Get an error when you attempt to launch Windows Forms designer for a VB project

Visual Studio Version: Version 16.3.0 Preview 3.0 [29221.207.master]

Summary: Cannot launch the designer for Windows Forms for VB projects. The equivalent project for C# works.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. File -> New -> Visual Basic Windows Forms (.NET Core)
2. Open project file and change netcoreapp3.0 to net472
3. Double-click on Form1.cs

Expected Behavior: Designer to open

Actual Behavior:

at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse..ctor(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetUniverse(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProvider..ctor(IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution  assemblyResolution, IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader,  TypeDescriptionProvider parentProvider, IVsSmartOpenScope openScope)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.get_TargetFrameworkProvider()at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.GetProvider(Type  type)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  serializationManager)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost  host) | at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse..ctor(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetUniverse(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProvider..ctor(IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution  assemblyResolution, IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader,  TypeDescriptionProvider parentProvider, IVsSmartOpenScope openScope)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.get_TargetFrameworkProvider()at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.GetProvider(Type  type)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  serializationManager)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost  host) | at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse..ctor(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetUniverse(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProvider..ctor(IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution  assemblyResolution, IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader,  TypeDescriptionProvider parentProvider, IVsSmartOpenScope openScope)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.get_TargetFrameworkProvider()at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.GetProvider(Type  type)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  serializationManager)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost  host)
-- | -- | --
at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse..ctor(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetUniverse(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProvider..ctor(IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution  assemblyResolution, IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader,  TypeDescriptionProvider parentProvider, IVsSmartOpenScope openScope)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.get_TargetFrameworkProvider()at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.GetProvider(Type  type)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  serializationManager)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost  host) | at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse..ctor(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetUniverse(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProvider..ctor(IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution  assemblyResolution, IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader,  TypeDescriptionProvider parentProvider, IVsSmartOpenScope openScope)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.get_TargetFrameworkProvider()at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.GetProvider(Type  type)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  serializationManager)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost  host)
at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse..ctor(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetUniverse(IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader  assemblyLoader, IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution projectAssemblyResolution,  IVsSmartOpenScope dispenser)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProvider..ctor(IVsDesignTimeAssemblyResolution  assemblyResolution, IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader assemblyLoader,  TypeDescriptionProvider parentProvider, IVsSmartOpenScope openScope)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.get_TargetFrameworkProvider()at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VsTargetFrameworkProviderService.GetProvider(Type  type)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.GetType(String  typeName)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  manager)at  Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager  serializationManager)at  System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost  host)

[dpvreony]

workaround that works for me is to add the following in the vbproj

	<Target Name="AddAdditionalReferences" BeforeTargets="ResolveAssemblyReferences">
		<ItemGroup Condition=" '$(NoStdLib)' != 'true' ">
			<_ExplicitReference Include="$(FrameworkPathOverride)\mscorlib.dll" />
		</ItemGroup>
	</Target>

[ehasis]

Still not working with 17.5.1 (as is tagged for 7.6). I didn’t get how exactly I should do with <_ExplicitReference Include="$(FrameworkPathOverride)\mscorlib.dll" />, can you explain better how to do with this workaroud?