The type initializer for 'Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.RoleEnvironment' threw an exception

Question

I am trying to use Windows Azure Caching to store sessions in a MVC4 application. I build a application following steps from Link but when i try to make object of DataCache using below code line.

DataCache cache = new DataCache("default");

Errors occurs:

Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll not found or version mismatched, I updated my Windows Azure Emulator version to 2.0.0 and install WindowsAzure.Caching package version 2.0.0.0 using NuGet package installer. Now the error changes to "The type initializer for 'Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.RoleEnvironment' threw an exception."

I am using Windows 8 with VS2012 and Windows Azure Emulator version 2.0.0.

I will grateful if anyone can help me on this.

InnerException
    Message: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.RoleEnvironment' threw an exception.

    Source: Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime

    Stack Trace:    at Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.RoleEnvironment.get_IsAvailable()
       at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.AzureClientHelper.RoleUtility.IsAzureEnvironmentAvailable()

Stack Trace:    at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethod(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, Boolean constructor)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.UnsafeInvokeInternal(Object obj, Object[] parameters, Object[] arguments)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at System.Reflection.MethodBase.Invoke(Object obj, Object[] parameters)
   at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCacheFactoryConfiguration.Initialize(String clientName)
   at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCacheFactoryConfiguration..ctor()
   at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCacheFactory..ctor()
   at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCacheFactory.InitializeOrFetchSingletonFactoryInstance(String clientConfigurationName)
   at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCache..ctor(String cacheName, String clientConfigurationName)
   at Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCache..ctor(String cacheName)
   at MvcWebRole.Controllers.HomeController.Index() in d:\Pankaj\Azure.Test\Caching.Sample\MvcWebRole\Controllers\HomeController.cs:line 15
   at lambda_method(Closure , ControllerBase , Object[] )
   at System.Web.Mvc.ReflectedActionDescriptor.Execute(ControllerContext controllerContext, IDictionary`2 parameters)
   at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethod(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary`2 parameters)
   at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.<>c__DisplayClass15.<InvokeActionMethodWithFilters>b__12()
   at System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodFilter(IActionFilter filter, ActionExecutingContext preContext, Func`1 continuation)

Answer 1

I experienced this when migrating from Azure SDK 2.3 to SDK 2.4.

I noticed the migration automatically fixed all references to the service runtime for my web and worker roles, i.e.

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Azure\.NET SDK\v2.3\ref\Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll

changed to:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Azure\.NET SDK\v2.4\ref\Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll

However any assemblies referenced from the web/worker roles that referenced this assembly didn't update so I had to do it manually.

In addition I had to update the web.config and app.config entries to reference 2.4.0.0

<dependentAssembly>
    <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
     <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-2.4.0.0" newVersion="2.4.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>