Referenced Project gets “lost” at Compile Time

Question

I have a C# solution with two projects: a service (the main project) and a logger. The service uses classes from the logger. I\'ve added a Reference to the logger project wi

Answer 1

Make sure that both projects have same target framework version here: right click on project -> properties -> application (tab) -> target framework

Also, make sure that the project "logger" (which you want to include in the main project) has the output type "Class Library" in: right click on project -> properties -> application (tab) -> output type

Finally, Rebuild the solution.

Answer 2

Check your build types of each project under project properties - I bet one or the other will be set to build against .NET XX - Client Profile.

With inconsistent versions, specifically with one being Client Profile and the other not, then it works at design time but fails at compile time. A real gotcha.

There is something funny going on in Visual Studio 2010 for me, which keeps setting projects seemingly randomly to Client Profile, sometimes when I create a project, and sometimes a few days later. Probably some keyboard shortcut I'm accidentally hitting...