   The item is not added to your project, but a reference to it is added in the References node in the Projects panel.

3. Build your project to incorporate the referenced item and to make any new controls available from the Assets panel .

   If the referenced item is updated externally, you will need to rebuild in Expression Blend to pick up the changes.

To add a reference to another project

1. Add a new or existing project to your solution.

2. On the Project menu, click Add Project Reference, and then select the name of your project from the list that appears.

3. Build your project to incorporate the referenced project and to make any new controls available from the Assets panel .

   If the referenced item is updated externally, you will need to rebuild in Expression Blend to pick up the changes.

To remove a reference

• In the References node in the Projects panel, right-click the reference that you want to remove, and then click Remove from Project.

  Note

  Using the Remove from Project option only removes the reference from the project; it does not delete the referenced item from your computer.

See also

Tasks

Add a new or existing project to a solution