dotnet build doesn't resolve package references correctly for old style projects

Steps to reproduce

Dotnet build does not resolve package references in old style projects, but restore seems to be done fine. I tried also several variations like dotnet msbuild /t:restore;build etc. All lead to the same build errors.

PackageReferenceBugDemo.zip

Project file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="15.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />
  <PropertyGroup>
    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
    <Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
    <ProjectGuid>{C27219F1-6C86-4D9C-B9C3-4B01B5D9879B}</ProjectGuid>
    <OutputType>Library</OutputType>
    <AppDesignerFolder>Properties</AppDesignerFolder>
    <RootNamespace>PackageReferenceBugDemo</RootNamespace>
    <AssemblyName>PackageReferenceBugDemo</AssemblyName>
    <TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.8</TargetFrameworkVersion>
    <FileAlignment>512</FileAlignment>
    <Deterministic>true</Deterministic>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
    <Optimize>true</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Nunit" Version="2.5.10.11092"/>
    
    <Reference Include="System" />
    <Reference Include="System.Core" />
    <Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
    <Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
    <Reference Include="Microsoft.CSharp" />
    <Reference Include="System.Data" />
    <Reference Include="System.Net.Http" />
    <Reference Include="System.Xml" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Compile Include="Class1.cs" />
    <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>

  </ItemGroup>
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
</Project>

Directory contents:

see attachment

Command line

dotnet build

Expected behavior

The build runs fine

Actual behavior

The nunit package reference doesn’t get resolved

Environment data

dotnet msbuild //version

Microsoft (R)-Build-Engine, Version 16.4.0+e901037fe f▒r .NET Core
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

[TFTomSun]

@rainersigwald That’s why I wonder. The projects I tried to build don’t use any features that couldn’t be built by a similar SDK style project format with for example TargetFramework net48. They don’t contain WCF, WF, ASP.NET 2/4.

That means, technically everything is in place to built these kind of projects with the dotnet sdk. Just because they have the old style format, they can’t be built via dotnet build. A possibility to develop dotnet sdk based CI/CD solutions that work with legacy code as well, would be nice, even if dotnet build would fallback to an installed build tools instance.

But I understand now, that the suggested migration path is to upgrade to sdk style first before you can use the dotnet cli for building the projects, it’s just difficult to achieve that in large code bases.

[bz-wow]

I wish I could build a solution that contains both types of projects with it.

You can, but you have to use MSBuild.exe (from VS or VS build tools).

Use msbuild directly, it shows error “C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\MSBuild\Microsoft\NuGet\16.0\Microsoft.NuGet.targets(1 98,5): error : Your project file doesn’t list ‘win’ as a “RuntimeIdentifier”. You should add ‘win’ to the “RuntimeIdent ifiers” property in your project file and then re-run NuGet restore.” PS: this should be a nuget.exe bug according to https://github.com/NuGet/Home/issues/10590. Earlier nuget version like 5.4.0 is ok.

Not sure if any other issue appears if above one is fixed.

Had to run nuget (like v5.4, latest version has bug mentioned avove) restore and then msbuild to make it built.

Additionally, this limition and solution are not mentioned in official doc - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/nuget/consume-packages/package-references-in-project-files