How to build create Action to build legacy .NET Framework 4 project?

[pf-uvonceumer]

Hi,

I am struggling to create an action that builds my .NET Framework 4 solution.

Here is what I have:

name: CI
on:

workflow_dispatch:

push:

branches: [ main ]

pull_request:

branches: [ main ]
jobs:

build:
runs-on: windows-latest

steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v2

- name: Setup MSBuild
  uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v1

- name: Setup NuGet
  uses: NuGet/[email protected]
  
- name: setup-msbuild
  uses: microsoft/[email protected]

- name: Restore Packages
  run: nuget restore MySolution.sln

- name: Build solution
  run: msbuild MySolution.sln -t:rebuild -property:Configuration=Release

And here is the error message I am getting:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Enterprise\MSBuild\Current\Bin\Microsoft.Common.CurrentVersion.targets(1220,5): error MSB3644: The reference assemblies for .NETFramework,Version=v4.0 were not found. To resolve this, install the Developer Pack (SDK/Targeting Pack) for this framework version or retarget your application. You can download .NET Framework Developer Packs at https://aka.ms/msbuild/developerpacks [D:\a\MySolution-Legacy\MySolution-Legacy\MySolution.Tests\MySolution.Tests.csproj]
21Done Building Project "D:\a\MySolution-Legacy\MySolution-Legacy\MySolution.Tests\MySolution.Tests.csproj" (Rebuild target(s)) -- FAILED.
22Done Building Project "D:\a\MySolution-Legacy\MySolution-Legacy\MySolution.sln" (rebuild target(s)) -- FAILED.

So it seems like .NET v4.0 is missing on the system. However, I have no idea on how to setup the runner to support .NET 4.0.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Ulf

[mickeygousset]

  <a href="https://github.com/actions/setup-dotnet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GitHub</a>

GitHub - actions/setup-dotnet: Set up your GitHub Actions workflow with a...

Set up your GitHub Actions workflow with a specific version of the .NET core sdk - GitHub - actions/setup-dotnet: Set up your GitHub Actions workflow with a specific version of the .NET core sdk

Try adding this action to your workflow

[pf-uvonceumer]

Already tried this. This only seems to work for .NET CORE / SDK style projects. Not for legacy .NET Framework projects.

[pf-uvonceumer]

So, I found out what was wrong.

I need to use older windows-2019 runners. It seems like the windows-2022 runners do not have .NET 4.0 SDK installed.

[jacy1101]

How should the code be written?

[pf-uvonceumer]

like this:

runs-on: windows-2019

[jitendrakumarsuthar]

100% worked for me, thanks a lot @pf-uvonceumer.
For SonarQube GitHub Action integration, inside the .yml file replace it at runs-on: windows-latest with runs-on: windows-2019

[ljnath]

I have a .NET class project which targets multiple versions of .NET framework, .NET Core (inc. 8.0) and .NET standard.
For latest version of .NET Core I need to use windows-2022; however .NET Framework 4.0 is not supported in windows-2022 and only supported in windows-2019.

Can anyone please suggest some way to successful run my GitLab action file. My current action file is here https://github.com/ljnath/RandomString4Net/blob/master/.github/workflows/dotnet-CI-workflow.yml

[Xriuk]

I also have a multi-version .NET library, since apparently it is not possible to install additional .NET framework my solution is to use a windows-2019 agent and install additional .NET/.NET Core:
https://github.com/Xriuk/NeatMapper/blob/main/.github/workflows/nuget.yml