MediaInfo.Native

MediaInfo.Native is a NuGet package that ships prebuilt native MediaInfoLib binaries for Windows projects.

This repository is used to build and publish the native package consumed by MP-MediaInfo, but the package can also be referenced by any other .NET solution that needs Windows native MediaInfo binaries.

What this package is

• A native binary package for Windows.
• A packaging layer around MediaInfoLib and its native runtime dependencies.
• Suitable for solutions that already have a managed wrapper or use P/Invoke to call MediaInfo.

What this package is not

• It is not a managed .NET API.
• It does not provide C# wrapper classes by itself.
• It is not the cross-platform package in this repository.

If you need runtime-specific assets for .NET Core / .NET 5+ across Windows, Linux, and macOS, use MediaInfo.Core.Native instead.

Package contents

Current package metadata in this repository:

• Package ID: MediaInfo.Native
• Version: 26.1.0
• Upstream library: MediaInfoLib 26.01
• Bundled native dependencies:
  • OpenSSL 3.6.1
  • libcurl 8.19.1-DEV
  • libssh2 1.11.2-DEV
  • Brotli runtime DLLs

The package includes the following native binaries:

• MediaInfo.dll
• libcurl.dll
• libssh2.dll
• libcrypto-3-x64.dll / libcrypto-3.dll
• libssl-3-x64.dll / libssl-3.dll
• brotlicommon.dll
• brotlidec.dll
• brotlienc.dll

Additional history files are also packed:

• History_MediaInfo.txt
• History_Curl.txt
• History_OpenSSL.md

Supported platforms

MediaInfo.Native is intended for Windows projects and includes native assets for:

• x86
• x64

The package uses an MSBuild .targets file to copy native files to the output directory.

Behavior by build platform:

• x86: copies x86 native files directly to the output folder.
• x64: copies x64 native files directly to the output folder.
• AnyCPU: copies both x86 and x64 files into x86 and x64 subfolders under the output directory.

That behavior supports projects that decide the process architecture at runtime and load the matching native library themselves.

When to use this package

Use MediaInfo.Native when:

• your application runs on Windows only;
• your solution already contains a managed wrapper around MediaInfo native exports;
• you want the native binaries to flow through NuGet instead of storing them inside the consuming project;
• you need the same native package used by MP-MediaInfo.

When to use MediaInfo.Core.Native instead

Use MediaInfo.Core.Native when:

• you target .NET Core, .NET 5+, .NET 6+, or later;
• you want standard runtimes/{rid}/native asset resolution;
• you need Linux or macOS native binaries in addition to Windows.

This repository publishes both packages because they solve different consumption models:

• MediaInfo.Native: Windows-focused package with MSBuild copy logic.
• MediaInfo.Core.Native: cross-platform runtime asset package.

Installation

PackageReference:

<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="MediaInfo.Native" Version="26.1.0" />
</ItemGroup>

NuGet Package Manager Console:

Install-Package MediaInfo.Native -Version 26.1.0

How it works in a consuming project

The package contains MediaInfo.Native.targets, which is imported automatically by NuGet/MSBuild.

During build, that targets file adds the native binaries as content-like items and marks them with CopyToOutputDirectory=PreserveNewest.

This means the consuming project does not need custom copy steps for the packaged native files.

Consuming the native library

This package is typically used in one of these ways:

• through a managed wrapper project that declares DllImport or uses source-generated interop;
• through a higher-level library that hides the native interop details;
• through an application that explicitly loads the correct x86/x64 binary set.

Because this package only provides native binaries, your solution is responsible for:

• defining the managed interop layer;
• loading the correct architecture-specific library;
• ensuring your process architecture matches the native binaries being used.

Example scenario

MP-MediaInfo uses this package as the native distribution layer for MediaInfo on Windows. The same approach can be reused in other solutions that want:

• a small managed wrapper repository;
• native binary delivery through NuGet;
• versioned updates of MediaInfo and its native dependencies.

Licensing

The packaged upstream MediaInfo library is distributed under the BSD 2-Clause license by MediaArea.net SARL.

Upstream project:

• MediaInfoLib

Upstream license:

• LICENSE

Consumers should review the upstream license terms and any obligations related to bundled native dependencies.

Repository layout

Relevant files in this repository:

• MediaInfo.Native.nuspec: package definition for MediaInfo.Native
• MediaInfo.Core.Native.nuspec: package definition for the cross-platform variant
• MediaInfo.Native.targets: MSBuild copy logic for Windows consumers
• x86/ and x64/: packaged Windows native binaries
• runtimes/: cross-platform native assets used by MediaInfo.Core.Native
• Build/: build scripts and Dockerfiles used to produce Linux distributions for runtime packaging

Notes for maintainers and consumers

• Version numbers in the package reflect the packaged native payload, not a managed API surface.
• Native dependency updates are tracked in the bundled history files.
• If you only need Windows native MediaInfo binaries, this package is the simpler choice.
• If you need modern RID-based runtime resolution, prefer MediaInfo.Core.Native.