How can the Wcf Test Client be used without Visual Studio?

Question

When WcfTestClient.exe is copied to another machine by itself, runtime errors prevent you from connecting to a WCF service, for example:

System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or Assembly 'Microsoft.Build.Utilities.Core, Version=15.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

How can this tool be used without installing Visual Studio?

This is a valid question working professionals wind up needing the answer to over and over. Any suggestions on how to reduce the broad nature of the question instead of closing something with such value? — Shaun Wilson

TagFolks TagFolks · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-01T10:34:03

To run WCFTestClient.exe as a standalone appplication (without install a full version of Visual Studio 2010):

Create a directory in the dest. machine and copy wcftestclient.exe there (only that file).
Copy Microsoft.VisualStudio.VirtualTreeGrid.dll (version 10) from file below to same directory of wcftestclient.exe in the dest. machine.
```
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Microsoft.VisualStudio.VirtualTreeGrid\v4.0_10.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a
```

You would create in your destination machine the following two registry keys:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\WinSDK-NetFx40Tools-x64]
"InstallationFolder"="\"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\WinSDK-NetFx40Tools-x86]
"InstallationFolder"="\"

Step note: You could export them from your development machine (maybe you could find another version, but please try with v7.0A first).

Then you will need copy from:
```
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\svcutil.exe
```
to your destination machine (same directory as wcftestclient.exe)

Step note: Is important this version of svcutil.exe
Run wcftestclient.exe

Final notes: You will need only two .exe files and one .dll (wcftestclient.exe, svcutil.exe and Microsoft.VisualStudio.VirtualTreeGrid.dll) to run the application.

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How can the Wcf Test Client be used without Visual Studio?

3 Answers