Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine.InvalidProjectFileException: The project file must be opened in the Visual Studio IDE and converted to the latest version before it can be built by MSBuild.

Server stack trace:
at Microsoft.Build.Shared.ProjectErrorUtilities.ThrowInvalidProject(String errorSubCategoryResourceName, XmlNode xmlNode, String resourceName, Object[] args)
at Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine.Project.InternalLoadFromXmlDocument(XmlDocument projectXml, ProjectLoadSettings projectLoadSettings)
at Microsoft.Build.BuildEngine.Project.LoadXml(String projectXml, ProjectLoadSettings projectLoadSettings)
at nCrunch.VSIntegration2008.MSBuildIntegration.BuildableProject.Initialise(String buildXml, String snapshotComponentName)
at nCrunch.Compiler.RemoteBuildRunner.#=qNbkQi2Vr17SqPV9algXxiuxDIy822PVS_GqvQLSYots=(String #=qCD9jYvIacrkcP0az5atISw==, String #=qLQBCqSQeyqOQr0tbxk2vEw==, IList`1 #=qGN9oKwJp5oTD2RY_wqfmdg==, String #=qSELCOli$VXlae8TYQugCMg32xGFfC8BZ9CMXH28CdJQ=, String #=qRc9_wbg_8m5wM6rCTXU$0Q==)
at nCrunch.Compiler.RemoteBuildRunner.AnalyseComponentBuild(String projectFilePath, String buildXml, String useBuildConfiguration, String solutionDir, IList`1 importExpressionsToEvaluate)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr md, Object[] args, Object server, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext, Object[]& outArgs)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.PrivateProcessMessage(RuntimeMethodHandle md, Object[] args, Object server, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext, Object[]& outArgs)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.SyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg, Int32 methodPtr, Boolean fExecuteInContext)

Exception rethrown at [0]:
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
at nCrunch.Compiler.IRemoteBuildRunner.AnalyseComponentBuild(String projectFilePath, String buildXml, String useBuildConfiguration, String solutionDir, IList`1 importExpressionsToEvaluate)
at nCrunch.Core.BuildManagement.BuildProcessLauncher.#=q7eEMN3clwGL6yDlZ8TdMjhcsrmC7EXOthfVpauxTDm0=.#=q8FmbrzgxnFJTuDLGyA9_e515RUoGSCvIGNvvJnJ0QzWx043eNrNpqJckBkl_levj(IRemoteBuildRunner #=qVgb0RRBCqpdk90fYSTphHo2scSx2FjPoz$psvxJ8P7c=)
at nCrunch.Core.BuildManagement.BuildProcessLauncher.#=qszvdDv$D0z3DOCvNwxO7AlRgboVVZOdlRBn_ngAJubUBJGVqt5fHKWY7P2A227XX(Action`1 #=qHmMDBUhGXzLq$TQxnyJ4qA==)
at nCrunch.Core.BuildManagement.BuildProcessLauncher.AnalyseComponentBuildInExternalProcess(String projectFilePath, String buildXml, String useBuildConfiguration, String solutionDir, IList`1 importExpressionsToEvaluate)
at nCrunch.Core.ComponentLoader.SnapshotComponentFactory.#=qOykwizIZS9PmKxwucmQAdcL_jfkHOIa_J2FiPXces20=()
at nCrunch.Core.ComponentLoader.SnapshotComponentFactory.CreateSnapshotComponentFromXml(String projectFilePath, String projectXml, String solutionFilePath, String[] additionalFilesToIncludeAtSolutionLevel, Boolean isLoadedFromFile)

FYI, I have both VS2008 and 2010 on my system. I've installed NCrunch for VS2008. I can't easily convert this project/solution to VS2010 (because it's for a client that only has 2008). Is there a work-round? Any experiment you want me to try?

Hi

I've looked further into this. First, my whole solution builds correctly in the VS2008 IDE.

My solution contains a tester assembly dll written in C# that references a testee assembly written in C++. The specific error message I reported seems to be associated with the C++ assembly; perhaps that's a limitation of NCrunch. I tried to avoid any issue with this assembly by unloading it from the solution, but that made no difference - I guess I'm beginning to understand why. I had to set 'Ignore this component completely' in NCrunch to make progress.

Using MSBuild on the project also showed that the C# build couldn't resolve a 'project' reference to the testee assembly - so I had to make that an explicit path reference.

I also had to fiddle about with the default project _platform_ used for the build. This is because I have both x86 and x64 builds and I cannot use 'Any CPU'. It doesn't help that C++ calls the 32-bit build "Win32" whereas C# uses "x86". It's a pity that, whilst NCrunch allows me to specify which Configuration to build, it doesn't do the same with Platform.

Now, NCrunch has burst into life; I'm looking forward to working with it. Thanks for your help.

Phil