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The current project I have inherited is a Kentico 12 MVC implementation. I successfully got the CMS Admin site running. It currently references a bunch of assemblies in a Lib folder. They are version 12.0.29.

I decided that I wanted to change to use the Kentico nuget packages instead of referencing the files in the Lib folder, with an eye to upgrading the site to a later version. To ensure I wouldn't break anything, I decided to install the same version of Kentico 12 via the nuget package installer. So in nuget I selected Kentico.AspNet.Mvc, selected version 12.0.29, then clicked Install.

Choosing this package will also install Kentico.Libraries 12.0.29, Kentico.LanguagePack.English 12.0.29, and Kentico.AspNet.Mvc.Libraries 12.0.29. I worked my way up to this package, installing the other packages until I finally replaced all the components that my MVC app references.

I clicked install, and it installed successfully. I then cleaned the solution, then I ran the site. The site runs, but then it gets an error:

Error message

What additional assembies is it talking about? How can I fix this problem?

tone
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  • This is a great question and one we've talked with Kentico about several times. Ideally not referencing assemblies from a local store would be best. Look for some pretty awesome updates with Xperience by Kentico in the near future. Check out the documentation here https://docs.xperience.io/xp – Brenden Kehren Mar 22 '23 at 16:29

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The integration NuGet packages are dedicated to be used in the MVC front end app. You shall not use them in the admin app!!! You cannot use MVC app NuGet packages in web form app. In order to make the admin app run again, uninstall the packages. If it will not help, I would recommend installing a fresh admin app as it is possible that the packages installed other dependencies and messed up the admin app solution beyond repair.

jurajo
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    nah it's not that bad - I have it all in source control and I have reverted it now. Everything is back up and running without the need to reinstall anything – tone Mar 21 '23 at 21:53
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I've went down the path of trying to use packages for the CMS project with a version 12 and version 13 site before. It took some time to do the conversion, I was able to get the CMS site running, but in the long run I wasn't happy with it because when I tried to hotfix the CMS application using the Kentico Installation Manager (KIM) it failed miserably and I was forced to revert back to using the assemblies in the LIB directory.

Long story short is if you want to use packages in the CMS you need to find all of the specific packages and proper versions to reference them. You will NOT find any packages for Kentico's CMS version, those will have to be referenced by the LIB folder.

Brenden Kehren
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  • The key is to use Kentico Installation Manager (KIM) to update your dev CMS site and database, then use NuGet to update the MVC site, and the HotFix.sql script to update the test/live databases as part of deployment. – trucker_jim Mar 21 '23 at 15:08
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    Right regarding the MVC project @tucker_jim, however the OP was asking about using NuGet packages for the CMS project not the MVC project. Using packages for the CMS project will not work and will cause the KIM to not function as expected when you want to apply a hotfix or upgrade. – Brenden Kehren Mar 22 '23 at 16:25
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Don't do that, the CMS site references that point to the LIB folder must be left alone.

Yes, the MVC site references the Kentico NuGet packages..but I made that mistake too and it was a nightmare to fix.

If you move the CMS references from the LIB folder to NuGet you will break the ability for Kentico Installation Manager (KIM) to upgrade / hotfix your CMS!!! That is how you should upgrade it. Also, did you think about the database? It also needs to be upgraded...KIM does that for you.

My Advice: don't mess with any of the Kentico dependencies, use Kentico Installation Manager to upgrade your development CMS site & database.

Then use NuGet to align your MVC site to the same version as the CMS. Sure, add references to other NuGet packages, but don't mess with the Kentico dependencies!!

Once done and ready to deploy, you get the SQL update script from the CMS site folder (KIM puts a SQL file there) and update your Test & Live database versions as part of deployment.

trucker_jim
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    This has been the most useful answer so far. I can't seem to find the Kentico Installation Manager for version 12 though. I can see a bunch of hotfixes on the site but no KIM. Do I need to request this? – tone Mar 22 '23 at 01:17
  • I have updated the CMS site to the latest version 12.0.102 using hotfixes. The Kentico installation manager didn't work because it autodetects the version of dot net, and it can't handle it if the version is beyong 4.7. We are on 4.8. I could have downgraded I suppose. The main site is using Kentico MVC nuget packages. It is now all working fine. – tone Mar 23 '23 at 06:09
  • @tone It gets installed on your local computer when you install Kentico e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Kentico\13.0\Bin\KIM.exe" – trucker_jim May 24 '23 at 14:47
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You can do this, but the CMS must not use the MVC libraries. Only use the Kentico.Xperience Libraries without MVC. If you do, remove the XCopy command from the build process which copies the DLLs from the Lib folder into the CMS bin. Kentico has three Nuget packages, one for "basic core api" (that's what you can use in the CMSApp). The others are only for MVC. One with Frontend files and another one without.

Elmar Höfinghoff
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