How to add reference to Microsoft HTML Object Library?

[TT(n)]

Okay normally this was easy to do, but now with IE9 Visual Studio 2010 hangs and crashes. The problem seems to be even worse because you can't build an Interop.mshtml.dll to match version 9. I've tried using the VS command prompt with no luck. Allegedly this is how it is done, but there are no known examples that actually work. If anyone has done this with success please enlighten us with explicit details!

[HanneSThEGreaT]

OK, one question... Which Interop.mshtml.dll did you add? Meaning, did you browse to the one inside

C:\Program Files\Microsoft.NET\Primary Interop Assemblies

?

[TT(n)]

Yes, I did look there but it was not present. Even after taking the steps to make it present, the version was still 7. ie, Microsoft.mshtml.dll.
I did finally get it working and here is how.

1. Downloaded VS 2010 ultimate trial, which does not crash when adding the reference, unlike VS express products.

2. Still needed to create the interop dll, so that it actually matches as version 9, and not 7. I ended up making a bat file as follows to create the interop.mshtml.dll.

call "%VS100COMNTOOLS%\vsvars32.bat"
 set SRCTLB=mshtml.tlb
 set NAMESPACE=mshtml9
 REM Should update this automatically:
 set VERSION=9.0.8112.16434
 set PREFIX=Interop
 
REM Only need to run once for the strong name
 sn -k %NAMESPACE%.snk
 
REM Claim that /sysarray avoids crashes:
 REM http://stackoverflow.com/questions/714952/referencing-a-com-assembly-in-visual-studio-vs-converting-a-com-assembly-via-tlbi/718714#718714
 
REM tlbimp (for regular COM controls)
 
TlbImp.exe /verbose /out:%PREFIX%.%NAMESPACE%.dll /keyfile:%NAMESPACE%.snk /namespace:%NAMESPACE% /transform:dispret /asmversion:%VERSION% /tlbreference:%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\stdole2.tlb %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\%SRCTLB%

Put the above code into a notepad text, and save as .bat.
Double click it to execute, and it will create an Interop.mshtml.dll in the same folder as the bat file is located.
This can now be referenced as version 9! Remember that there are differences that may cause any older code to crash if it were based upon an earlier version. For example obtaining the type of document, will now crash even though the exception should be caught below.

        Dim SWs As New SHDocVw.ShellWindows
        For Each IEx As SHDocVw.InternetExplorer In SWs
            Try
                If IEx.Type = "HTML Document" Then    
                Dim wfd As HTMLDocument
                    wfd = DirectCast(IEx.Document, HTMLDocument)
                    If wfd.hasFocus = True Then Return IEx
                End If
            Catch ex As Exception
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
            End Try
        Next

Hope this helps someone hours, if not days of confusion!!!

[HanneSThEGreaT]

I wish I had your brains, or even just half of it!