Create new publish profile: "One or more errors occurred"

Question

In a .NET project, select Build -> Publish -> and see the default "No profiles created, select a method" screen. Choose Folder and complete the wizard. Click Finish. Receive the following Microsoftian error:

"One or more errors occured"

With no other information.

Having already solved this, I'm posting to share the answer and publicly shame Microsoft for these lame error messages. Visual Studio is a program only used by developers: we can handle a little more information, and in fact need it to solve these minor, job-derailing errors in a timely way and hold onto some sanity while the rest of the program is locking up and spewing errors all day.

Answer 1

Navigate to [Your project's directory] -> Properties -> Publish Profiles and delete the contents (or move to another location if you might want these back later). Then, in VS, click Finish in the publish profile wizard again.