Print Version Number in ASP.NET MVC 4 app

I have an ASP.NET MVC 4 application. Currently, I am setting the version of the application in the project properties under the "Application" tab. From here, I click the "Assembly Information..." button. Once there, I have entered "1 0 0 *" in the "Assembly version" field.

My question is, how do I show this value on my web page? Currently, I am trying the following

@System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version.ToString()

Unfortunately, it's always printing "0.0.0.0". Realistically, I'd like to have it print 1.0.0.xyz. I would also like to print the date/time when the last build occurred. However, I have no idea how to do that.

What am I doing wrong?

To print the version number of the assembly in which was defined the controller that rendered this view:

@ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.GetName().Version

and for the assembly date:

@File.GetCreationTime(ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.Location)

I usually make HtmlHelper extension for this purpose. Something like this:

public static class HtmlHelperExtensions
{
    public static IHtmlString AssemblyVersion(this HtmlHelper helper)
    {
        var version = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version.ToString();
        return MvcHtmlString.Create(version);
    }
}

And than inside view you just call:

@Html.AssemblyVersion()

In case you are publishing your application on a production server, I would recommend using something like

@String.Format(
    "{0:dddd, MMMM d, yyyy HH:mm:ss}", 
    File.GetLastWriteTime(ViewContext.Controller.GetType().Assembly.Location))

for retrieving the date.

This will print the actual publish date since File.GetCreationTime() will give you the date the actual assembly dll was first copied on the server.

Working solution for correct date of modification after deploy:

@File.GetLastWriteTime(@System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location)

Can be used in MVC5 too.

This prints the current version number as outlined in your AssemblyInfo.cs file for printing in an ASP.NET MVC view:

@(typeof(MyController).Assembly.GetName().Version.ToString())

Replacing MyController of course with your appropriate MVC controller name.

If you need this in a Razor view, this works for me. It needed the System.IO.* prefix to work for me

<!--
Version @System.Diagnostics.FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(typeof(YourNamespace.Program).Assembly.Location).ProductVersion
Last deployed on @System.IO.File.GetCreationTime(typeof(YourNamespace.Program).Assembly.Location)
-->

Outputs the following:

<!--
Version 1.0.0
Last deployed on 04/19/2019 1:36:24 PM
-->

Your assembly version may be set using the AssemblyFileVersionAttribute, which must be accessed specifically.

AssemblyFileVersionAttribute attr = typeof(MyController).Assembly.GetCustomAttributes(typeof(AssemblyFileVersionAttribute), true).OfType<AssemblyFileVersionAttribute>().FirstOrDefault();

if (attr != null)
{
    return attr.Version;
}

The MvcDiagnostics Nuget package makes this simple.

For an ASP.NET Master Page display w/ VB.NET ...

Declaration in Master.aspx.vb

Public myAssembly As System.Reflection.Assemply

Define assembly in the Page_Load Sub of Master.aspx.vb

myAssembly = System.Relection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly

Display on the .Master page

<p>Version: <%Response.Write(myAssembly.GetName().Version.ToString())%></p>