AppDomain AppDomain AppDomain AppDomain Class

Definition

public ref class AppDomain sealed : MarshalByRefObject, _AppDomain, System::Security::IEvidenceFactory

[System.Runtime.InteropServices.ClassInterface(System.Runtime.InteropServices.ClassInterfaceType.None)]
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisible(true)]
public sealed class AppDomain : MarshalByRefObject, _AppDomain, System.Security.IEvidenceFactory

type AppDomain = class
    inherit MarshalByRefObject
    interface _AppDomain
    interface IEvidenceFactory

Public NotInheritable Class AppDomain
Inherits MarshalByRefObject
Implements _AppDomain, IEvidenceFactory

Inheritance

ObjectObjectObjectObject

MarshalByRefObjectMarshalByRefObjectMarshalByRefObjectMarshalByRefObject

AppDomainAppDomainAppDomainAppDomain

Attributes

ClassInterfaceAttribute ComVisibleAttribute

Implements

_AppDomain_AppDomain_AppDomain_AppDomain IEvidenceFactoryIEvidenceFactoryIEvidenceFactoryIEvidenceFactory

Examples

This example shows how to create a new AppDomain, instantiate a type in that new AppDomain, and communicate with that type's object. In addition, this example shows how to unload the AppDomain causing the object to be garbage collected.

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Reflection;
using namespace System::Threading;
using namespace System::Security::Policy;

// Because this class is derived from MarshalByRefObject, a proxy 
// to a MarshalByRefType object can be returned across an AppDomain 
// boundary.
ref class MarshalByRefType : MarshalByRefObject
{
public:
    //  Call this method via a proxy.
    void SomeMethod(String^ callingDomainName)
    {
        // Get this AppDomain's settings and display some of them.
        AppDomainSetup^ ads = AppDomain::CurrentDomain->SetupInformation;
        Console::WriteLine("AppName={0}, AppBase={1}, ConfigFile={2}", 
            ads->ApplicationName, 
            ads->ApplicationBase, 
            ads->ConfigurationFile
        );

        // Display the name of the calling AppDomain and the name 
        // of the second domain.
        // NOTE: The application's thread has transitioned between 
        // AppDomains.
        Console::WriteLine("Calling from '{0}' to '{1}'.", 
            callingDomainName, 
            Thread::GetDomain()->FriendlyName
        );
    };
};

void main()
{
    // Get and display the friendly name of the default AppDomain.
    String^ callingDomainName = Thread::GetDomain()->FriendlyName;
    Console::WriteLine(callingDomainName);

    // Get and display the full name of the EXE assembly.
    String^ exeAssembly = Assembly::GetEntryAssembly()->FullName;
    Console::WriteLine(exeAssembly);

    // Construct and initialize settings for a second AppDomain.
    AppDomainSetup^ ads = gcnew AppDomainSetup();
    ads->ApplicationBase = AppDomain::CurrentDomain->BaseDirectory;

    ads->DisallowBindingRedirects = false;
    ads->DisallowCodeDownload = true;
    ads->ConfigurationFile = 
        AppDomain::CurrentDomain->SetupInformation->ConfigurationFile;

    // Create the second AppDomain.
    AppDomain^ ad2 = AppDomain::CreateDomain("AD #2", 
        AppDomain::CurrentDomain->Evidence, ads);

    // Create an instance of MarshalbyRefType in the second AppDomain. 
    // A proxy to the object is returned.
    MarshalByRefType^ mbrt = 
        (MarshalByRefType^) ad2->CreateInstanceAndUnwrap(
            exeAssembly, 
            MarshalByRefType::typeid->FullName
        );

    // Call a method on the object via the proxy, passing the 
    // default AppDomain's friendly name in as a parameter.
    mbrt->SomeMethod(callingDomainName);

    // Unload the second AppDomain. This deletes its object and 
    // invalidates the proxy object.
    AppDomain::Unload(ad2);
    try
    {
        // Call the method again. Note that this time it fails 
        // because the second AppDomain was unloaded.
        mbrt->SomeMethod(callingDomainName);
        Console::WriteLine("Sucessful call.");
    }
    catch(AppDomainUnloadedException^)
    {
        Console::WriteLine("Failed call; this is expected.");
    }
}

