How to load assemblies located in a folder in .NET Core console app

Currently running against netcoreapp1.0 you don't actually need to go to the extent of implementing your own AssemblyLoader. There is a Default that exists which works just fine. (Hence @VSG24 mentioning that the Load doesn't do anything).

using System;
using System.Runtime.Loader;

namespace AssemblyLoadingDynamic
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var myAssembly = AssemblyLoadContext.Default.LoadFromAssemblyPath(@"C:\MyDirectory\bin\Custom.Thing.dll");
            var myType = myAssembly.GetType("Custom.Thing.SampleClass");
            var myInstance = Activator.CreateInstance(myType);
        }
    }   
}

with project.json looking like:

{
  "version": "1.0.0-*",
  "buildOptions": {
    "emitEntryPoint": true
  },

  "dependencies": {
    "Microsoft.NETCore.App": {
      "type": "platform",
      "version": "1.0.1"
    },
    "System.Runtime.Loader": "4.0.0"
  },

  "frameworks": {
    "netcoreapp1.0": {
      "imports": "dnxcore50"
    }
  }
}

Using .NET Core 1.1 / Standard 1.6, I found that AssemblyLoader was not available, and AssemblyLoadContext.Default.LoadFromAssemblyPath(assemblyPath) gave me a "Could not load file or assembly xxx" error.

Finally, this solution below worked for me - purely by adding a step to get the AssemblyName object:

var assemblyName = AssemblyLoadContext.GetAssemblyName(assemblyPath);
var assembly = Assembly.Load(assemblyName);

Not sure if it's the best way to do it but here's what I came up with:

(Only tested on .Net Core RC2 - Windows)

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.Loader;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyModel;

namespace AssemblyLoadingDynamic
{
    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var asl = new AssemblyLoader();
            var asm = asl.LoadFromAssemblyPath(@"C:\Location\Of\" + "SampleClassLib.dll");

            var type = asm.GetType("MyClassLib.SampleClasses.Sample");
            dynamic obj = Activator.CreateInstance(type);
            Console.WriteLine(obj.SayHello("John Doe"));
        }

        public class AssemblyLoader : AssemblyLoadContext
        {
            // Not exactly sure about this
            protected override Assembly Load(AssemblyName assemblyName)
            {
                var deps = DependencyContext.Default;
                var res = deps.CompileLibraries.Where(d => d.Name.Contains(assemblyName.Name)).ToList();
                var assembly = Assembly.Load(new AssemblyName(res.First().Name));
                return assembly;
            }
        }
    }
}

MyClassLib.SampleClasses is the namespace and Sample is the type aka class name.

When executed, it will try to load the SampleClassLib.dll compiled class library in the memory and gives my console app access to MyClassLib.SampleClasses.Sample (take a look at the question) then my app calls the method SayHello() and passes "John Doe" as name to it, Therefore the program prints:

"Hello John Doe"

Quick note: The override for the method Load doesn't matter so you might as well just replace its content with throw new NotImplementedException() and it shouldn't affect anything we care about.

Thanks for your sharing. It is working with Net Core 1.0 also. If your assembly needs another assemblies at the same path, you can use the code sample below.

using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Runtime.Loader;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyModel;
public class AssemblyLoader : AssemblyLoadContext
{
    private string folderPath;

    public AssemblyLoader(string folderPath)
    {
        this.folderPath = folderPath;
    }

    protected override Assembly Load(AssemblyName assemblyName)
    {
        var deps = DependencyContext.Default;
        var res = deps.CompileLibraries.Where(d => d.Name.Contains(assemblyName.Name)).ToList();
        if (res.Count > 0)
        {
            return Assembly.Load(new AssemblyName(res.First().Name));
        }
        else
        {
            var apiApplicationFileInfo = new FileInfo($"{folderPath}{Path.DirectorySeparatorChar}{assemblyName.Name}.dll");
            if (File.Exists(apiApplicationFileInfo.FullName))
            {
                var asl = new AssemblyLoader(apiApplicationFileInfo.DirectoryName);
                return asl.LoadFromAssemblyPath(apiApplicationFileInfo.FullName);
            }
        }
        return Assembly.Load(assemblyName);
    }
}

Remember to add the following dependencies to your project.json file:

 "System.Runtime.Loader"
 "Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyModel"