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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-16T09:44:10+00:00

Below is the format MSDN specifies a Publisher Configuration File (policy) should be for

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Below is the format MSDN specifies a Publisher Configuration File (policy) should be for the WinSxS DLL. I am confused as to what the file should be name (maybe .dll.config). All the information online is about Managed Assemblies, which state to create a policy DLL, sign it, and it can easily be installed using Wix.

I have successfully created a DLL and installed it to the WinSxS folder by creating a manifest file that describes it as a WinSxS dll. I need information on creating a policy file for new DLL versions, that would allow applications that are binded to older versions of the DLL to bind to the new DLL.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
   <assemblyIdentity type="win32-policy" 
      publicKeyToken="b09aca5b7f613458" 
      name="policy.1.0.ssc" 
      version="1.0.0.0" 
      processorArchitecture="x86"/>
   <dependency>
      <dependentAssembly>
         <assemblyIdentity 
            type="win32" 
            name="ssc"  
            processorArchitecture="x86" 
            publicKeyToken="b09aca5b7f613458"/>
         <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0" newVersion="1.0.0.0"/>
      </dependentAssembly>
   </dependency>
</assembly>
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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    First you create the policy file using the manifest format described in the question. Then you create a verification catalog for the policy using ‘makecat’. So once you have already created the verification catalog file (and signed it) for the POLICY, you can use the wix configuration below. Don’t forget that the bindingRedirect component describes what versions will bind to specific DLLs.

    <Component Id="PolicyComp" Guid="GUID-HERE" Win64="$(var.Win64)">
  <File
     Id="policy_manifest"
     Assembly="win32"
     Name="policy.<dll_name>.dll.manifest"
     KeyPath="yes"
     AssemblyManifest="policy_manifest"
     Source="$(var.release_dir)\policy.<dll_name>.dll.manifest"
     Vital="yes"
  />
  <File
     Id="policy_catalog"
     Name="policy.<dll_name>.dll.cat"
     Source="$(var.release_dir)\policy.<dll_name>.dll.cat"
     Vital="yes"
  />
</Component>
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