VS11: Metro Directx - Could not locate assembly errors

Question

I have VS11 installed on Windows 8 Developer Preview and I just created a (Visual C++)/(Windows Metro Style)/(Direct X Application Project), but when I compile it, I get numerous assembly warnings and one fatal error:

Could not find "FrameworkIdentity" attribute "FrameworkIdentity-Debug-x86" in the SDK manifest.
warning MSB3245: Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Windows.Applicationmodel.Activation.winmd"
warning MSB3245: Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Windows.Applicationmodel.Background.winmd"
warning MSB3245: Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Windows.Applicationmodel.Contacts.provider.winmd"
warning MSB3245: Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Windows.Applicationmodel.Contacts.winmd"
warning MSB3245: Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Windows.Applicationmodel.Core.winmd"

...
c:\program files (x86)\microsoft visual studio 11.0\vc\include\vccorlib.h(294): fatal error C1107: could not find assembly 'Windows.Foundation.winmd': please specify the assembly search path using /AI or by setting the LIBPATH environment variable

 

When I look at the references for the project, the files seem to be there, but for some reason, they aren't getting picked up.

Does anyone know what I should do to mend the project?  It seems to me that if the project is created by VS11 that it should compile with no errors/warnings out of the box but that isn't the case on my (Windows 8 Developer Preview)/VS11 system.

Thanks,

Shawn

Answer 1

Windows.Foundation.winmd doesn't appear to be in C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\Framework\v3.5  and C:\Program Files\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft appears to be empty except for VSTO40 (which I don't care about).    Does anyone know if getting Windows.Foundation.winmd will resolve my issue.  If so, where do I get it?

Thanks,

Shawn

Answer 2

Hi Shawn,

 

I think your issue should be raised in the Building Metro style apps with C++. I believe they will know more information of this issue than us, and I will move this one to that forum.

 

Thanks for your understanding,

 

Best regards,

Jesse

---

Jesse Jiang [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us
Get or Request Code Sample from Microsoft
Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help and unmark them if they provide no help.

Answer 3

This seems like a setup error... Those assemblies are correct and should be found (i.e. I don't see this behavior on our end). Could you describe your setup experience?

---

Boris Jabes, Visual Studio Graphics Tools

Answer 4

This seems like a setup error... Those assemblies are correct and should be found (i.e. I don't see this behavior on our end). Could you describe your setup experience?

---

Boris Jabes, Visual Studio Graphics Tools

Mr. Jabes:

 

I think you are right.  I think it was a setup problem.   I think the problem happened because I installed VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) on top of Windows 8 Developer Preview (without developer tools) .   I think my error occurred when I assumed that VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) would install the "Windows SDK for Metro style apps" that doesn't get installed via the Windows 8 Developer Preview (without developer tools). 

 

Earlier today, I reformatted and replaced Windows 8 Developer Preview (without developer tools) with Windows 8 Developer Preview (with developer tools) and now, the Windows Metro Style DirectX Application compiles without error when I use the VS11 Express Developer Preview that comes on Windows 8 Developer Preview (with developer tools). 

 

Now that the Windows Metro Style DirectX Application is working for me in the VS11 Express Developer Preview that comes on Windows 8 Developer Preview (with developer tools), I suspect that I can install VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) right alongside VS11 Express Developer Preview and both will correctly compile Windows Metro Style DirectX Applications. 

 

You are probably wondering why I even bothered to install VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) on Windows 8 Developer Preview since Windows 8 Developer Preview (with developer tools) already comes with VS11 Express Developer Preview.  I did so mainly because the VS11 Express Developer Preview that comes with Windows 8 Developer Preview (with developer tools) does not contain all of the features that are available in VS11 Developer Preview (standalone).  One example of something that comes in VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) that does not come in VS11 Express Developer Preview is the F# compiler.  Since I am a big fan of F#, I thought that I should try installing VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) on top of Windows 8 Developer Preview (without developer tools).  Now I know that this is not a good option and I may just stick with the default VS11 Express Developer Preview compiler that comes with Windows 8 Developer Preview (with developer tools) until I actually finish writing a trivial 2D DirectX game.

 

I guess this confusion on my part could have been avoided if the "Windows SDK for Metro style apps" would have automatically installed for me via the VS11 Developer Preview (standalone) web installer that I used.

 

With Appreciation,

Shawn

Answer 5

Hello!

I am facing the same issue as reported in the original post, but a little different scenario.

I am working on a windows 7 system. I have the win8 sdk installed (from 8090_sdk_wdk). (It's in C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0) and I've install vs2011 preview, a custom install because I'm only interested in looking at the c++ compiler: cl.exe. When i try to compile a program that only includes the system header files, for example "#include <collections.h>" i get the error messages that Shawn quoted about vccorlib.h.

Thanks and best regards

---

melanie blower