We're just in the process of transitioning from VS2013&15/TFS2013 to VS2017/TFS2017 (on-site TFS, not VSTS) and the first test solution is a dotNet Core 1.1 based one (a multi-project web service).
The solution builds fine on the original developer's box and I've got it out of TFS and it builds fine on mine too. In keeping with our previous methodology the contents of the packages folder are checked in with the projects as this makes the packages locally available on the build box (no internet).
Building the solution on the build server is a different story, however, as I get multiple errors of the form...
..\obj\project.assets.json' not found. Run a NuGet package restore to generate this file.
I get the errors both when I run the TFS build definition and when I remote to the box and build directly through the VS on the box itself.
This whole project.assets.json not found issue seems to be causing headaches all over. In my case the issue is that I'm trying to resolve it on our TFS 2017 Build Server, which does not and never will have internet access ('cos it's a server!).
All the solutions I've seen thus far seem to suggest running the Nuget Restore command but that can't work since the server cannot get to nuget.
This is nothing fancy yet, just a simple TFS 2017 Build definition with a Get sources and a Build solution step. I can't understand how something so simple has become so difficult.
Changing the Nuget Package Restore options makes no difference.
Since the project.assets.json files are generated on the fly in the obj folder, I can't even check them in to reuse. Can anyone please suggest a workaround, at the moment the test project is dead in the water.
Edit: trying the same process with a 4.6.1 web project created with VS2015 had similar results of unresolved references (e.g. System.Web) but didn't raise the same error, probably due to being an older, non-Core project.
According to I get the errors both when I run the TFS build definition and when I remote to the box and build directly through the VS on the box itself.
The issue seems not related to TFS build side since it also not work with local build through VS in the build agent machine.
Since this is a dotnet project. So, you could try to use “dotnet restore” and not “nuget restore”. Try using the dotnet core template (which uses dotnet restore).
If you are using authenticated nuget feeds, then you can use nuget restore but you also need to use nuget installer task. See https://github.com/Microsoft/vsts-tasks/issues/3762 for a discussion on that.
The Nuget version should be higher than 4.0.
Without dotnet restore and Nuget restore and only use get source/Visual Studio Build will not be able to build the dotnet core project. If your server do not have internet access, as a workaround you should use Local feeds.
I'm hoping to get some assistance from you smart people!
I had my CI tool, TeamCity, compile solutions without a problem when VS 2015 was installed however I read from multiple sources that TeamCity does not need VS
Subsequently, I created an EC2 instance and installed JDK, MS BuildTools 2015, the Build Agent, and PsExec on my Build Server and connected it to the EC2 server housing the TeamCity client.
Unfortunately, it is giving off errors for a simple solution. -- http://imgur.com/M8sdDRs
I moved folders from my dev machine to the CI build agent server
Actually, you don't need to install Visual Studio 2010 or Visual Studio 2012 on your CI server. You only need to copy a few folders from a development machine to the same location on the CI server.
• C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v14.0\Web
• C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v14.0\WebApplications
The problem is still persisting and I've come to a stand-still and frustrated with the problem.
THANKS SO MUCH!
If you're using the Visual Studio (sln) step runner type then you will need VS installed because that requires devenv.exe to build the solution. Unless you've got specific requirements for that, you should probably switch to using MSBuild as your build engine to remove the dependency on devenv.exe. Configure a build step of type MSBuild, point it at your solution and select Microsoft Build Tools 2015 / 14.0.
I doubt all your problems magically go away though, as you'll still need to stage bits of MSBuild like you've mentioned (WebApplications targets etc). I've had major hassles over the years trying to get a stateless, dependency 'free' agent build configured; Windows / .NET SDK is a can of worms.
Recommendation from TeamCity - Install VS on the CI Server to minimize the potential for errors. I installed the full Community Version, though VS Isolated Shell was fine as well, I wanted to minimize the room for error.
I ensured that: Administration > [Project] > Build Configuration Settings > Agents Requirements had MSBuildTools14.0_x86_Path existing and set my parameters to follow the following great resource - http://blog.anthonybaker.me/2013/04/how-to-automate-builds-with-teamcity_3119.html
How do I create a TFS Build which automatically runs a Release (deployment) from Microsoft's Release Management for Visual Studio 2013?
In order to start a release off from your TFS Build, you need to change the Build Definition. Luckily when you install Release Management it creates a Build Template for you to use with an example. In may instances this will be enough to get you going.
Release Management Build Process Template
Release Management Build Process Templates are not installed in TFS by default, so it won’t appear as an available build process template until you add it.
