Documentation about referencing and/or including FSharp.Core.dll

docs/content/corelib.fsx

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+(*** hide ***)
+#I "../../bin/v4.5/"
+(**
+Compiler Services: Notes on FSharp.Core.dll
+=================================================
+
+Shipping an FSharp.Core with your application
+---------------------------------------------
+
+
+When building applications or plug-in components which use ``FSharp.Compiler.Service.dll``, you will normally need
+to ship a copy of ``FSharp.Core.dll`` as part of your application.  
+
+For example, if you build a HostedCompiler.exe, you will normally place an ``FSharp.Core.dll`` (say 4.3.1.0) alongside
+your HostedCompiler.exe.  
+
+Sometimes you will also need to include an ``FSharp.Core.optdata`` and ``FSharp.Core.sigdata``, see below.
+
+Binding redirects for your application
+--------------------------------------
+
+The ``FSharp.Compiler.Service.dll`` component depends on FSharp.Core 4.3.0.0.  Normally your application will target
+a later version of FSharp.Core.  This means you will also need a binding-redirect file to make sure
+that FSharp.Core 4.3.0.0 forwards to which ever final version of ``FSharp.Core.dll`` your application runs correctly.
+Binding redirect files are normally generated automatically by build tooling. If not, you can use a 
+
+``
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
+<configuration>
+    <runtime>
+      <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
+        <dependentAssembly>
+          <assemblyIdentity name="FSharp.Core" publicKeyToken="b03f5f7f11d50a3a" culture="neutral"/>
+          <bindingRedirect oldVersion="2.0.0.0-4.3.0.0" newVersion="4.3.1.0"/>
+        </dependentAssembly>
+      </assemblyBinding>
+    </runtime>	
+</configuration>
+``
+
+Which FSharp.Core and .NET Framework gets referenced in compilation?
+--------------------------------------
+
+The FSharp.Compiler.Service component can be used to do more or less any sort of F# compilation.
+In particular you can reference an explicit FSharp.Core and/or framework
+assemblies in the command line arguments (different to the FSharp.Core and a .NET Framework being used to run your tool).
+
+To target a specific FSharp.Core and/or .NET Framework assemblies, use the ``--noframework`` argument
+and the appropriate command-line arguments:
+
+   let errors2, exitCode2 = 
+        scs.Compile([| "fsc.exe"; "--noframework"; "-r"; @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\FSharp\.NETFramework\v4.0\4.3.1.0\FSharp.Core.dll"; "-r"; @"C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\mscorlib.dll"; "-o"; fn3; "-a"; fn2 |])
+
+
+
+You will need to determine the location of these assemblies.  The easiest ways to locate these DLLs in a cross-platform way and
+convert them to command-line arguments is to [crack an F# project file](http://fsharp.github.io/FSharp.Compiler.Service/project.html).  
+Alternatively you can compute SDK paths yourself, and some helpers to do this are in [the tests for FSharp.Compiler.Service.dll](https://github.com/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Service/blob/8a943dd3b545648690cb3bed652a469bdb6dd869/tests/service/Common.fs#L54).
+
+
+Do I need to include ``FSharp.Core.optdata`` and ``FSharp.Core.sigdata``?
+--------------------------------------
+
+If your compilation arguments explicitly reference an ``FSharp.Core.dll`` from an SDK location, then ``FSharp.Core.sigdata`` and ``FSharp.Core.optdata`` should be alongside the DLL
+(if these files are not installed, then that's a bug in the F# SDK installation).  If your compilation
+arguments are always making an explicit reference, then you should _not_ include ``FSharp.Core.optdata`` and ``FSharp.Core.sigdata`` as part of your application.
+
+
+If you do _not_ explicitly reference an ``FSharp.Core.dll`` from an SDK location, then an implicit reference will be made
+to whichever FSharp.Core.dll your tool is running.  This means your tool will almost certainly implicitly reference the FSharp.Core.dll
+that is part of your application.  In this case, you may either get an error that ``FSharp.Core.optdata`` and ``FSharp.Core.sigdata`` are not
+found alongside FSharp.Core.dll.  If you want to implicitly reference the ``FSharp.Core.dll`` you are including in your application,
+then also add ``FSharp.Core.sigdata`` and ``FSharp.Core.optdata`` as two additional files to your application.  When using CompileToDynamicAssembly, this problem
+can also manifest itself as [a stack overflow during assembly resolution](https://github.com/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Service/issues/258).
+
+Tools that dynamically compile and execute code (e.g. a ``HostedExecution.exe``) normally make an implicit reference to FSharp.Core.dll.
+
+Summary
+-------
+
+In this design note we've discussed three things
+
+- which FSharp.Core.dll is used to run your compilation tool
+- how  to configure binding redirects for the FSharp.Core.dll used to run your compilation tool
+- which FSharp.Core.dll and/or framework assemblies are  referenced during the checking and compilations performed by your tool.
+
+*)

docs/tools/templates/template.cshtml

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
             <li class="nav-header">Design Notes</li>
             <li><a href="@Root/queue.html">The FSharpChecker operations queue</a></li>
             <li><a href="@Root/caches.html">The FSharpChecker caches</a></li>
+            <li><a href="@Root/corelib.html">Notes on FSharp.Core.dll</a></li>
 
             <li class="nav-header">Documentation</li>
             <li><a href="@Root/reference/index.html">API Reference</a> (Preliminary)