AssemblyResolverBase incorrectly prioritizes SearchDirectories over runtime paths when resolving runtime assemblies

[zznty]

AsmResolver Version

6.0.0-beta.5

.NET Version

.NET 10

Operating System

Windows

Describe the Bug

I have a target application targeting .NET Framework 4.8 which i am trying to read from .NET 10.

Target app references System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.DisplayAttribute, System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=4.2.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a from nuget package.
This System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=4.2.1.0 assembly is a forwarder to System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35 where the actual type definitions are, but only on .NET Framework.

On .NET 10 runtime pack, this System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations assembly is a forwarder to System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a.

Problem starts when AsmResolver gets to .NET 10 version of System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations, Version=4.0.0.0 which makes try to resolve forwarded type in System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=0.0.0.0, but instead of expected System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=10.0.0.0 from runtime directory, it would get System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=4.2.1.0 from search path since it has priority over runtime directories making it a circular dependency and failing to resolve

Expected Behavior

I would expect AssemblyResolverBase to restrict assembly lookup only to runtime paths when requesting assembly was also loaded from runtime path, as it's not possible for runtime assemblies to hold references onto application assemblies

Actual Behavior

the implementation stack of type resolver looks like this when the resolution fails

(from search path) System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=4.2.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a
(from runtime path) System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35

next entry added would be

(from search path) System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=4.2.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a

resolved for specification of System.ComponentModel.Annotations, Version=0.0.0.0, but it fails circular reference protection and returns null

Additional Context

No response

[Washi1337]

Thanks for the report. This is a known problem in the current assembly resolution system that requires some fundamental changes.

#704 should eventually fix it. Until then, you may want to roll your own IAssemblyResolver.

[Washi1337]

Implemented in #704, should be up on nightly soon.