Find the Template in your server install in : C:\Program Files (x86)\ Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\ReleaseManagement\bin\
TFS 2010 : ReleaseDefaultTemplate.xaml
TFS 2012 : ReleaseDefaultTemplate.11.1.xaml
TFS 2013 : ReleaseTfvcTemplate.12.xaml (or ReleaseGitTemplate.12.xaml if using GIT)
To add the release management build process template, you will need to check it in to your TFS source control in the BuildProcessTemplate folder in your project. Then add the build process file when editing (or adding) a Build Definition. Once the release management template has been added to the list of build templates, you can start using it.
Please ensure you use the above templates from the Release Management Server and not the client directory as I did initially. You will get rather odd errors during your build if so, such as:
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v12.0\Web\Microsoft.Web.Publishing.targets (3883): Web deployment task failed. (Unknown ProviderOption:DefiningProjectFullPath. Known ProviderOptions are:skipInvalid.)
Package Pickup \ Path to package.
When you set up your components, Release Management needs to know where to pick up your installation files to do something with them. When you created your Release Template it should be connected to a specific build by selecting the build definition that will initiate it (also tick "can trigger a release from a build?"). When you add the components to install as part of your release you specify their Source. "Builds with application" should be selected. The bit that got me was the big empty box next to the Build Drop location which is a mandatory field. My initial reaction was to fill it with the name of the msi file I was trying to deploy. That makes sense right? wrong. If I queued a build from Visual Studio I kept getting the following message.
Package location '\\blah\blah\Build Name\Build Name_20140707.3\A.Product.To.Install.msi' does not exists or Deployer user does not have access.
The file did exist in the location and the user the deployment agent was using did have access to the drop directory. I had also confirmed it was able to access it using ProcMon. After sleeping on it I decided to hover my mouse over the input box and a nice tooltip pops up saying:
The package path relative to the build drop location is required for
component bound to a Release Template. If the package is directly at
the root of the build drop location, you need to enter the '\'
character.
So, after my eureka moment, I deleted the msi file name and replaced it with a "\" and queued the next build. It worked. In retrospect I think they should remove the mandatory requirement for something to be entered to replace the need to enter a "\". It's a little hidden and not intuitive.
See MSDN Article here for more info
For Modified Build Process Templates
My team uses Team City to do continuous builds and deployment of our Web Application Projects. In order to do a deployment build, we use Web Deployment Projects, which are not available in Visual Studio 2012. We aren't really using any of the advanced features of WDPs like .config transformations, but the main reason we use them is because when they build, they put only the necessary files for deployment into the build folder - in essence, removing all the .cs files and leaving only what's needed for "xcopy deployment". We then rsync the result to our test/prod environments.
So, my question is this: now that WDPs are no longer supported in Visual Studio 2012, how do I do an automated deployment build that pares down to only the files needed for deployment in VS2012?
Web Deployment Projects have been superseded by Publishing Profiles in VS2012.
They can do everything WDPs can do, with the added advantage of not needing to install additional software or create a separate .WDP project file.
Doug Rathbone has done a great blog post on migrating to Publishing Profiles from WDP:
http://www.diaryofaninja.com/blog/2012/08/26/visual-studio-2012-web-deployment-projects-are-dead-ndash-long-live-publishing-profiles
You should look into Octopus, it gives you all kind of deployment options. http://octopusdeploy.com/
Since .net 4.0 there is package and publish support in Web Application Projects out of the box. All you need is call msbuild /t:Package - it will do all the stuff.
I recommend to read this tutorial, there is everything you need. http://www.asp.net/web-forms/tutorials/deployment/deploying-web-applications-in-enterprise-scenarios/deploying-web-applications-in-enterprise-scenarios
We use Jenkins for our CI environment combined with SVN. In VS 2012 we check in code (using Ankh) to SVN and we configure Jenkins to poll SVN every 15 minutes:
Jenkins CI
Here's a post I wrote about setting up a CI server with IIS7 and Web Deploy 2.0:
Setup CI server with IIS7 and Web Deploy 2.0
I'm opening a solution that was apparently built on Visual Studio 2003 (not sure, I don't know anything about it) and trying to migrate to 2010. When trying to migrate I get the message:
the application for project '' is not installed make sure the application for the project type (.csproj) is installed.
If I open each one of the single projects of the solution they migrate fine but not the solution itself.
Right-click on the project file, then "Reload"
If your solution opens, but your project is showing as "incompatible", it may need to just reload. This worked for me when running an update from VS, and it did not recognize my njsproj
I know this is an old question, but it is still occurring in VS 2013.
I had an old VS 2003 web application. I opened it in VS 2013 (Ultimate) and had the error message:
Could not find the server on the local machine.
Creating a virtual directory is only supported on the local IIS server
along with
The application for project is not installed.
