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I have a project in a solution I am working on in Visual Studio 2012, and I get this message for one of the projects: "This version of Visual Studio does not have the following project types installed, or does not support them." It is a vdproj. What does this mean and how do I resolve this problem

Stephen Kennedy
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Scott
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6 Answers6

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The correct procedure to resolve "Incompatible" issue with VDPROJ Projects coming from Visual Studio 2010 and 2015 in 2017, 2019 or 2022 is:

  1. Enter Visual Studio .NET 2017, 2019 or 2022
    • 2017: Click on "Tools" -> Extension and Updates -> Online
    • 2019 or higher: Click on "Extensions" -> Manage Extensions -> Online
  3. Type "Installer Project" on the search box
  4. Click on "Install" in Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Project
  5. Restart Visual Studio .NET and follow the instructions to install the extension
  6. Right click on the projects which have "Incompatible" and click "reload" (tested in VS2022).

With this extension the old project (2010, 2015) is capable to work in (2017, 2019, 2022). VDPROJ are not deprecated, simply they are improved with a new extension, for more information about this please visit the oficial MarketPlace.

Julian Rios
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    I had to do a "Reload Project" after installing the extension before the "Incompatible" project designation would go away on VS2019. – MZB Aug 07 '19 at 16:08
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    Now under "Extensions" -> "Manage Extensions" – Jeremie Weldin Nov 21 '19 at 15:22
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    This doesn't work. After installing and enabling, VDPROJ projects are still "incompatible". – The Lizard Jul 10 '20 at 13:02
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    Works as of Feb 2021 :) – Scotty Feb 11 '21 at 23:07
  • Works for me too. Close Visual Studio and install extension then start visual studio again. After properly start VS, open your solution. In case your setup project excluded then include it in solution. – Kuldeep Gill Jun 11 '21 at 12:59
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    Can confirm it works, you need to right click on the projects which have "Incompatible" and click "reload". – user2924019 Sep 08 '21 at 13:29
  • Extensions -> Manage Extensions. Make sure the VSIX window doesn't get hidden behind other windows. Close VS, install the extension, start VS. Reload project. – Skrymsli Sep 21 '21 at 16:32
  • After about 6 months I had the same issue; it was still installed under the Extensions but was disabled. Re-enabled, Re-started VS, Re-loaded the project and all worked again. – denvercoder9 Sep 29 '21 at 21:53
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    It's also working for Visual Studio 2022. Extension: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=VisualStudioClient.MicrosoftVisualStudio2022InstallerProjects Then reload project as MZB noted – tretom Dec 07 '21 at 12:31
  • Works as of April/2023 with Visual Studio Enterprise 2022 Preview. Remember you need to right click on the projects which have "Incompatible" and click "reload". – Julian Rios Apr 22 '23 at 22:59
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There is also the official:

if you can jump to VS 2013, 2015, 2017+2019, or 2022

But BozoJoe is right, its time to drop vdproj and move on to WiX.

jeoffman
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  • Fixed my issue temporarily, but then about 6 months later for no discernible reason my install projects all went back to being incompatible. Reinstalling has not helped. – Jonathon Cowley-Thom Apr 09 '19 at 14:01
  • This should be marked as answer. Thank you, works flawlessly – MaKiPL Jun 16 '20 at 11:15
  • Installer projects do not work in VS anymore. Looks like they removed compatibility in 16.0.1 – The Lizard Jul 10 '20 at 13:01
  • I'm running VS 2019 version 16.6.3 and the extension version 0.9.8 and I can load my legacy-style installer projects - maybe there is something wrong with your .vdproj or Visual Studio installation? – jeoffman Jul 13 '20 at 11:04
  • Microsoft just released version 0.9.9 of this extension (2020/09/16) so the .vdproj is not quite as "dead" as we might think. – jeoffman Sep 16 '20 at 13:45
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vdproj is a MSI creation project for Visual Studio. Its been deprecated and most people have moved on to either WIX or NSIS or a professional grade installer creation tools such as Install Shield.

If you do not require an installer for your product just exclude the vdproj project from the solution and continue with your life

for fun if you want to try to transition right away to wix, try this powershell script https://github.com/chrisoldwood/vdproj2wix

CodeFox
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BozoJoe
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    InnoSetup is also a great and simple installer framework. – MgSam Jan 30 '18 at 17:25
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    This should not be marked as the correct answer John Pittaway has provided a link in his comment to the required installer for 2017 - I installed this and my vdproject is working as expected again – Rob Dec 21 '18 at 06:14
  • Yes, John Pittaway's answer worked for me as well. Also, for VS 2015, there was a different extension that was called "Visual Studio Setup and Deployment Projects" which worked for me for several years. – J.T. Taylor Jan 26 '19 at 01:28
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    It's still a good choice for simple installers which don't warrant the near vertical learning curve of Wix. – Alan B Apr 04 '19 at 11:37
  • @BozoJoe Can vdproj be excluded easily? – Siddhi Kamat May 24 '21 at 14:50
  • @Sidso sure, remove it from the sln – BozoJoe Oct 07 '21 at 01:50
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Visual Studio 2017 can use the Visual Studio Installer. It is NOT a default. You have to run InstallerProjects.vsix. You can get it at Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 Installer Projects. I have used it and worked great, at least for a windows GUI project. It's worth a shot before you get into the Install Shield intricacies.

John Pittaway
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if You use Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Project (Vs2017). Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Project may be disabled after an update.

  • Tools -> Extensions and Updates..
  • Click Installed
  • Find and Select -> Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Project
  • do Enable
  • Restart Visual Studio
Skandix
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Harun ÇETİN
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Just Download the new extension for Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Project to work.

Joshua Cambal
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