Can't Add MSI Project to VS: Missing Critical Imports or SDK

[RASMalik5]

I am trying to create a new FireGiant HeatWave Wix installer for a Visual Studio solution (2019 and 2022). I am doing this by creating a new, empty solution and adding an MSI Package project. When I press the Create button, I get the following error:

The project file cannot be opened by the project system, because it is missing some critical imports or the referenced SDK cannot be found.

I installed Wix version 6.0.0+8c7432e from here.

C:\Windows\system32>wix --version
6.0.0+8c7432e

I am using the VS extensions HeatWave for VS2019 and HeatWave for VS2022. Both of which were downloaded from the MS store;

These are the .NET SDKs, installed on my system:

• 2.1.526 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
• 3.1.426 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
• 5.0.408 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
• 5.0.416 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
• 7.0.120 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
• 7.0.410 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
• 9.0.203 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

My System Variable PATH looks okay: PATH=C:\Program Files\dotnet;

The strange thing is that I worked on a separate project a few weeks back and this didn't happen. Now it does. I even went back to that original project, deleted the Wix Installer from it, tried adding it again, and the error occurs.

If the error message would at least specify which "critical imports" or "SDK" it can't find, I could at least have a hint. I am not finding any entries in the Event Viewer for this. When I run it from the command line (devenv.exe /Log), the log file just shows the same message (I've attached a copy to this issue)
Log.txt.

Maybe I am missing something obvious, but any help anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Scott

[FireGiantHelp]

First, can you verify that you are running the latest version of HeatWave v1.0.6. Also, which version of Visual Studio are you using? Second, you don't need to install the command-line tools, everything you need will come down via MSBuild.

If the problem reproduces with the latest HeatWave can you share the project so we can take a look at it? Also, make sure your nuget.config is allowing the WixToolset.Sdk to be downloaded from nuget.org.

[BITControl-MB]

I get the same error. I am using Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11.48 and HeatWave for VS2019 version 1.0.4. Does the extension still work with VisualStudio 2019? HeatWave seems to require the .Net 6 SDK to be installed. However, .Net 6 is not supported by VisualStudio 2019.

I am trying to create an installer for a project based on the .Net framework 4.8.1.

[FireGiantHelp]

Visual Studio 2019 is supported with HeatWave for VS2019, which it looks like you are using. Can you attach the log file from the failed install? VSIX log files may report many errors, but many of them are ignored.