Visual Studio - Could not find type - c#

Opening a example project. When I try to open the main form I get 6 errors. The main two say that VS could not find a type. I can see the file that defines the type in the tree but the file does not have a c# icon. Here is the icon of the file in question:
Why is VS not recognizing these c# files? How do I resolve this?
I have tried excluding from project and then including but that did not solve.

Right click the file, select "Include in Project". Then go to Properties, and make sure the Build Action is set to "Compile".

Related

Source file '' could not be found

I have some solution already created I need to work with, but I get these:
Warning 1 At least one file is missing the 'RelPath' attribute. SolutionName
Error 2 Source file '' could not be found C:\Users\me\Desktop\someDir\someDir\CSC SolutionName
I use VS Express 2013 for Desktop.
I get this error when I click rebuild solution
Why I get this error and how to fix it?
Create a backup of your project file.
In solution explorer, right click your project and unload it. Then right click again and "Edit project file".
There you can inspect your files. There should be a problem with one of them, like lacking a file name, or something different from the other files.
Remove the attributes regarding that file, save the project, right click, reload project.

How to edit .csproj file

When I am compiling my .csproj file using .NET Framework 4.0 MSBUILD.EXE file, I am getting an error: "lable01" not found in the current context of "website01.csproj".
Actually, I need to add every ASP.NET page with its code-behind file's reference. I've done it, it's working fine, but the above error is pending.
I hope it means that I need to add form name "LABLE01" in that .csproj file, but I do not know the syntax. Anybody please do provide me with the syntax to add form name in .csproj file.
The CSPROJ file, saved in XML format, stores all the references for your project including your compilation options. There is also an SLN file, which stores information about projects that make up your solution.
If you are using Visual Studio and you have the need to view or edit your CSPROJ file, while in Visual Studio, you can do so by following these simple steps:
Right-click on your project in solution explorer and select Unload Project
Right-click on the project (tagged as unavailable in solution explorer) and click "Edit yourproj.csproj". This will open up your CSPROJ file for editing.
After making the changes you want, save, and close the file. Right-click again on the node and choose Reload Project when done.
Since the question is not directly mentioning Visual Studio, I will post how to do this in JetBrains Rider.
From context menu
Right-click your project
Go to edit
Edit '{project-name.csproj}'
With shortcut
Select project
Press F4
You can right click the project file, select "Unload project" then you can open the file directly for editing by selecting "Edit project name.csproj".
You will have to load the project back after you have saved your changes in order for it to compile.
See How to: Unload and Reload Projects on MSDN.
Since project files are XML files, you can also simply edit them using any text editor that supports Unicode (notepad, notepad++ etc...)
However, I would be very reluctant to edit these files by hand - use the Solution explorer for this if at all possible. If you have errors and you know how to fix them manually, go ahead, but be aware that you can completely ruin the project file if you don't know exactly what you are doing.
There is an easier way so you don't have to unload the project. Just install this tool called EditProj in Visual Studio:
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=EdMunoz.EditProj
Then right click edit you will have a new menu item Edit Project File :)
in vs 2019 Version 16.8.2
right click on you project name
and click on "Edit Project File"
Here is my option to Edit the project file without the need to Unload the project:
Open Solution Explorer and switch to folder view:
Navigate to the Project which you want to edit inside the Solution folders and right-click on it.
Choose Open from the Context Menu.
That is it!
You will see the *.csproj file opened inside Visual Studio Editor.
After you can switch back to a Solution/Project view (see step 1).
Update:
Starting from the Visual Studio 2019 (v. 16) you can edit the *.csproj file by double-clicking on the Project, just make sure that you have the option turned On from the settings.
For JetBrains Rider:
First Option
Unload Project
Double click the unloaded project
Second option:
Click on the project
Press F4
That's it!
Sorry, most efficient way with out stuffing your proj file is.
right click the file.
goto properties
where Build Action option is set it to NONE.
Do a build (yes you may get build error if you do even better)
go back to properties of that file
set Build Action option is set it back to Compile.
rebuild.
Congratulate your self for being smarter than everyone else and not ****ing you project. For me this exercise took under 10 seconds. Where as manually trying to input the compile... line into the csproj not only can render your project unusable but it is also impossible to maintain on large scale application. Better to keep source version control software to do the updates. If you need to cross merge branches then doing the above is amazing :).
To open the .csproj file:
open the solution explorer
1
Click on the Edit Project File option
2
You can also open the .csproj by double-clicking on the project file. So no need to right click and select edit project file. Just double click and that is it.
It is a built-in option .Net core and .Net standard projects
For Visual Studio-version: 8.1.5,
Right click on the project folder.
Click "Tools", then "Edit File".
A little late to the conversation but I found a better option.
In rider you can enable "open project files with single click"
Just go to the solution options menu and then click in open project files with single click

