Using C# Assemblies from Python via pythonnet

Question

I am using Windows 7, 64-bit. I have managed to download and install pythonnet, so

import clr
clr.AddReference("System.Windows.Forms")
from System.Windows.Forms import Form

works fine. I have also downloaded and compiled/run a C# application which creates lots of assemblies. The application in question is ARDrone-Control-.NET.

How can I use the generated DLL files from Python (and not just the built-in C# classes).

Since I have never used C# (which is why I want to use the library from Python), I'd be happy to clarify the question.

It seems like you're getting a lot of unnecessary friction. Have you considered simply using Iron Python for this project? — Paul Sasik
– Paul Sasik, Commented Jun 13, 2011 at 16:12
IronPython is pretty stable, but development became very slow once open-sourced by MS. CPython is very stable and has powerful C API, used by numpy, Cython, pandas, etc.. — den.run.ai
– den.run.ai, Commented Nov 7, 2014 at 4:04

John · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-05 22:33:18Z

13

Just to provide another method:

import sys
sys.path.append("C:\Path\to\your\assemblies")

clr.AddReference('MyAssembly')
from MyAssembly import MyClass

MyClass.does_something()

This assumes that in the C:\Path\to\your\assemblies folder you have a MyAssembly.dll file.

So the 'trick' is that you have to add your assemblies folder to the sys.path before clr.AddReference.

answered Nov 5, 2012 at 22:33

John

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1 Comment

Tritium21 Over a year ago

I had to add the assembly directory to sys.path before I imported clr. I don't know if that's recent, or an anomaly with my machine - but if it is important, it should perhaps be noted here.

den.run.ai · Accepted Answer · 2017-09-26 20:36:41Z

3

From what I gather you are trying to load an external assembly in Python.Net, I have done little work with that library. You should consider using IronPython instead but using Python.Net you could load the assembly via .Net's reflection like this

Python 2.7.13 (v2.7.13:a06454b1afa1, Dec 17 2016, 20:42:59) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import clr
>>> from System.Reflection import Assembly
>>> dll1 = Assembly.LoadFile("C:\Python\Python27-32\Lib\site-packages\Python.Runtime.dll")
>>> clr.Python.Runtime
<module 'Python.Runtime'>
>>> clr.Python.Runtime.PythonEngine
<class 'Python.Runtime.PythonEngine'>

edited Sep 26, 2017 at 20:36

den.run.ai

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answered Jun 16, 2011 at 0:41

mitchellsg

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2 Comments

Petter Over a year ago

IronPython is unfortunately not an options since a ton of other extension packages only work with CPython.

batpox Over a year ago

Also, IronPython is only in Python 2, and Python 2 was deprecated in 2020

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