error MSB4020: The value "" of the "Project" attribute in element <Import> is invalid with version 0.1.15-preview

[yorek]

• SqlPackage or DacFx Version: 162.2.111.2
• .NET Framework (Windows-only) or .NET Core: 6.0
• Environment (local platform and source/target platforms): Codespaces

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Create a new project: dotnet new sqlproj -n "devDB2" -tp "SqlAzureV12"
2. Add a table
3. Build the project

Did this occur in prior versions? If not - which version(s) did it work in?

No, up until version 0.1.14-preview it was working correctly

[dzsquared]

can you share the sql for the table you add?

I don't repro it yet with:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project DefaultTargets="Build">
  <Sdk Name="Microsoft.Build.Sql" Version="0.1.15-preview" />
  <PropertyGroup>
    <Name>devDB2</Name>
    <DSP>Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.Sql.SqlAzureV12DatabaseSchemaProvider</DSP>
    <ModelCollation>1033, CI</ModelCollation>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>

CREATE TABLE dbo.sometable (
        id INT IDENTITY(1,1) PRIMARY KEY,
        name NVARCHAR(100) NOT NULL
        );

(used dotnet new as above to get there)

building with dotnet build

[zijchen]

The only new Import we added in 0.1.15-preview is to Microsoft.NET.Sdk.targets, which shouldn't be empty either https://github.com/microsoft/DacFx/blame/a888164f1e83f0b64f130875600d90205adb7c23/src/Microsoft.Build.Sql/sdk/Sdk.targets#L50

[yorek]

Sure. I installed the SqlPackage and the project template using the following:

dotnet tool install -g microsoft.sqlpackage
dotnet new install Microsoft.Build.Sql.Templates

then I create a new database project via

dotnet new sqlproj -n "devDB2" -tp "SqlAzureV12"

and then I add a new table using VS Code Database Project extension that gets installed in the devcontainer automatically:

Initializing SQL tools service for the mssql extension.
Note: mssql commands will be available after installing the service.

Platform: linux, x86_64, name=debian, version=12 (Debian)

Installing SQL tools service to /home/vscode/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-mssql.mssql-1.22.1/sqltoolsservice/4.10.2.1/Debian.
Downloading https://github.com/Microsoft/sqltoolsservice/releases/download/4.10.2.1/microsoft.sqltools.servicelayer-rhel-x64-net7.0.tar.gz
(70015 KB) .................... Done!
Installing ...
Done! 853 files unpacked.

I add the following table:

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[person] (
    [person_id]        INT IDENTITY (1, 1) NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ([person_id] ASC),
    [person_name]      NVARCHAR (200)      NOT NULL,
    [person_email]     NVARCHAR (200)      NOT NULL,
    [pet_preference]   NVARCHAR (100)      NOT NULL
);

and then if I try to build (from VS Code) I get the followin output

[ Build ]
    > "/usr/share/dotnet/dotnet"  build "/workspaces/azure-sql-db-developers-workshop/database/devDB2/devDB2.sqlproj" /p:NetCoreBuild=true /p:SystemDacpacsLocation="/home/vscode/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-mssql.sql-database-projects-vscode-1.4.1/BuildDirectory"
    stdout: MSBuild version 17.7.4+3ebbd7c49 for .NET
    stdout: 
    stdout:   Determining projects to restore...
    stdout: 
    stdout:   Restored /workspaces/azure-sql-db-developers-workshop/database/devDB2/devDB2.sqlproj (in 2.48 sec).
    stdout: 
    stdout: /usr/share/dotnet/sdk/7.0.406/Sdks/Microsoft.NET.Sdk/targets/Microsoft.NET.Sdk.targets(1199,3): error MSB4020: The value "" of the "Project" attribute in element <Import> is invalid. [/workspaces/azure-sql-db-developers-workshop/database/devDB2/devDB2.sqlproj]
    stdout: 
    stdout: 
    stdout: Build FAILED.
    stdout: 
    stdout: 
    stdout: /usr/share/dotnet/sdk/7.0.406/Sdks/Microsoft.NET.Sdk/targets/Microsoft.NET.Sdk.targets(1199,3): error MSB4020: The value "" of the "Project" attribute in element <Import> is invalid. [/workspaces/azure-sql-db-developers-workshop/database/devDB2/devDB2.sqlproj]
    stdout:     0 Warning(s)
    stdout:     1 Error(s)
    stdout: 
    stdout: Time Elapsed 00:00:09.44
    stdout: 
    >>> "/usr/share/dotnet/dotnet"  build "/workspaces/azure-sql-db-developers-workshop/database/devDB2/devDB2.sqlproj" /p:NetCoreBuild=true /p:SystemDacpacsLocation="/home/vscode/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-mssql.sql-database-projects-vscode-1.4.1/BuildDirectory"    … exited with code: 1
	>>> "/usr/share/dotnet/dotnet"  build "/workspaces/azure-sql-db-developers-workshop/database/devDB2/devDB2.sqlproj" /p:NetCoreBuild=true /p:SystemDacpacsLocation="/home/vscode/.vscode-server/extensions/ms-mssql.sql-database-projects-vscode-1.4.1/BuildDirectory"   … errored out: Process exited with code 1

If I manually change the .sqlprj file to use version "0.1.14-preview" then the build works as expected.

I tried to use the table that you created @dzsquared, and I get the same error.

[yorek]

Btw, opening the targets files, it shows that the error is raised at this line:

  <Import Project="$(ILLinkTargetsPath)" Condition="'$(Language)' != 'C++'" />

[zijchen]

I believe this exact error is fixed by https://github.com/dotnet/sdk/pull/30091

That property ILLinkTargetsPath should be set during restore, but in some cases it seems to leave it blank. The fix above safeguards against that. I suggest updating to latest .NET 8 SDK to get that fix.

[dzsquared]

@zijchen @yorek I wonder if this was fixed in any .net 6 patch releases. if not, we've effectively found ourselves a known issue with .net 6 support

[zijchen]

That target was introduced in .NET 7 so it's not in the .NET 6 SDK, but the fix isn't in the latest .NET 7 patch.

[yorek]

Yes, I have both .NET 6 and 7 installed, but the build process uses the msbuild tool shipped with .NET 7 SDK. Any idea how to fix this without having to download .NET 8?

[zijchen]

Does running an explicit dotnet restore before build solve the issue? I'm not sure if there is any fix besides asking the dotnet team to port the change to .net 7 sdk

[yorek]

I'll use the workaround to avoid installing 0.1.15-preview projects for now.

Do you know there is the need to add a reference to Microsoft.NET.Sdk.targets in the Microsoft.Build.Sql project? I mean, in 0.1.14 it was not there and everything was working. Is 0.1.15 using something that require the Microsoft.NET.Sdk target?

[zijchen]

It is to support transitive project references for sqlproj. If A references B and B references C, A should now understand C's objects.