Visual Studio Async CTP on vanilla .Net 4?

Question

The way I understand it, The new Async-Await functionality in the C# 5 CTP should be all implemented in the compiler. This should mean that code compiled with the CTP should be able to run on vanilla .Net 4?

Can it?

Chatelain

Answer 1

The Async CTP was replaced by the Async Targeting Pack for Visual Studio 11, available via Nuget.

This is official, supported, and allows redistribution.

With this library you can build async applications that target (vanilla) .NET 4.

You should also know that you can target .NET 3.5 with the help of AsyncBridge for .NET 3.5 - a small library put together by Daniel Grunwald, Alex Davies and me.

Runnymede

Answer 2

It can, but it also requires an additional assembly (AsyncCtpLibrary.dll), which is (currently) not redistributable. Because of this, you legally cannot run this code on a "vanilla .NET 4" installation machine.

---

As of the SP1 Refresh, the Async CTP is now being distributed under a new license. It is unsupported, but allows redistribution and usage in products.

Denbighshire

Good answer. I wasn't asking out of a wish to actually do it, just technical curiosity. :) – Chatelain

How is it not redistributable? – Potential

@Firoso: Read the license - it does not redistributable from a legal standpoint. – Denbighshire

I'm pretty sure the license has changed by now. I'm not sure about the details but at some point they stated that async-ctp as now some kind of go-live license. – Fechter

@CodeInChaos: It's not Go-Live, more of a "do what you will" license, but yes, it's now changed (as of the SP1 refresh). – Denbighshire

Answer 3

I'd say yes, when I look in a sample project I see it targets Fx4 Client Profile.

You do need extra assemblies.

Tutankhamen