I have an application which runs on both CE.NET and the full framework. To
allow for a shared code base the following describes the assembly structure:

1) There is an executable binary for each of CE.NET and .NET (Forms).

2) These Forms binaries reference and use classes defined in a business
logic library (BLL) class assembly.

3) The BLL references and uses classes in the data access library (DAL)
class assembly.

4) The DAL uses functionality in the reflection namespace to dynamically
load platform specific data access assemblies that contain classes that
implement interfaces defined in the DAL and are used in the BLL.

5) The BLL and DAL assemblies only reference System, System.Data and
System.Xml (all retargetable) and the BLL also references the DAL.

6) The BLL and DAL assemblies are defined in a CE solution i.e. Smart Device
projects.

7) The full .NET forms solution references the BLL.

The problem is that for some reason VS.NET 2003 places
Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll, mscorlib.dll, System.Drawing.dll and
System.Windows.Forms.dll in the BLL\Debug\bin directory although they are not
referenced by it, the DAL or the platform specific data access assemblies.
These assemblies are used instead of the fully framework assemblies defined
in the .NET forms project because of the reference to this directory.

The problem I have is that:

a) unreferenced assemblies are placed in the BLL\Debug\bin directory

b) these DLLs are used instead in place of those referenced in the .NET
Forms project.

This does not appear to be a problem with .NET or VB.NET (the clients chosen
language) but with Visual Studio unnecessarily placing the assemblies in the
bin directory when it is not specified or requested (a). I accept that it
will and should attempt to use assemblies in reference directories (b).