C# Build

I have written some simple C# programs just to get my feet wet.

Now I have decided to build a co-workers program and step through it. I am not used to all of the problems that might arise when building a C# program as I would a C++ program.

I get this error:

------ Rebuild All started: Project: ProjectName, Configuration: Debug Any CPU ------
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\Microsoft.Common.targets(481,9): error : The OutputPath property is not set for this project.
Please check to make sure that you have specified a valid Configuration/Platform combination.
Configuration='Debug' Platform='AnyCPU'
Done building project "ProjectName.csproj" -- FAILED.
========== Rebuild All: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 skipped ==========

So there are some settings I need to check. Any advice?

Here is what I have tried so far:

I tried to right click in the project in Solution Explorer and I choose properties.
In the left pane of the properties page, click the Build option. The Output Path is near the bottom. I made sure it was set to bin\Debug\
But this changed nothing.

The Readme File in the directory suggeted to do a command-line build using MSBUILD.
When I did this, I got this error:

Unhandled Exception: System.IO.FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Build.Engine, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral,
PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. Strong name validation failed. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8013141A)File name:
'Microsoft.Build.Engine, Version=3.5.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' ===> System.Security.SecurityException: Strong name
validation failed. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8013141A)The Zone of the assembly that failed was:MyComputer
at Microsoft.Build.CommandLine.MSBuildApp.Execute(String commandLine) at Microsoft.Build.CommandLine.MSBuildApp.Main()

I'm not entirely sure what you can do to sort the first problem since you're saying that you've checked that the output path is set. Also, if it compiles for your colleague and you haven't changed anything I don't see why it won't for you (sometimes you get issues with references, but I don't think that's the case here). Strange. Worst case you could create a new project and add all the files and references again, but that would be a pain, and potentially difficult if it's source controlled.

About the MSBuild issue, it seems to indicate that there's some problem when it's trying to load the 'Microsoft.Build.Engine' assembly. Some times this can happen if you have multiple versions of an assembly and it tries to load an incompatible version of it. I'm not sure how this could be the case however. You could try re-installing the MSBuild stuff (not sure if you can do this without re-installing Visual Studio).

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

ac