.NET 8 in Azure DevOps gives "Error NETSDK1112: The runtime pack for Microsoft.NETCore.App.Runtime.win-x64 was not downloaded"

Question

I have upgraded an MSIX WPF app to .NET 8 from .NET 7, and it runs fine on my own computer. But when I try to build it in Azure DevOps, I get the errors:

C:\agent\_work\_tool\dotnet\sdk\8.0.100\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\targets\Microsoft.NET.Sdk.FrameworkReferenceResolution.targets(491,5): 
Error NETSDK1112: The runtime pack for Microsoft.NETCore.App.Runtime.win-x64 was not downloaded. Try running a NuGet restore with the RuntimeIdentifier 'win-x64'.

C:\agent\_work\_tool\dotnet\sdk\8.0.100\Sdks\Microsoft.NET.Sdk\targets\Microsoft.NET.Sdk.FrameworkReferenceResolution.targets(491,5): Error NETSDK1112: The runtime pack for Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App.Runtime.win-x64 was not downloaded. Try running a NuGet restore with the RuntimeIdentifier 'win-x64'.

I get the same error on both my on-premise build server and when using a hosted agent.

I used these tasks to install and verify .NET 8 on the machines:

- task: UseDotNet@2
  inputs:
    version: '8.x'

- task: PowerShell@2
  displayName: 'Check .NET Version and SDKs'
  inputs:
    targetType: 'inline'
    script: |    
        dotnet --version
        dotnet --list-sdks
        dotnet --list-runtimes

But it made no difference.

The project file contains this (I have not changed it since .NET 7)

 <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
 <RuntimeIdentifier>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifier>

I build the project using this task:

trigger:
 branches:
   include:
   - master

stages:
- stage: Build

  jobs:  

  - job: Build
    displayName: "Build app and installer"
    pool:
      vmImage: 'windows-latest'

    steps:

    - task: VSBuild@1
      inputs:
        solution: 'TestApp.sln'
        vsVersion: 'latest'
        platform: 'x64'
        configuration: 'Release' 
        msbuildArchitecture: 'x64'
        msbuildArgs: ''

NEW: Minimal repro project: https://github.com/tripleacoder/MSIXTestApp/

Celom

Answer 1

I can reproduce the same issue.

To solve this issue, you can change the <RuntimeIdentifier>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifier> to <RuntimeIdentifiers>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifiers>

For example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFramework>
    <RuntimeIdentifiers>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifiers>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
    <Platforms>x64</Platforms>
    <RestorePackagesWithLockFile>true</RestorePackagesWithLockFile>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>

In this case, it will install the microsoft.netcore.app.runtime.win-x64/8.0.0 package.

For example:

Catha

It's working. Amazing what a single letter can do. – Celom

I've been fighting with this for hours but this change worked. How did you figure that out? – Hookworm

This fixed the problem for me, too (which was unrelated to MSIX). This seems like a bug in dotnet restore CLI. – Declamation

A word of warning about this solution - before .NET 8, having the 'RuntimeIdentifier' property in the csproj file automatically enables publishing a self-contained application. Switching to 'RuntimeIdentifiers' breaks this behavior. – Uniform

In my case, this change proceed to the next step but then I took this error: Manifest file at 'obj\Debug\net8.0-windows7.0\win-x64\staticwebassets.build.json' not found. – Castellany

@VasilisPlavos have you found a fix? – Claytor

@Claytor sure! check bellow :) – Castellany

Answer 2

I have tested using the configuration shared by you, the pipeline runs successfully.

The image I am using is windows-latest. Please run NuGet restore before the build and check if it works.

- task: NuGetCommand@2
  inputs:
    command: 'restore'
    restoreSolution: '**/*.sln'
    feedsToUse: 'select'
    vstsFeed: '***'

If you still have the same error after NuGet restore, please share your complete YAML file and the project configuration.

Pricefixing

It didn't help. I have the YAML up to the build task. It is 300 lines long... – Celom

I managed to get most of it under the 30000 character limit. – Celom

I still can't reproduce the issue. If I don't run restore, the pipeline will fail with "Error NETSDK1004: Assets file 'D:\a\1\s\Test\obj\project.assets.json' not found". Would you please try to run restore in a VSBuild@1 task? Set msbuildArgs: > /p:RuntimeIdentifier=win-x64 /t:Restore Based on your description, it works on your local machine. If it's convenient, please set up a self-hosted agent on that machine and check what's the result. – Pricefixing

I added a separate VSBuild task with the msbuildArgs /p:RuntimeIdentifier=win-x64 /t:Restore but the error still appeared when building – Celom

I tried with a different MSIX project but the same pipeline, and still got the error. – Celom

1. Would you please try to use DotNetCoreCLI@2 task to restore and build your project? 2. According to your description, you can build successfully on your local machine. You can set up a self-hosted agent on that machine. Then run your pipeline using the self-hosted agent. If it works, the issue may be related to the MS-hosted agent. 3. If it's convenient, please share a sample project that can reproduce the issue, so that I can test from my side. – Pricefixing

Thanks, I can try that. I have made a minimal repro example here: github.com/tripleacoder/MSIXTestApp – Celom

@Rye bread, I can reproduce the issue using your sample project. Tried the suggestion shared by Kevin Lu-MSFT, my pipeline can run successfully. Please try to use <RuntimeIdentifiers>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifiers> in your project and let us know if it works for you. – Pricefixing

Answer 3

If you are using WPF, and the target framework is .NET8* and Azure DevOps, try to publish the application as a self-contained app.

To do it easily include also the property: <SelfContained>true</SelfContained>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows7.0</TargetFramework>
    <RuntimeIdentifier>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifier>
    <SelfContained>true</SelfContained>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>

Castellany