Error while removing project dependency in VS2010

Question

I have a large solution with number of projects. Some the projects depend on others (never a circular dependency though).

When I tried to remove a dependency of a project, I am getting an error message like "The dependency was added by the project system and cannot be removed". What is the cause for this error? How I can solve this?

VS2017+C++: In Solution Explorer, remove the dependencies under the References node under the project. And you also need to edit the sln file, and remove the ProjectSection(ProjectDependencies) = postProject section. And sometimes VS will restore the sln file, so if it doesn't work, you can check the sln file again and remove them. — jw_, Nov 09 '19 at 04:33

score 53 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 21 '12 at 13:33

53

I sometimes get this problem when I try to manually edit projects/solutions generated by our CMake system. I solve it manually:

Open the dependent .vcproj file in your favorite text editor.
Find <ProjectReference> tag corresponding to the dependency you want to remove (the include attribute of the tag will contain the name of the dependency project).
Remove the whole <ProjectReference> element (i.e. starting with <ProjectReference> and ending with </ProjectReference> inclusive). Save the file.
Reload the solution.

answered Nov 21 '12 at 13:33

malenkiy_scot

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This also worked for me with a .vcxproj file in Visual Studio 2015. – echawkes Aug 24 '18 at 20:59
What a nightmare to do a simple task.. :/ (like rename a project in visual studio..) – kingsjester Jun 23 '23 at 09:25

score 39 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 28 '13 at 21:56

39

I faced the same issue. But i could solve it by following

Right click project, select Properties.
Select Framework and References under Common Properties
Select the references thats not needed.
Click on Remove Reference.

answered Jan 28 '13 at 21:56

notytony

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I don't find "Common Properties" in Properties, with VS2019. – kingsjester Jun 23 '23 at 09:30

score 12 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 27 '13 at 18:11

12

Or =>
To remove a reference in Visual C#:

In Solution Explorer, open the References node under the project node.
Right-click a reference and click Remove

To remove a reference in Visual Basic:

In Solution Explorer, right-click the My Project node for the project and select Properties.
Click the References tab.
In the References list, select the reference you want to remove.
Click the Remove button

answered Sep 27 '13 at 18:11

Agnius Vasiliauskas

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I have tried this and was getting the error that is listed in the original write-up, just a note. – onaclov2000 Apr 09 '14 at 01:29

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 20 '14 at 18:26

For Visual Studio 2013: On C++ projects (hope the same for others too)

From the Solution Explorer, select the project and right click to select the properties
In the properties window, on left pane, select Common properties => References
Right side of the window, you have the option to Add or Remove the other dependency items.
Then select OK, to save

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 26 '18 at 21:02

If your project only has the .sln file but not any .csproj, you may want to

check the ProjectReferences property and remove the reference project there
remove the section from Project to EndProject
also remove the related rows under GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms)

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 05 '18 at 17:00

As an additional point to @malenkiy_scot's above, for ProjectReference items you want to keep, double check the project guid is the correct one for that project. In the dependent .vcproj file, find the ProjectReference tags as above, and for each you want to keep:

open the referenced project's .vcproj file in a text editor
find its guid in the ProjectGuid tag
compare this with Project tag for that reference in the dependent .vcproj file (not case sensitive)
if it's not the same, replace the guid in the Project tag with the one from the referenced project's ProjectGuid tag
save the project file and reload the solution

Visual Studio uses the project guid rather than name to determine dependencies. So if you've hand edited the name of the dependency but not the guid (as I did) you get the error.

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 04 '18 at 17:21

In VS17 Right-clicking on the References node then selecting OptimiseReferences... is good for helping work out your dependencies. Also Right-click on the project and clicking BuildDependancies... ProjectDependencies that might be where your dependency is being set.

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Aug 16 '18 at 08:41

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1- RIght click References of the project and click Add Reference...

2- Uncheck dependent projects from the solution tab

answered Aug 16 '18 at 08:41

Shadi Alnamrouti

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score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Sep 20 '21 at 11:39

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In the solution explorer window, right click on the project and select "Edit project file". The project.csproj file would open in the editor.
Find the which nests the tag.
Delete the entire (along with the closing tag).

answered Sep 20 '21 at 11:39

Purnima

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Error while removing project dependency in VS2010

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