Hello Edhy,

The reference counting method used by the Windows Installer doesn't have a publicly available API with which we can use to integrate our GAC actions with.  What this means is that we cant use an AppLife Update action to remove the assembly that your MSI places in the GAC because we cannot remove the reference. The only way to remove that reference and allow the assembly to be removed from the GAC is to uninstall your application.

You can install a new version of your assembly into the GAC using our GAC actions, and your new software can operate just fine referencing the new version. Just ensure that you increment the assembly version.  Future updates will be able to remove the assembly placed by an AppLife Update action from the GAC before replacing it with yet another newer version, but the original assembly version installed by your msi will still be in the GAC until your application is uninstalled.  In addition, when your application is uninstalled, any assemblies placed by AppLife Update's GAC action will be left behind, unless you take action in your installer to remove them.  The uninstall issues and reference counting is the reason for the warning on the action editor.

Knowing this, you can hopefully decide the best approach to maintaining GAC assemblies.  Unless there is a clear and present benefit to installing assemblies into the GAC, I usually recommend against it. Isolating application assemblies into your install directory is far more easily maintainable.

Hello Edhy,

Yes, I would uninstall the previous versions as you install newer versions during your updates.  Reference type of none would be appropriate for this, as you are not installing these assemblies to be used by multiple applications.

For the record, I just released an update installing a missing assembly to GAC and it worked just fine. 

Also I implemented the AppLife Window Service and now users with Limited Security account have a much better experience installing my updates wihout the need for the Administrator to come and issue a "Run As" under the Administrator account to install te update.

Very impresive!!!!