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10/27/2007

Visual Studio 2008 (ORCAS) "Project Creation Failed"

For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three.
--
Alice Kahn

This is due to some assembly redirects that are added to the devenv.exe.config file by installing the GAX (Guidance Automation Extensions).

Here is the fix, and it's an easy one:

1) Navigate to: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE in Windows Explorer

2) Load devenv.exe.config in your favorite text editor.

3) Find this string: "Microsoft.VisualStudio.TemplateWizardInterface"

4) Comment out the element so it looks like this:

<dependentAssembly>
<!--assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.VisualStudio.TemplateWizardInterface" publicKeyToken="b03f5f7f11d50a3a" culture="neutral" /-->
<bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.9.9.9" newVersion="9.0.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>

5) Restart Visual Studio 2008. All fixed!

Labels: ,

31 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks!
Saved me some serious time!

Nuri

1:48 PM  
Anonymous joren said...

super!

thanks!!

10:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you very much

3:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I did not find in that file Microsoft.VisualStudio.TemplateWizardInterface
and I still get this error when creating database project, please somebody help me

7:04 AM  
Blogger Michael said...

I've published a tiny ui-based tool that applys the described patch automatically.
You can downloaded it at http://www.codeplex.com/gaxpatch.

3:39 AM  
Anonymous Isair said...

I don't have a devenv.exe.config file the only config file that I have şs VCExpress.exe.config

11:12 AM  
Anonymous niemguy said...

Thanks guys. Had problems with a Workflow project. I had just installed the Guidance Automation for the web services factory (studio 2005), looks like that was the conflict.

8:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How microsoft release a product that doesnt work from the first step ??? Incredible ! Microsoft retail versions are just beta!
( w/e I dont have that line )

8:01 PM  
Blogger Peter Bromberg said...

Sorry, but it looks like you don't get it. The product works fine, it's just that installation of the GAT causes a configuration file entry that needs to be corrected, OK?

9:07 PM  
Anonymous Benny said...

Hi - I am getting the same sort of error while trying to create "Excel Workbook Project" from VS2008. Once I click the OK button to create it, I am getting "Project Cannot Be Created" error message and nothing else. I tried repairing my Professional Office 2003 installation and that didn't solve the problem. I also tried commenting different parts of the config file that I thought would help and that didn't help either.

Also, when I try opening a project containing an excel workbook that someone created, it gives me an error saying "Excel Designer Could Not Be Activated". I am experiencing this issue only for Excel projects. I can create ms word project without any problem.

Do you have any suggestion as to how I could get over this problem? I am using the professional version of VS2008.

Thanks in advance for your help!

11:20 AM  
Anonymous cautionsign said...

Cool. It solved my problem and saved my times. thanks.

9:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't have that file....

3:08 PM  
Anonymous Emre said...

I think Web Service Factory (Model Edition) or one of its prerequisite installs broke mine..

4:26 PM  
Anonymous Woody said...

Grrr... Thanks for your help!

4:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't have that line. Can somebody help?

5:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Saved me time, Thanks!

4:24 PM  
Anonymous Inala Uma Shankar said...

It worked...thanks

3:10 PM  
Blogger TW said...

Thanks a LOT !!!!

hope you dont mind me reposting the same...

7:36 AM  
Blogger Daniel said...

Thanks for the help. Linked to you on my blog:
http://www.framewreck.net/2008/02/completely-awesome-message-box_24.html

Btw, the new February 2008 GAX/GAT releases don't cause this issue.

3:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks.

Works for Visual Studio 2008 final release as well.

12:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you very much!!!

9:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great!!!!

-Rino

6:25 PM  
Blogger John said...

I don't have the file either. Did anyone come up with another solution?

7:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't have that file either...

8:06 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks! Great. You saved me from reinstalling all developer tools.

6:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot.

1:49 PM  
Blogger Avinash said...

Awesome !!!

12:43 AM  
Anonymous Dave said...

I have the file, but not that entry.

It really isn't that simple, and yes it is pretty lame to not be able to create projects/solutions when you first install a product.

Let me also point out that this only happened to me on Vista. I had no issues with XP.

I actually could not create a damn thing with VS2008 in Vista. I had to run a subinacl ( in admin mode ) to be able to create a VB project. This fixed all except C++.

More googling to do.

11:00 PM  
Anonymous Dave said...

OH, I should have mentioned. I have MSDN versions of both.

11:01 PM  
Anonymous Dave said...

Well, after many googles and then going to MSDN forums, I found the solution that worked for me. I thought i might be good to post a link here so that people realize that there is more than just one problem that causes this issue...and more than one solution.

Reference: http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2895894&SiteID=1

12:00 AM  
Anonymous Gulfraz Khan said...

It worked for me.
Thanks Peter.

10:37 PM  

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