GenerateProjectFiles fails with 4.23 release: Could not locate the assembly "Windows"

WontonGoodsoup · September 10, 2019, 7:37pm

I’ve tried all sorts of components in Visual Studio 2017 but I keep getting this error. I even reinstalled Visual Studio to be sure.

As far as I can tell namespace “Windows” should be in the Windows 10 SDK which is installed (10.0.17763.0). Is there a component I am missing? Can anyone help me debug this problem?



Setting up Unreal Engine 4 project files...
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\MSBuild\15.0\Bin\Microsoft.Common.CurrentVersion.targets(
2110,5): warning MSB3245: Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Windows". Check to make sure
 the assembly exists on disk. If this reference is required by your code, you may get compilation errors. [C:\Developme
nt\UnrealEngine-4.23.0-release\Engine\Source\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.csproj]
Platform\HoloLens\WinMDRegistrationInfo.cs(67,30): error CS0103: The name 'Windows' does not exist in the current conte
xt [C:\Development\UnrealEngine-4.23.0-release\Engine\Source\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.csproj]
Platform\HoloLens\WinMDRegistrationInfo.cs(70,62): error CS0246: The type or namespace name 'Windows' could not be foun
d (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) [C:\Development\UnrealEngine-4.23.0-release\Engine\Sour
ce\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.csproj]
Platform\HoloLens\WinMDRegistrationInfo.cs(71,59): error CS0246: The type or namespace name 'Windows' could not be foun
d (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) [C:\Development\UnrealEngine-4.23.0-release\Engine\Sour
ce\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.csproj]
Platform\HoloLens\WinMDRegistrationInfo.cs(75,67): error CS0246: The type or namespace name 'Windows' could not be foun
d (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) [C:\Development\UnrealEngine-4.23.0-release\Engine\Sour
ce\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.csproj]
Platform\HoloLens\WinMDRegistrationInfo.cs(33,29): error CS0246: The type or namespace name 'Windows' could not be foun
d (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?) [C:\Development\UnrealEngine-4.23.0-release\Engine\Sour
ce\Programs\UnrealBuildTool\UnrealBuildTool.csproj]

GenerateProjectFiles ERROR: UnrealBuildTool failed to compile.

I have the following Visual Studio components installed:
[SPOILER]


    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.CoreEditor",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.CoreEditor",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Roslyn.Compiler",
    "Microsoft.Component.MSBuild",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Static.Analysis.Tools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Roslyn.LanguageServices",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.PortableLibrary",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.1.SDK",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.1.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.Net.ComponentGroup.DevelopmentPrerequisites",
    "Microsoft.Component.ClickOnce",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.SQL.CLR",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VisualStudioData",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.TextTemplating",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.ManagedDesktop.Core",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.ManagedDesktop.Prerequisites",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.5.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.5.1.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.5.2.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.Net.ComponentGroup.TargetingPacks.Common",
    "Microsoft.ComponentGroup.Blend",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.EntityFramework",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Debugger.JustInTime",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.NuGet",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.2.SDK",
    "Microsoft.Net.Component.4.6.2.TargetingPack",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.CoreIde",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Redist.14.Latest",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.Tools.x86.x64",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Graphics.Win81",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Graphics.Tools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.VC.DiagnosticTools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows10SDK.17763",
    "Microsoft.Component.VC.Runtime.UCRTSDK",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows81SDK",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.ComponentGroup.NativeDesktop.Win81",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.DiagnosticTools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.Windows10SDK",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Component.NuGet.BuildTools",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeGame"

[/SPOILER]

WontonGoodsoup · September 11, 2019, 12:03pm

Installing Visual Studio 2019 fixed the problem

AndreyChistyakov · September 12, 2019, 11:30am

You need .net framework 4.6.2

anonymous_user_a4687a16 · September 17, 2019, 3:09am

I solved this problem by installing Windows 10 SDK (10.0.18362.0). It seems 10.0.17763.0 is not compatible with 4.23.

virtualHC · September 19, 2019, 2:13pm

Same here. This fixed it. Thank you!

fer1977 · January 9, 2020, 8:30am

Thanks. I have VS 2017 and update Windows sdk to 10.0.18362.0 and the problem went away

ScottBrown · March 31, 2020, 5:33pm

Likewise, going to 2017 fixed it for me as well. Not sure why I thought 4.24 needed 2019 but its all good now. You do have to update the windows SDK separately from what comes in 2017 or you will get some compile errors as well FYI for anyone else reading this.

NyanpassQwQ · November 15, 2023, 7:46pm

Check .csproj file and Check reference HintPath

Fix it

IPG_MS · January 30, 2024, 10:05pm

This worked for me on 4.27. I changed line 83 in HoloLens.automation.csproj