ActiveReports Designer licensing on .NET 8

ActiveReports Designer licensing on .NET 8

Posted by: alexshakurin on 26 May 2025, 11:39 am EST

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  alexshakurin

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  Posted 26 May 2025, 11:39 am EST

  Hello,
  
  I’m trying to migrate our .NET Framework WPF app to .NET 8. We’re targeting AR version 18.
  
  The app is a custom built designer for our end users. We have a professional license on the build server.
  
  licenses.licx file looks like this:

  GrapeCity.ActiveReports.SectionReport, MESCIUS.ActiveReports
  GrapeCity.ActiveReports.PageReport, MESCIUS.ActiveReports
  GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Viewer.Win.Viewer, MESCIUS.ActiveReports.Viewer.Win
  GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Viewer.Wpf.Viewer, MESCIUS.ActiveReports.Viewer.Wpf
  GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Design.Designer, MESCIUS.ActiveReports.Design.Win
  GrapeCity.ActiveReports.Export.Pdf.Section.PdfExport, MESCIUS.ActiveReports.Export.Pdf

  However, after changing app to .NET 8 I get an error during build:

  Could not load file or assembly 'System.Runtime, Version=4.2.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. Reference assemblies should not be loaded for execution.  They can only be loaded in the Reflection-only loader context

  I tried removing license file and adding new report. I also tried “Tools” → “Convert to Active Reports 18” option. None of this helped though.

  Event an empty WPF .NET 8 project generates this error.

  Has anyone experienced similar issues?

  Thanks in advance.

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  alexshakurin

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  Posted 27 May 2025, 7:23 am EST

  Hello,
  
  For anyone who might experience the same issue in the future.
  
  licenses.licx file only work with .NET Framework.

  For .NET 8/7/6 AR licensing works differently. There’s no need for licenses.licx file.
  
  When we import nuget package “mescius.activereports” (or “grapecity.activereports”) special MSBUIILD .target is imported during the build. This target calls gclm.exe to generate license file (.gclicx) which is then embedded into the final .exe.
  
  This way AR knows about license.

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  anand.sinha

  

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  Posted 6 June 2025, 12:29 am EST

  Hi Alexshakurin,

  You’re correct! For .NET Core licensing, there’s no need for ‘licenses.licx’ file as they are licensed by the ‘.gclicx’ license file generated at runtime.

  Thanks for sharing your observations, as it may help others facing the same issue.

  Regards,
  
  Anand