/* This code produces output similar to the following: 

AppDomainX.exe
AppDomainX, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
AppName=, AppBase=C:\AppDomain\bin, ConfigFile=C:\AppDomain\bin\AppDomainX.exe.config
Calling from 'AppDomainX.exe' to 'AD #2'.
Failed call; this is expected.
 */

using System;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Threading;

class Module1
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        // Get and display the friendly name of the default AppDomain.
        string callingDomainName = Thread.GetDomain().FriendlyName;
        Console.WriteLine(callingDomainName);

        // Get and display the full name of the EXE assembly.
        string exeAssembly = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().FullName;
        Console.WriteLine(exeAssembly);

        // Construct and initialize settings for a second AppDomain.
        AppDomainSetup ads = new AppDomainSetup();
        ads.ApplicationBase = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;

        ads.DisallowBindingRedirects = false;
        ads.DisallowCodeDownload = true;
        ads.ConfigurationFile = 
            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetupInformation.ConfigurationFile;

        // Create the second AppDomain.
        AppDomain ad2 = AppDomain.CreateDomain("AD #2", null, ads);

        // Create an instance of MarshalbyRefType in the second AppDomain. 
        // A proxy to the object is returned.
        MarshalByRefType mbrt = 
            (MarshalByRefType) ad2.CreateInstanceAndUnwrap(
                exeAssembly, 
                typeof(MarshalByRefType).FullName
            );

        // Call a method on the object via the proxy, passing the 
        // default AppDomain's friendly name in as a parameter.
        mbrt.SomeMethod(callingDomainName);

        // Unload the second AppDomain. This deletes its object and 
        // invalidates the proxy object.
        AppDomain.Unload(ad2);
        try
        {
            // Call the method again. Note that this time it fails 
            // because the second AppDomain was unloaded.
            mbrt.SomeMethod(callingDomainName);
            Console.WriteLine("Sucessful call.");
        }
        catch(AppDomainUnloadedException)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Failed call; this is expected.");
        }
    }
}

// Because this class is derived from MarshalByRefObject, a proxy 
// to a MarshalByRefType object can be returned across an AppDomain 
// boundary.
public class MarshalByRefType : MarshalByRefObject
{
    //  Call this method via a proxy.
    public void SomeMethod(string callingDomainName)
    {
        // Get this AppDomain's settings and display some of them.
        AppDomainSetup ads = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetupInformation;
        Console.WriteLine("AppName={0}, AppBase={1}, ConfigFile={2}", 
            ads.ApplicationName, 
            ads.ApplicationBase, 
            ads.ConfigurationFile
        );

        // Display the name of the calling AppDomain and the name 
        // of the second domain.
        // NOTE: The application's thread has transitioned between 
        // AppDomains.
        Console.WriteLine("Calling from '{0}' to '{1}'.", 
            callingDomainName, 
            Thread.GetDomain().FriendlyName
        );
    }
}

/* This code produces output similar to the following: 

AppDomainX.exe
AppDomainX, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
AppName=, AppBase=C:\AppDomain\bin, ConfigFile=C:\AppDomain\bin\AppDomainX.exe.config
Calling from 'AppDomainX.exe' to 'AD #2'.
Failed call; this is expected.
 */

Imports System
Imports System.Reflection
Imports System.Threading

Module Module1
    Sub Main()

        ' Get and display the friendly name of the default AppDomain.
        Dim callingDomainName As String = Thread.GetDomain().FriendlyName
        Console.WriteLine(callingDomainName)

        ' Get and display the full name of the EXE assembly.
        Dim exeAssembly As String = [Assembly].GetEntryAssembly().FullName
        Console.WriteLine(exeAssembly)

        ' Construct and initialize settings for a second AppDomain.
        Dim ads As New AppDomainSetup()
        ads.ApplicationBase = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory
        ads.DisallowBindingRedirects = False
        ads.DisallowCodeDownload = True
        ads.ConfigurationFile = _
            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetupInformation.ConfigurationFile

        ' Create the second AppDomain.
        Dim ad2 As AppDomain = AppDomain.CreateDomain("AD #2", Nothing, ads)

