Visual Studio (2013) doesn't list "Device" option for Windows Phone app deployment

Question

I have Visual Studio 2013 with Windows Phone 8 SDK installed. The phone is unlocked and recognized by the machine. However, very often Visual Studio doesn't list either "Device" (not emulator either) in the list of deployment target. If I create a new solution and add a Windows Phone application, then I can see "Device" and emulators in the list, but when I load an existing solution with project of various types, I can only see "Start" and "Attach to IIS" as deployment choices. I tried to delete solution temporary files, but this didn't help.

So what makes VS lose Windows Phone deployment options and is there any way to fix it?

Botsford

Due to high popularity of this problem, I think that you should submit this bug to Microsoft by this link. – Langobard

With only one project in a solution this happens? Or are there multiple projects? Are you using more than one tech in the same solution (like Phone + something else)? If you've got multiple types, make sure you've got the Startup project(s) configured correctly in the solution settings. The Device options are removed if you have anything but the Phone start. – Barcroft

Yes, that was the case: the project was not set as a Startup project. Thanks a lot! If you put your comment as an answer, I will mark it as the answer. – Botsford

Answer 1

As @WiredPrairie suggested, setting a project as a Startup project (and the single Startup project) resolved this issue. Sometimes you may need to delete *.suo file and reload the solution.

Botsford

Answer 2

In case anybody has problems in getting the "Device" option in the application toolbar, I noticed that it makes a difference, which programming language you use: using a Lumia from Nokia: with a windows phone c++ project Visual Studio did not list the "Device", just various emulators, with Windows phone 8.1 visual basic project it did list the "Device" option. Probably there are no c++ libraries on the phone. Just to let you know.

Krissie