System.DirectoryServices is not recognised in the namespace 'System'

Question

I'm trying to use System.DirectoryServices in a web site project and I'm getting this error:

The type or namespace name 'DirectoryServices' does not exist in the namespace 'System' (are you missing an assembly reference?)

My project has a reference to System.DirectoryServices in web.config:

<add assembly="System.DirectoryServices, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>  

And I do have using System.DirectoryServices in the files where I want to use it.

Does anybody have a clue where to look for the problem?

Solution 1

Is the web-server (IIS or whatever) configured to run the folder as an application (i.e. shows as a cog), and is it using the correct version of ASP.NET? If it is running as 1.1, bits of it might work - but it would fail to find that 2.0 assembly in the 1.1 GAC.

Solution 2

1. Right click on References under your solution.
2. Select Add Reference. The reference can be found under the Framework Assemblies list. Select System.DirectoryServices and click Add.

Solution 3

Shot in the dark: have you tried adding to the web.config:

<compilation debug="true">
     <assemblies>
          <add assembly="System.DirectoryServices, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=B03F5F7F11D50A3A"/>
     </assemblies>
</compilation>

Solution 4

I think you should install Directory Services Package.

Install-Package System.DirectoryServices -Version 4.0.0 

Directory Services Package

Solution 5

This is a very old thread but just to provide a complete answer for the sake of posterity ;)

This issue occurs if the project is missing a reference to the .Net Component System.DirectoryServices

Adding this reference in the usual manner prefered by you will resolve the issue.

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