Uncovering the MVC Version in Visual Studio: A Thrilling Guide

Step 1 – The Mysterious Visual Studio Unveiled:

Behold your computer screen as you summon the Visual Studio by clicking its icon or delving into the Start menu. Wait fervently as the application loads in secrecy…

Step 2 – The Secretive ASP.NET MVC Project Emerges:

With Visual Studio loaded in stealth mode, you must create a New ASP.NET MVC Project. Using the Toolbar, click on the File menu then select New followed by Project. Prepare yourself for an adventure as a New Project dialogue box emerges. Choose ASP.NET Web Application under the Visual C# or Visual Basic category, then provide a name and location for your project. Finish this phase of the journey by clicking on Create.

In the New ASP. NET Web Application dialogue box, discover the MVC template as you click on it for the project. A challenge will arise at this point where you must click Change Authentication, followed by choosing an authentication type or selecting No Authentication. It seems the gods of Visual Studio demand a test of your fortitude. Upon your selection, click OK to create your project and see what unfolds.

Step 3 – The Hunt for the MVC Version Begins:

As the project comes to fruition, prowl over to the Solution Explorer, which lies discreetly on the right-hand side of Visual Studio. Search for the References folder, and it will unveil MVC’s version as a list of all the referenced DLLs in your project appears.

Your task is to search for the System.Web.Mvc reference DLL in this list. Once found, right-click on it, and the Properties window will appear, displaying the version of MVC installed in your Visual Studio. But what if the DLL is not within the list? It seems it’s time for dexterity as you try installing the latest version of MVC by opening the Package Manager Console, then running the following command: Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.

Step 4 – The Global Assembly Cache Mystery:

Don’t be complacent yet, another layer of the adventure lies ahead as it’s time to explore the Global Assembly Cache (GAC). This is the central repository that holds shared DLLs in Windows, a place where you can unravel what MVC version is installed.

But beware, it will take precision and agility as you use the Developer Command Prompt for Visual Studio to bring forth the Assembly Binding Log Viewer (Fusion Log Viewer) tool. Type fuslogvw.exe and brace yourself for what comes up. Click on the Settings button, and in the Log bind failures to disk section, select the options, then click on the OK button.

Return to Visual Studio and create another project or open an existing one. Rejoice as excitement surges within you, for the moment of truth is near. Build the project and run it in anticipation, then fly back to the Assembly Binding Log Viewer window and click on the Refresh button. In a flash, locate the System.Web.Mvc assembly and verify its version column.

Eureka Moment:

The adventure ends, and the mystery is uncovered as you find the MVC version installed in Visual Studio. Knowing the MVC version is crucial when it comes to troubleshooting issues related to the MVC framework, or when upgrading your project to the latest version. Thus, you have crossed the threshold of being an MVC version seeker to a conqueror.