Can't open a TFS build process template with Community Build Extensions in VS2012 using the dummy-project-with-refrences trick

Question

I'm trying to open a TFS Build Process Template (DefaultTemplate.11.1.xaml) file, incorporating an activity from Community TFS Build Extensions. I'm following instractions from here, section Get the custom activities into Visual Studio. I had no problems with that back in the RC version of Visual Studio 2012 but now, after upgrading to the release version, an attempt to open the file ends up in an error:

System.Xaml.XamlException: 'The type ‘InArgument(mtbwa:BuildSettings)’ of property ‘BuildSettings’ could not be resolved.'

TFS itself doesn't seem to have any problems running builds based on this template.

I am able to open the file without the trick, but then of course the custom activities are not displayed properly.

Answer 1

Check this out:

http://blogs.blackmarble.co.uk/blogs/rfennell/post/2012/08/30/Type-InArgument(mtbwaBuildSettings)-of-property-BuildSettings-errors-in-TFS-2012-RTM-builds.aspx

Quote:

"if the Visual Studio class library project you were using to manage the process template editing was targeting .NET 4.5, it needed to be 4.0. Well with Visual Studio 2012 RTM this is no longer the case, in fact it is the other way around."

Answer 2

I don't really think this is a great answer but I don't have enough rep to comment...

1. Build action on the xaml file is set to None?

2. I had a similar issue when opening build templates in VS 2012 RTM, but I was able to open the xaml "a little," meaning that I could open it in the workflow designer, but a lot of it was just the error activity. I found some errors to the effect that I should add references which I had not needed before (neither in VS 2010 or VS 11), such as PresentationCore and PresentationFramework. I wish I remembered more detail to pass on to you on this point.