@Steve: 
We consider and discuss all logged feature requests. When it is possible ( a matter of planned tasks, existing code coherence, technology, functionality, demand, backwards compatibility and other factors) we aim to include the requested features. An example is the Reporting REST service cache - http://feedback.telerik.com/Project/162/Feedback/Details/132568-global-processing-cache-provider 

About this request. If we understand correctly and if I recall correctly previously discussed projects, you have a large solution with many projects. To ease the development you decided to centralize the source of assemblies. To let other developers work on that solution, assemblies are referenced from a custom shared folder. The issue for your is that the Upgrade Wizard changes from where assemblies are referenced in the projects, and the saved path does not exist on other machines lacking Telerik Reporting.

The reason we declined the request is that the Upgrade Wizard has to update references in order to claim the project is upgraded successfully. The wizard changes configuration files, reports’ resx files and other settings (only project items) which will not work if assemblies are not updated.  Also updating only assemblies will not work, if other settings are not changed. 

The information that the Upgrade Wizard has is where Telerik Reporting assemblies are installed/placed on the machine (written in the registry on installing the product). To update assembly references the wizard uses its knowledge where assemblies of the selected versions are placed, and then it changes the HintPath. Keeping the old HintPath is logically incorrect for an upgrade wizard, this would be equivalent to skipping update of assemblies and possible source of many issues for projects not using the same custom approach with centralized source of assemblies.

Updating the content of the folder specified by the HintPath is not an option as the wizard does not have the knowledge where else assemblies may be used. In general, the Upgrade Wizard purpose is not to add/remove DLL files as would do an installer.


On support level, we can suggest you to Bin deploy assemblies by setting the references CopyLocal to True per project. Other approach is to install Telerik Reporting always in the same custom folder or upgrade manually the projects. We can discuss further these suggestions and if they are applicable for you in a support ticket.

Thank you for your understand.

Hello Steve,

We kindly ask you to use appropriate language in discussions.

In regards to the issue. 
If we understand correctly, you have a folder in the solution that keeps DLLs. The project references the assemblies from that folder. 
On upgrade, Telerik Reporting Upgrade Wizard updates configuration files, registrations and assembly references in the project. Lets say originally the references were set like:
 <Reference Include="Telerik.Reporting, Version=9.1.15.731, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=a9d7983dfcc261be, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
      <HintPath>DLLS\Telerik.Reporting.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>

After the Wizard they will be like 
 <Reference Include="Telerik.Reporting, Version=10.0.16.211, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=a9d7983dfcc261be">
      <HintPath>D:\Telerik\Reporting Q1 2016\bin\Telerik.Reporting.dll</HintPath>
      <SpecificVersion>True</SpecificVersion>
    </Reference>

We do that  to ensure the application loads the correct version of the assemblies. Otherwise, if assemblies in the custom DLLs folder are not updated manually, there may be conflicts on running the application again.

Our general recommendation in the case is to set the references CopyLocal to True. This will ensure assemblies are copied in the Bin folder and then they are loaded from that Bin folder. In such case after the Upgrade Wizard assemblies in the Bin folder will be updated without any further manual work.

If you are observing behavior  different than the above described, please use the support ticketing system to share the details as there might be an issue in the product or the project settings that we need to investigate further.
The support ticketing system guarantees you an answer in a reasonable time-frame and timely notifications on updates.

Regards,
Stefania

Hello Steve,

Currently the purpose of the upgrade wizard is to change the references of the Telerik Reporting assemblies with the ones you are upgrading to. This is ensured by referencing the assemblies in the Telerik Reporting installation folder.
You may need to change the references manually after upgrade or set them to CopyLocal=True.