cannot be opened because its project type (.csproj) is not supported by this version of the application.

Article
2013-08-23

Question

_{Friday, August 23, 2013 2:41 PM}

I have visual studio 2012 professional edition installed.

I tried to open an project file in MCTS EXAM 70-503 Training Kit that is used Visual Studio 2008, then it gives me the error

"cannot be opened because its project type (.csproj) is not supported by this version of the application.
To open it, please use a version that supports this type of project."

I heard that Visual Studio could convert it automatically to the current version but the conversion wizard didn't show at all.
Here is the project sample file.

<Project ToolsVersion="3.5" DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
    <Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
    <ProductVersion>9.0.20706</ProductVersion>
    <SchemaVersion>2.0</SchemaVersion>
    <ProjectGuid>{CE433208-AE09-4314-A6EF-23663BAC3179}</ProjectGuid>
    <OutputType>Library</OutputType>
    <AppDesignerFolder>Properties</AppDesignerFolder>
    <RootNamespace>Tasks.Services</RootNamespace>
    <AssemblyName>Tasks.Services</AssemblyName>
    <ProjectTypeGuids>{3D9AD99F-2412-4246-B90B-4EAA41C64699};{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}</ProjectTypeGuids>
    <StartArguments>/client:"WcfTestClient.exe"</StartArguments>
    <TargetFrameworkVersion>v3.5</TargetFrameworkVersion>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
    <Optimize>true</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Reference Include="System" />
    <Reference Include="System.Core">
      <RequiredTargetFramework>3.5</RequiredTargetFramework>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="System.Data" />
    <Reference Include="System.Runtime.Serialization">
      <RequiredTargetFramework>3.0</RequiredTargetFramework>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="System.ServiceModel">
      <RequiredTargetFramework>3.0</RequiredTargetFramework>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="System.Xml" />
    <Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq">
      <RequiredTargetFramework>3.5</RequiredTargetFramework>
    </Reference>
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Compile Include="ITaskManagerService.cs" />
    <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
    <Compile Include="TaskManagerService.cs" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <None Include="App.config" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <ProjectReference Include="..\Tasks.Entities\Tasks.Entities.csproj">
      <Project>{AB9ACB78-2C90-4933-9C25-92BA0353F450}</Project>
      <Name>Tasks.Entities</Name>
    </ProjectReference>
  </ItemGroup>
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildBinPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
  <!-- To modify your build process, add your task inside one of the targets below and uncomment it. 
       Other similar extension points exist, see Microsoft.Common.targets.
  <Target Name="BeforeBuild">
  </Target>
  <Target Name="AfterBuild">
  </Target>
  -->
</Project>

All replies (5)

_{Wednesday, August 28, 2013 2:20 AM ✅Answered}

Hi ardmore,

Glad to receive your reply.

Based on the zip file shared by you, we know that your .NET Framework installed well.

If we could update a simple app in VS2012, I’m afraid that it will be related to your specific app, it is not the VS IDE issue.

(1).Generally we would update the VS2008 project in VS2010 (with SP1), maybe some methods are not supported in VS2012 now. So it possible, you could update it in VS2010, check it again, and then update the new project in VS2012.

(2).If possible, you could try to create the same project in VS2012, and then check the differences.

(3).As our previous discussion, we could make sure that it is not the VS IDE issue, so you could post this issue to specific development forum. If you are not sure which forum will be better for this issue, please provide more information about this issue, for example, which language are you using, VB, VC# or others? Which kind of app are you updating, the Winforms app, WCF, web or others?

If there's any concern, please feel free to let me know.

Have a nice day,

Jack Zhai[MSFT]
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_{Saturday, August 24, 2013 10:44 AM | 2 votes}

Hello,

Several things to look at where some should not make a difference but they may be the problem.

Validate Framework 3.5 is available on your machine Try starting up Visual Studio from the VS command line with devenv /ResetSkipPkgs and also disable any IDE exensions.

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help, this will help others who are looking for solutions to the same or similar problem.

_{Monday, August 26, 2013 12:49 PM}

By checking HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP, v3.5 is indeed installed in C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v3.5.

How to disable any IDE extensions?

_{Tuesday, August 27, 2013 2:18 AM}

Thanks for Kevininstructor’s help.

Hi ardmore,

How to disable any IDE extensions?

Tools > Extensions and Updates

Just to make this issue clearly, do you run the Run devenv.exe /resetskippkgs in the command line as Kevininstructor’s suggestion? If you create a simple VS2008 project, for example, a VC# console app, and then open it in VS2012, could you get the conversion wizard? Whether it works well in other Environment?

If all projects have the same issue, I suggest you repair your VS, check it again.

If just the specific app has this issue, maybe you could share us a sample, I will try to update it in my side.

We would make sure that the VS2012 supports this kind of app.
Please check your .net framework installation here.
Please install the VS2012 update 3.

If still no help, just one workaround, a tool which could help us update project, since it just supports the VS2010 and precious versions, so if possible, you could update it to VS2010, and then open it in VS2012, check it again.

You could download it from here:

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/80001/SolutionConverter

Note:

You can take a backup before update your project.

If there's any concern, please feel free to let me know.

Best Regards,

_{Tuesday, August 27, 2013 1:31 PM}

Too much information, I can't digest it quickly. -:)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE>devenv /ResetSkip
Pkgs

I can open the vs 2008 IDE by the above command. For the project, please see the image:

If I create a simple vs 2008 blank solution then open it with vs 2012. Then I got the snapshot.

If I click OK. Then it became:

It seems to be okay. To verify framework installed, please see the zip file "Downloads.zip" at Skydrive.

Thanks for further advice.

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cannot be opened because its project type (.csproj) is not supported by this version of the application.

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