        ' Create an instance of MarshalbyRefType in the second AppDomain. 
        ' A proxy to the object is returned.
        Dim mbrt As MarshalByRefType = CType( _
            ad2.CreateInstanceAndUnwrap(exeAssembly, _
                 GetType(MarshalByRefType).FullName), MarshalByRefType)

        ' Call a method on the object via the proxy, passing the default 
        ' AppDomain's friendly name in as a parameter.
        mbrt.SomeMethod(callingDomainName)

        ' Unload the second AppDomain. This deletes its object and 
        ' invalidates the proxy object.
        AppDomain.Unload(ad2)
        Try
            ' Call the method again. Note that this time it fails because 
            ' the second AppDomain was unloaded.
            mbrt.SomeMethod(callingDomainName)
            Console.WriteLine("Sucessful call.")
        Catch e As AppDomainUnloadedException
            Console.WriteLine("Failed call; this is expected.")
        End Try

    End Sub
End Module

' Because this class is derived from MarshalByRefObject, a proxy 
' to a MarshalByRefType object can be returned across an AppDomain 
' boundary.
Public Class MarshalByRefType
    Inherits MarshalByRefObject

    '  Call this method via a proxy.
    Public Sub SomeMethod(ByVal callingDomainName As String)

        ' Get this AppDomain's settings and display some of them.
        Dim ads As AppDomainSetup = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.SetupInformation
        Console.WriteLine("AppName={0}, AppBase={1}, ConfigFile={2}", _
            ads.ApplicationName, ads.ApplicationBase, ads.ConfigurationFile)

        ' Display the name of the calling AppDomain and the name 
        ' of the second domain.
        ' NOTE: The application's thread has transitioned between 
        ' AppDomains.
        Console.WriteLine("Calling from '{0}' to '{1}'.", _
            callingDomainName, Thread.GetDomain().FriendlyName)
    End Sub
End Class

'This code produces output similar to the following:
' 
' AppDomainX.exe
' AppDomainX, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
' AppName=, AppBase=C:\AppDomain\bin, ConfigFile=C:\AppDomain\bin\AppDomainX.exe.config
' Calling from 'AppDomainX.exe' to 'AD #2'.
' Failed call; this is expected.

Remarks

Application domains, which are represented by AppDomain objects, help provide isolation, unloading, and security boundaries for executing managed code.

• Use application domains to isolate tasks that might bring down a process. If the state of the AppDomain that's executing a task becomes unstable, the AppDomain can be unloaded without affecting the process. This is important when a process must run for long periods without restarting. You can also use application domains to isolate tasks that should not share data.

• If an assembly is loaded into the default application domain, it cannot be unloaded from memory while the process is running. However, if you open a second application domain to load and execute the assembly, the assembly is unloaded when that application domain is unloaded. Use this technique to minimize the working set of long-running processes that occasionally use large DLLs.

Multiple application domains can run in a single process; however, there is not a one-to-one correlation between application domains and threads. Several threads can belong to a single application domain, and while a given thread is not confined to a single application domain, at any given time, a thread executes in a single application domain.

Application domains are created using the CreateDomain method. AppDomain instances are used to load and execute assemblies (Assembly). When an AppDomain is no longer in use, it can be unloaded.

The AppDomain class implements a set of events that enable applications to respond when an assembly is loaded, when an application domain will be unloaded, or when an unhandled exception is thrown.

For more information on using application domains, see Application Domains.

This class implements the MarshalByRefObject, _AppDomain, and IEvidenceFactory interfaces.

You should never create a remotable wrapper for an AppDomain object. Doing so could publish a remote reference to that AppDomain, exposing methods such as CreateInstance to remote access and effectively destroying code access security for that AppDomain. Malicious clients connecting to the remoted AppDomain could obtain access to any resource the AppDomain itself has access to. Do not create remotable wrappers for any type that extends MarshalByRefObject and that implements methods that could be used by malicious clients to bypass the security system.

Properties

Methods

Events

Explicit Interface Implementations

Applies to

See also

• How To: Configure an Application Domain
• How To: Create an Application Domain
• How to: Load Assemblies into an Application Domain
• How to: Unload an Application Domain