"A project with an Output type of Class Library cannot be started directly"

I downloaded a C# project and I wish to debug the project to see how an algorithm implementation works.
The project has come in a Folder, inside this folder there are -
.sln file and
a folder which has source files and a .csproj file.
I installed Visual Studio and opened the .sln file present in the main folder. I built the project successfully, but when I try to debug the project I get this message:
A project with an Output type of Class Library cannot be started directly In order to debug this project, add an executable project to this solution which references the library project. Set the executable project as the startup project.
The strange part is that I don't see a main function anywhere.
What should I do to get round this hiccup?
The project you have downloaded compiles into a dll assembly and provide a set of classes with implemented functionality.
You should add to your solution a new project with Output Type of either Console Application or Windows Application (VS Add Project wizard will offer you different templates of Projects).
In the newly added project, you can implement logic to test your Class Library.
Output type of the project you can find and change by the following steps:
Right click on project in Solution Explorer -> Properties.
In opened tab with properties select Application and there will be ComboBox marked with Output Type label.
Just right click on the Project Solution
A window pops up.
Expand the common Properties.
Select Start Up Project
In there on right hand side Select radio button with Single Startup Project
Select your Project in there and apply.
That's it. Now save and build your project. Run the project to see the output.
This was the solution that worked for me since I couldn't find 'Common Properties' option.
Select your topmost level project in Solution Explorer.
Go to Project, and in contextual menu Set as StartUp Project.
See also: A project with an Output type of Class Library cannot be started directly
Just needs to go:
Solution Explorer-->Go to Properties --->change(Single Startup project) from.dll to .web
Then try to debug it.
Surely your problem will be solved.
The strange part is that I don't see a main function anywhere.
That is exactly your problem. The project merely creates a DLL. It has no executable to run.
You will need to add a second project, which is an executable which references the other project, and calls something in it.
1) Right Click on **Solution Explorer**
2) Go to the **Properties**
3) Expand **Common Properties**
4) Select **Start Up Project**
5) click the radio button (**Single Start_up Project**)
6) select your Project name
7) Then Debug Your project
Right Click on "Solution Explorer" -> "Properties"
Expand "Common Properties"
Select "Start Up Project"
click the radio button "Single Start_up Project"
select your Project name from the drop down list.
If still not working after the above steps, then try this.
Expand solutions explorer.
Right click on project name -> "Properties"
Go to "Application" tab
Select "Output type"
From the drop down list select the appropriate type according to your application.
"Windows application" or
"Console application"
Then save (ctrl + S)
Try debugging (F5)
You'll need some kind of app (Console Apps are my favorite for debugging, but a WinForm will do) which uses your Class Library. Just add a new project (in the same solution) of a Console Application or Windows Forms Application, and add a reference to your current project. Once you've done that, make any calls you need, set your break points, and go to town.
I had a similar issue when trying to use the Experimental Instance of Visual Studio 2013. This was for a vsix project (Creating Snippets).
Solution was:
Right Click Project in Solution Explorer > Properties > Debug
Setting the Start Action to "Start external program" and using the following path:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe
This option was set to "Start project" which won't work for the application output type Class Library, which caused that same error.
Note: Yours may differ depending on how you installed VS.
Error solutions is that you have already open your project but by mistake you have selected another class library .. that's reason this error is showing ... so what u need to do you u just select u r project then right click on u r project
after right click u can see the list box and select the "Set as start up project " option .
Accepted answer works if your solution has a project that compiles to an exe. If your solution does not have any projects that compile to an exe, then you have to use 'Start external program'.
VS2019 instructions:
right click -> properties on the main solution
debug, start external program, and add command line arguments
VS2022 instructions:
right click -> properties on the main solution
scroll down to Debug
Debug > General > Open debug launch profiles UI
left click the 'new' icon in the top left, select 'executable'
fill it out as per VS2019 (pick the exe and add command line arguments)
when clicking the start button, first select the profile you made
Suppose you have multiple project in the solution. Select the project that you want to view in browser and select 'Set as StartUp Project'. In your multiple project soln which was the main, the visual studio was unable to identify. this was the main problem.
You can right click the Class Library project and from the drop-down choose Initialize Interactive C# which will load your project context and you can work it in the interactive session.
In my case, the cause was that one of my projects in the solution wasn't loaded. The reason it couldn't load properly was that the file path length of one of the files was too long. Upon deleting this long file, I could reload the project, and build the solution.
If the question involves an Azure project, make sure you have the "Azure development" tool set installed, or when you go to run a solution you may get this same error.
Tools > Get Tools and Features... > Tick the box next to Azure development > Click install
None of the answers provided above helped me resolve this error, this is what resolved the issue for me.
Right click on the solution and select "Properties", which is in my case "Sintctech.Data".
Select the section called "Application".
Check what you have selected as your output type. If it is "Windows Application", change it to "Console Appication".
Rebuild and the problem should be fixed.

