How to fix 'error MSB4018: The “VCMessage” task failed unexpectedly' in Visual Studio 2013

Question

This is what I see:

1>------ Build started: Project: xxx (xxx\\xxx), Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>C:\\Program Files (x86)\\MSBuild\\Microsoft.Cp         


        

Answer 1

The Fix

The error was due to the project configuration field Platform Toolset being empty. (The .vcproj project file should list a value such as v120 here)

Before:

After:

v120

This value can be set in DevStudio via project Properties panel > Configuration Properties > General > Platform Toolset :: pick one of the values from the dropdown there.

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The way this was uncovered:

• create an empty new project in MSVC2013 of the same type

• use Beyond Compare (or another visual diff tool which can easily edit the files being compared by copying chunks across) to copy the files set across and test (by reloading into DevStudio and running the build process in there).

• next copy across bits of the project settings (and duplicate the blocks if your original project has multiple build targets like mine had (Win32/x64/Itanium)), test again.

• rinse and repeat the above until your 'new' project exhibits the same issue as the old one. Narrow down to a minimal XML subset in the .vcproj file.

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Related SO questions and blogs which were tried before all this:

• How do I fix Error MSB4018 in Visual Studio 2010?
• https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/757884/msb4018-with-a-backslash-after-target-name-in-project-settings (Well, the issue is still there... only maybe in a slightly different incantation. My trouble happened on MSVC2013 with all updates as per March/2015)
• http://marlowa.blogspot.nl/2013/09/a-nasty-net-error-in-visual-studio-2010.html

The conclusion: if you run into this issue, check all your project configuration entries. And when push comes to shove, dig the bugger out by the above compare-and-test divide-and-conquer process.