[Silverlight] MEF - avoid modules caching

When developing a MEF-based project there is always the problem to force the user to clear browser's cache to download newer XAPs. This may be not a problem to medium-skilled users, but for generic users it may be a problem. To avvoid this we can add a version number to the XAP name



In the Bootstrapper.cs class define the version property:

public string Version
{
    get { return System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().FullName.Split(',')[1].Replace("Version=", "").Trim(); }
}


And add the following highlighted part to the ModuleCatalog creation code:
protected override IModuleCatalog CreateModuleCatalog()
{
    IModuleCatalog catalog = Microsoft.Practices.Prism.Modularity.ModuleCatalog.CreateFromXaml(new Uri("/Shell;component/ModuleCatalog.xaml", UriKind.Relative));

  
    foreach (var module in catalog.Modules)
       module.Ref += "?v=" + Version.Replace(".", "");
              
    return catalog;
}   

In the AssemblyInfo.cs of the Shell application (or whatever you called the parent XAP) you should set the build and/or the revision version number to *.
 
[assembly: AssemblyVersion("1.0.*")]
[assembly: AssemblyFileVersion("1.0.*")]


Now when will require the XAPs, the browser will check the v=#### part of the name and, if it's newer than the cached one, will automatically download the new one without force the user to clear his browser's cache.