.Net Framework 4 with Visual Studio 2008 and use it in vs 2008

Question

What I am asking is this:

I want to use visual studio 2008 and code against .net framework 4.0 and be able to continue using 3.5 sp1 in other solutions...

Is this possible?

Answer 1

Hi Warren,

.NET Framework 4 is quite different from previous versions, and VS2008 doesn't support this.

At least for now you have to use VS2010 to target .NET Framework 4.

Thanks.

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Figo Fei
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Answer 2

Hi Figo,

what dows you exactly mean saying that VS2008 doesn't support framework 4? It is clear to me that with VS 2008 I cannot compile in framework 4, but is it possible to reference an assembly (framework 4) inside a VS 2008 project (for instance framework 3.5) ?

Thanks

Answer 3

Hi Figo,

what dows you exactly mean saying that VS2008 doesn't support framework 4? It is clear to me that with VS 2008 I cannot compile in framework 4, but is it possible to reference an assembly (framework 4) inside a VS 2008 project (for instance framework 3.5) ?

Thanks

You can reference and may be able to use some assemblies but .NET 4 CLR is different from .NET 3.5, which will make it impossible to ensure the project's robustness and correctness. Therefore, it's possible but not recommended and supported to do so.

Thanks.

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Figo Fei
MSDN Subscriber Support in Forum
If you have any feedback on our support, please contact [e-mail] 

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help.

Answer 4

What's a pity. We can't use VS2008 to target .NET Framework4. Microsoft.CSharp.dll and System.Xaml.dll are in .NET Framework4，But our company use VS2008. Who can help me? Thank you!

Answer 5

Please just install VS 2010 environment, it is really better and faster then 2008

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Answer 6

Have you had any luck with this? I need to be able to reference an 4.0 assembly from VS2008.

Answer 7

Also need it.

I don't like conspiracy theories, so I'm not even gonna not mention that this may not be an evil scheme to make people buy expensive VS versions...

Anyway, Microsoft, I have VS 2012, but VS2008 works much better. A lot of missing features when I try to use the new one. Mainly Edit and continue not working at all. Too many annoyances. My productivity with VS2008 is tripled versus VS2012.