Paint.NET v3.5.5 Beta build 3762

[Rick Brewster]

So there's one more fix that'll be going in for the final release, and it's a corner case ...

It has to do with .NET runtime version vs. .NET framework versioning. .NET Framework 2.0 through 3.5 SP1 all use the .NET Runtime v2.0, and .NET 4.0 Framework is finally accompanied by a new .NET 4.0 Runtime.

As it turns out, if you have .NET 4 installed and then you have any .NET from 2.0 through 3.5 (but not 3.5 SP1!), then the installer will crash. This is because the .exe.config file lets you specify runtime targetting but not framework targetting. Since it specifies .NET runtime 2.0 as the first pick, that's what it'll use when it starts up. Then it'll try using something from 3.5 SP1 and crash.

So, for the final release it will still require you to have .NET 3.5 SP1 installed if you have any of .NET 2.0 through 3.5 (non-SP1) installed. Interestingly enough this means the only version of Windows that will let you seamlessly (w/o modifying the .exe.config that is) use .NET 4 is .... tada ... XP SP3 This is because Vista comes with .NET 3.0, but gives you a way to remove it but you will always have .NET 2.0 installed. And Win7 comes with .NET 3.5 SP1 installed but you'll always have .NET 2.0 even if you remove 3.5 SP1. (I'm not actually sure how you can remove 3.0 or 3.5 from these versions of Windows -- I know on Server it's supported, not sure if it is on client though.)

Ultimately the .NET 4 support is experimental in nature, and this doesn't block any of the goals I've had with respect to that. Paint.NET v4 is, of course, a completely native .NET v4 app, and so this will all be water under the bridge eventually.

[csm725]

plugin problems go in plugin threads.

Yes, but I don't know if the crash is PdN-related or not.

[PaintNetRus]

Hello!

There is a bug that is described in this topic:

[Rick Brewster]

That's not a regression from previous versions though. Plus, it could be Windows that's displaying it wrong.