example updated (cleaner method for checking installed components)

Program.cs

@@ -1,53 +1,82 @@
 using Ivi.Visa;
 using System;
 using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.IO;
 
 namespace IviVisaNetSample
 {
     static class Program
     {
-        static void Main(string[] args)
+        static void Main()
         {
+            // Get a VISA.NET library version.
+            Version VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion = typeof(GlobalResourceManager).Assembly.GetName().Version;
+            Console.WriteLine("VISA.NET Shared Components version {0}.", VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion);
+
+            // Check whether VISA Shared Components is installed before using VISA.NET.
+            // If access VISA.NET without the visaConfMgr.dll library, an unhandled exception will
+            // be thrown during termination process due to a bug in the implementation of the
+            // VISA.NET Shared Components, andthe application will crash.
+            FileVersionInfo VisaSharedComponentsInfo;
+            try
+            {
+                // Get an available version of the VISA Shared Components.
+                VisaSharedComponentsInfo = FileVersionInfo.GetVersionInfo(Path.Combine(Environment.SystemDirectory, "visaConfMgr.dll"));
+                Console.WriteLine("VISA Shared Components version {0} detected.", VisaSharedComponentsInfo.ProductVersion);
+            }
+            catch (FileNotFoundException)
+            {
+                Console.WriteLine("VISA implementation compatible with VISA.NET Shared Components {0} not found. Please install corresponding vendor-specific VISA implementation first.", VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion);
+                return;
+            }
+
             try
             {
-                using (var res = GlobalResourceManager.Open("TCPIP:localhost::inst0::INSTR"))
+                // Connect to the instrument.
+                using (IVisaSession res = GlobalResourceManager.Open("TCPIP0::localhost::5025::SOCKET", AccessModes.ExclusiveLock, 2000))
                 {
-                    if (res is IMessageBasedFormattedIO session)
+                    if (res is IMessageBasedSession session)
                     {
-                        session.WriteLine("*IDN?");
-                        var idn = session.ReadLine();
-                        Console.WriteLine("Connected to {0}", idn);
+                        // Ensure termination character is enabled as here in example we use a SOCKET connection.
+                        session.TerminationCharacterEnabled = true;
+
+                        // Request information about an instrument.
+                        session.FormattedIO.WriteLine("*IDN?");
+                        string idn = session.FormattedIO.ReadLine();
+                        Console.WriteLine("Instrument information: {0}", idn);
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        Console.WriteLine("Not a message-based session.");
                     }
                 }
             }
-            catch (TypeInitializationException ex)
+            catch (Exception ex)
             {
-                if (ex.InnerException != null && ex.InnerException is DllNotFoundException)
+                if (ex is TypeInitializationException && ex.InnerException is DllNotFoundException)
                 {
-                    var VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion = typeof(GlobalResourceManager).Assembly.GetName().Version.ToString();
+                    // VISA Shared Components is not installed.
                     Console.WriteLine("VISA implementation compatible with VISA.NET Shared Components {0} not found. Please install corresponding vendor-specific VISA implementation first.", VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion);
                 }
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex)
-            {
-                Console.WriteLine(ex.Message);
-            }
-
-            // suppress DllNotFoundException exception in Ivi.Visa dispose
-            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.UnhandledException += UnhandledExceptionEventHandler;
-        }
-
-        // suppress DllNotFoundException exception in Ivi.Visa dispose
-        private static void UnhandledExceptionEventHandler(object sender, UnhandledExceptionEventArgs e)
-        {
-            var ex = e.ExceptionObject as Exception;
-            if (ex is DllNotFoundException dllNotFoundException)
-            {
-                // Dead programs tell no lies
-                Process.GetCurrentProcess().Kill();
+                else if (ex is VisaException
+                    && ex.Message == "No vendor-specific VISA .NET implementation is installed.")
+                {
+                    // Vendor-specific VISA.NET implementation is not available.
+                    Console.WriteLine("VISA implementation compatible with VISA.NET Shared Components {0} not found. Please install corresponding vendor-specific VISA implementation first.", VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion);
+                }
+                else if (ex is EntryPointNotFoundException)
+                {
+                    // Installed VISA Shared Components is not compatible with VISA.NET Shared Components
+                    Console.WriteLine("Installed VISA Shared Components version {0} does not support VISA.NET {1}. Please upgrade VISA implementation.", VisaSharedComponentsInfo.ProductVersion, VisaNetSharedComponentsVersion);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // Handle remaining errors.
+                    Console.WriteLine("Exception: {0}", ex.Message);
+                }
             }
 
-            throw ex;
+            Console.ReadKey();
         }
     }
 }