How to reference Azure SDK dlls in project.json?

[am11]

The official Azure SDK assemblies are not available via NuGet.

Under aspnet-core Web API project, which is configured to run as a worker role on Azure, I have used "Bin syntax" (https://github.com/aspnet/Home/wiki/Project.json-file#bin-syntax-wrapping-a-dll) in project.json as follow:

"frameworks": {
  "dnx451": {
    "dependencies": {
        " /* eradicated for brevity */ "
    },
    "bin": {
      "assembly": "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SDKs\\Azure\\.NET SDK\\v2.8\\ref\\Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll"
    }
  }
},

In WorkerRole.cs, I am getting Cannot resolve symbol 'ServiceRuntime' at using Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll.

• Is this usage flawed?
• In cases such as these, when NuGet package is not an option provided by vendor, can we add assembly in source tree and reference it with relative path in project.json?
• Is there another (better, special) way to handle Azure SDK assemblies?

[am11]

Found the solution:

I created a Class Library (package) project (AzureSDKServiceRuntimeWrapper), which wraps the Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll, added a project.json with following content:

{
  "frameworks": {
    "dnx451": {
      "bin": {
        "assembly": "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft SDKs\\Azure\\.NET SDK\\v2.8\\ref\\Microsoft.WindowsAzure.ServiceRuntime.dll"
      }
    }
  }
}

Then referenced this project in Web API project's project.json:

"frameworks": {
  "dnx451": {
    "dependencies": {
      "AzureSDKServiceRuntimeWrapper": "1.*"
      ".. other dependencies.."
    }
  }
}

Finally, worked on postbuild event to copy the API project assembly in two places: from "artifacts/bin/{projectname}/{configuration}/{tfm}/{projectname}.dll" to "artifacts/bin/{projectname}/{configuration}/" and "artifacts/obj/{projectname}/{configuration}" (the latter one is required by worker role's .targets file provided by v2.8 SDK). The worker role application is now packagable and hence publishable (although facing some further hiccups once package gets restored on Azure; i.e. worker role is continuously rebooting, but I will manage to investigate it further).

Would be nice to clarify the wrapper project aspect in docs. I would happy to send a (reviewable) PR if there is a repo with docs in the source tree. :)