Visual Studio Default Open File Action

I am using Visual Studio 2008 with C#. Is there a way to set the default editor for a class file containing a DataTable derived class? Whenever I double click on one of these classes to open the file VS attempts to open a component designer. Since my class isn't compatible with that editor this is a rather useless default. I would like these files to open up in the normal code editor.
In the solution explorer within VS you right click the file, select "Open With ...", select CSharp Editor in the window, then click the button to set as default.
You can disable Visual Studio designer for certain classes by using an
attribute.
[System.ComponentModel.DesignerCategory("")]
Credit goes to http://vanguard-against-confusion.blogspot.com/2007/05/disable-design-time-support-in-visual.html where I originally found out about this.
One interesting thing though is that if I just write
using System.ComponentModel;
[DesignerCategory("")]
it won't work in my VS2010. Does anyone know why?
Why not just go RightClick->View Code, OR once it's open in the designer press F7.
As a work around: Right-click, open-with...
Unless the class file has a different extension, I think you're stuck with this.
Edit: Could you make a small interim command line program that can determine the correct editor by looking at the content, and then open the file with that editor. Then associate that filetype with the interim program. This seems complex, but I've done it before in a similar case.

Add codebase as reference instead of copy Visual Studio

This may be a ridiculous question for you C# pros but here I go. I'm a Flash developer getting started in Silverlight and I'm trying to figure out how to create a "codebase" (a reusable set of classes) for animation. I'd like to store it in a single location and reuse it across a bunch of different projects. Normally in Flash I would add a "project path" reference and then start using the code. My question is, how do I add a folder to visual studio so that I can "use" those classes in my project. I tried "Add > Existing Item" but that copied the files into my project directory.
The easiest way would to create a new ClassLibrary project and build it. This will output a .dll file in a folder you can specify in the project settings menus, which you reference from every project that needs it.
Also, you can copy this .dll into the /bin/ folder of your project - this will do the same thing for this specific project, but when you start the next one you can change some details in the codebase library without breaking the first project.
The solution described by Tomas (adding a reference to a dll binary) is the correct solution to this problem; better than referencing the source code and compiling it into each project.
But just for extra information, if you ever do need to add a source code file to your Visual Studio project without having it make a copy of the file you can use the following steps:
Right click on your project in Solution Explorer and select Add -> Existing Item.
Navigate to the location of the source code file and select it.
On the "Add" button in the dialog window there is a drop down arrow. Click this and select "Add as Link".
This will allow you to use this source code file in your project without having VS make a copy of the file.
In Solution Explorer, right-click on the project node and click Add Reference.
In the Add Reference dialog box, select the tab indicating the type of component you want to reference. (for instance for a class library a dll)
Select the components you want to reference, then click OK.

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