Create a C# Console App in Visual Studio for Mac#

This topic describes the steps needed to configure a C# console application in Visual Studio for Mac. These steps have been verified to work with Visual Studio for Mac 2022, on macOS Ventura 13.5.2.

Create the Visual Studio project#

  1. Create a C# console application in Visual Studio.

    • Choose .NET 6.0 for Target Framework

    • Name the project simple-converter.

    • Leave Put project file in a subfolder unchecked

  2. Replace the contents of Program.cs with this code:

    using PrimoSoftware.AVBlocks;

namespace SimpleConverter
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Library.Initialize();

            var inputInfo = new MediaInfo();

            inputInfo.Inputs[0].File = "AAP.m4v";
            if (inputInfo.Open())
            {
                var inputSocket = MediaSocket.FromMediaInfo(inputInfo);
                var outputSocket = MediaSocket.FromPreset(Preset.Video.Generic.MP4.Base_H264_AAC);
                outputSocket.File = "AAP.mp4";

                using (var transcoder = new Transcoder())
                {
                    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inputSocket);
                    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outputSocket);

                    if (transcoder.Open())
                    {
                        transcoder.Run();
                        transcoder.Close();
                    }
                }
            }

            Library.Shutdown();
        }
    }
}

  3. Download the Darwin version of AVBlocks for .NET (net60). The file you need will have a name similar to avblocks-net60-v3.1.0-demo.1-darwin.zip - the version number may differ.

  4. Unzip in a location of your choice, then copy the file AVBlocks.clrcore.x64.dll and libAVBlocks.dylib to the project’s directory.

  5. Switch to the project in Visual Studio and add a reference to AVBlocks.clrcore.x64.dll. To do this right click the simple-converter project, select Add | Reference | .NET Assembly | Browse then select AVBlocks.clrcore.x64.dll.

  6. Add the libAVBlocks.dylib to your project simply as a file, open file properties, and set the ‘Copy to Output Directory’ to ‘Copy if newer’, so it is copied to the output directory automatically. The AVBlocks.clrcore.x64.dll needs libAVBlocks.dylib and will not work without it.

  7. Build the project (Cmd + K)

Run the application#

  1. Download the AAP.m4v HD movie from the Internet Archive and and save it in bin/Debug/net6.0 under the project’s directory.

  2. Run the application in Visual Studio. Wait a few seconds for the Transcoder to finish. The converted file AAP.mp4 will be in the bin/Debug/net6.0 directory.

Troubleshooting#

  • You may get a 'DllNotFoundException' exception: Unable to load DLL 'libAVBlocks.dylib': The specified module could not be found. To fix that, copy the file libAVBlocks.dylib to bin/Debug/net6.0 under the project’s directory.

  • Transcoder.Open may fail if there is already a file AAP.mp4 in the bin/Debug/net6.0 directory. Delete AAP.mp4 to solve that.