Yes, I am upgrading, and yes, I don't have some other elements ready. Giving me errors is fine - but why are you not completing the migration/load of the project. I can't fix the other issues if you don't LOAD ANYTHING! You loaded the subprojects, and then you told me that I should choose a later .NET Framework. Great, I did that. So why didn't you just finish loading the main project and let me fix the errors?
Lots of attempts to fix this failed. My final solution, just to get the project loaded was {arrow pierces chest, dies with Arghhhhhh on his lips}...
I located the {project}.csproj file. I found the <Reference> sections. The paths to the .NET Framework components were no longer valid and referred to old versions no longer installed (yeah, upgrading, remember?). I manually changed the paths to refer to .NET Framework 4.5 components. The project still didn't load.
Then I located the {project}.csproj.webinfo file. It referred to http://localhost/{stuff}/{project}.csproj, so I just set it to {project}.csproj. No luck. Then I just renamed the webinfo file to hide it. Eureka, the project was hot!
The project loaded, I got the "You have completed the first step in converting your Visual Studio .NET 2003 web project. To complete the conversion, please select your project in the Solution Explorer and choose the 'Convert to Web Application' context menu item." Which, of course, is not present, but is present as the very last item in the Project menu. Then I got the "This action will add designer and code behind files required for converting Web site projects to Web application projects. Do you want to continue?" You bet your posterior I want to continue! And now I have a project I can actually start to fix. Thanks, Microsoft, for the informative error messages.
If your projects individually migrate fine, then create a new blank visual studio 2010 solution, and add new projects individually (right click on solution->add->existing project)
But I'm not sure that your projects will load fine individually. There are project types that require some additional software to be installed in order to be supported. The most frequent problems I face are old projects built with old versions of asp.net mvc (1 or 2) and I have asp.net mvc 3 installed...or really old projects built with asp.net ajax...In those cases, you have to install that additional software and then import project, or find a tool to upgrade that project type to a newer version.
I found a solution that worked for Visual Studio 2017.
In Visual Studio, go to Tools > Extensions and updates. At the upper-right search box, search for "integration". It should come up with Analysis or Diagnostic Tools (or similar). Click Disable, then Enable. Exit the dialog, and close Visual Studio. Relaunch and open your solution again. Your projects will still complain they can't be loaded because of incompatibilities, but now you can right-click them individually and select "Reload Project" and they should load fine.
Credit goes to Paul Potter and Paul Shaughnessy at https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/216061/project-incompatible-application-not-installed.html - I just did the verification work, condensing the information, and delivery :)
Adding this answer as reference for people who landed here for missing ".smproj" file.
This issue can arise due to various project files missing. For me, it was because of ".smproj" file missing which is Project file for SQL Server Analysis Services(SSAS). I re-installed SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) and restarted the Visual studio.
Originally Answered here
Sometimes the SSIS or SSAS Extension in "Manage Extension" is disabled in the settings and must be Enabled manually. And then restart Visual Studio
It happened to me as wel.
You usualy do really need only to reload project in the solution. But in some cases you maybe:
didn't install SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) for VS
have to enable SQL Server Data Tools manualy in the Extensions
If you have both things settled then try to reload project again. This happened to me when I moved from VS2019 to VS2022 and extension was somehow disabled.
I am using visual studio 2019 and I was faced with this issue when I reopened my ASP.Net webform App in visual studio after modifying for install SSDT.
this problem happens when Visual studio packages will modify (Especially when SSDT will be installed).
To solve this problem you have to go to you project folder and looking for the folder that named '.vs', this folder is hidden.
Deleting these folder will solve the problem because after that when you will open your project with visual studio, it will create the folder again.
Adding this for those who face issues for SSRS projects in VS2017 from earlier version as this comes up in google search.
In Visual Studio, go to Tools > Extensions and updates. Download the below :
Microsoft Reporting Services Projects
Microsoft RDLC Report Designer
In SSIS 2017, t the upper-right search box, search Microsoft Integration Services Projects.
go to Tools > Extensions and updates.
Enable -"Microsoft Integration Services Projects"
This will help to resolve the issue re-launch the SSIS
For my case, I disabled this extension and turns out, it is needed.
Enabling it resolved my problem.
In VS2019 Before you try any of the above right click the solution and click "Resolve Errors" no kidding that made my tabular model solution being available again.
For me what worked was a variation of #vapcguy solution.
Go to #vapcguy link for Paul Potter and Paul Shaughnessy solution: https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/216061/project-incompatible-application-not-installed.html - I
Follow comment on Paul Potter's post by Albert Romeo
Integration Services Plugin was disabled(as explained before: Goto Tools > Extensions and updates > and search for integration/analysis/reporting and enable application
I had to enable integration services, then reload project. I don't know why since I've been using the same SSIS project several times a week for months.