How can I get to know what version of visual studio was used to develop an appplication ?

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Hi everybody, I recently received a C# Visual Studio app and when I try to load it in my Visual Studio IDE (VS 2010) to test it, I get an error message telling me "The project is incompatible with the current version or visual studio". I´m using a virtual machine in this pc.

Of course I´d been searching via Internet to find out the cause of this, but the funny or strange thing is:

1.- in the same package that was sent to me, there´s a copy (backup) of the same
project and when I loaded in my IDE, it loads correctly !!!. The only difference
as far as I can see is the new one having the IP adress of a remote server, as a
parameter for an object, in the code.

2.- If I try to load them in another pc, both of them loads just fine now, but in the
first test I made, I got the same error, loading them from the "Downloads"
carpet.
If you ask me what I did, well I only copied them to the root C: drive and they
loaded.

3.-The version accepted in one pc, contains references to several Dlls,included in
the package, and I can see them in the Object Browser, but as soon a I try to
build it, the references to these files dissapear and all the code lines using
them are marked with error.

The project is supposed to run with the Net Framework 4.5, which I have installed in the first PC, In the second PC I have the 6.1 framework installed.

I hope I was clear enough. Thanks in advance.

What I have tried:

I installed Net Framework 4.5 in the first PC, 'cause I read something about differences in framework versions, but still did not load.

Posted 15-Jul-16 6:45am

Miguel Altamirano Morales

Updated 15-Jul-16 7:48am

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Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 12:49pm

Naturally I'd been trying to contact my supplier to just ask him directly, but it´s difficult to find him, he´s ver far away from here, and his responses are very few and far between, if it´s correct to say so.

RedDk 15-Jul-16 13:12pm

Sometimes ... (and I say this guardedly because I really mean rarely) ... you can doctor the .sln (or whatever DOES show the version used) by substituting the version you have then reopen it. When a developer posts a project here in CP he does so under no obligation to provide all version solutions that he can. Which is really too bad; but I've asked for Save-As "previous" on occasions ...

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 14:20pm

Thank you, RedDk. But, why the references to dll´s dissapear when I try to build the project ?

I´m starting to suspect a third-party licensing conflict

Philippe Mori 15-Jul-16 16:57pm

If a project is incompatible, then it will not load... Obviously, it would help us to know the incompatible project type...

Then for missing references, you need to figure out the problem. Without any information, we cannot really help you as there are many reason for missing reference like missing assemblies or wrong versions, incorrect path or unbuild libraries...

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 17:13pm

Thank you Philippe, yes the reason of my problem is incompatibility, the project is highly likely developed en VS 2012, and I´m using VS 2010. Or it´s wrongly targetered to framework 4.5.

I´m going to instale VS 2012 in another machine and work in there.

Sometimes I think I cannot really transmit(convey) in english correctly what I need to say, my native language is spanish. Sorry for that.

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Dave Kreskowiak · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-15T06:52:00

Solution 1

Open the .SLN file in Notepad and it'll tell you right in the header.

Chances are good that a newer version of Visual Studio was used than the 2010 version you're using.

Posted 15-Jul-16 6:52am

Dave Kreskowiak

Comments

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 13:10pm

Thanks a lot Dave,

The header says: "Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File" Format version 11.00
# Visual Studio 2010"

So I suppose it´s a Visual Studio 2010 project, unless "Format Version 11.00" means something different.

Dave Kreskowiak 15-Jul-16 13:29pm

Are you using an Express or one of the free versions of Visual Studio?

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 13:12pm

Do you think using a virtual machine has something to do with this ?

Dave Kreskowiak 15-Jul-16 13:29pm

It won't have anything to do with this at all.

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 14:24pm

I´m using Visual Studio profesional, with the right license.

I´m begginig to suspect a third party license conflict.

why the references to dll´s dissapear when I try to build the project ? they are third party´s.

I´m going to wait for the right person to informe me about the vendor licences.

Dave Kreskowiak 15-Jul-16 15:22pm

You either have the license for the 3rd party components or you don't. There really is no such thing as a "conflict".

I've never heard of references "disappearing" from a project at build time. Well, that depends on exactly what is happening. When you load the project, the reference may still be listed but you get a small yellow triangle on them in Solution Explorer. Those references cannot be found on the system. Click on the reference and look in the Properties window for the path to the file it's looking for.

As for the license, you cannot just copy the files for the controls somewhere are expect them to work. Additional information is written to the registry, what you call the "license". This is usually a design time license to use the controls in Visual Studio. A license is usually not required when you distribute the application to customer workstations.

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 15:59pm

The Dll´s references doesn´t dissapear from the solution explorer, you can still see them there, but you cannot see them anymore in the Object Browser and all the code lines referencing them are marked in error, just like there was no references to those Dll´s at all. All this when you build the project.

And now I know it´s a fact the vendor still don´t deliver us the license. So maybe that´s all the problem. I´ll wait for it to continue my testing.

I also noted that if I change "TargetFrameworkVersion" parameter from 4.0 (that´s what the app contains) to 4.5 in the .csproj file, then visual studio stops loading the app. Like if VS 2010 could´t handle that framework.

Thanks a lot.

PIEBALDconsult · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-15T07:48:00

Solution 2

The best you can do is look in the project file:

<Project ToolsVersion="4.0"

and

<TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.5

Posted 15-Jul-16 7:48am

PIEBALDconsult

Comments

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 13:57pm

Thanks PIEBALDconsult, Do you mean the .SLN File ?

PIEBALDconsult 15-Jul-16 14:12pm

No, the project file, csproj or whatever.

Miguel Altamirano Morales 15-Jul-16 13:58pm

It´s a deskstop application

Dave Kreskowiak 15-Jul-16 15:18pm

It doesn't matter what type of application it is. There is a Solution file (*.sln) and projects files (*.??proj). You can have multiple projects in the same solution.