Where is the NuGet reference stored?

Question

I can't get this C# solution (click to download - 666MB or browse on GitHub here) to compile:

The error I'm getting is

This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Use NuGet Package Restore to download them. For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=322105. The missing file is ..\packages\Accord.3.8.0\build\Accord.targets. bootcamp_basecamera C:\Users\MyUser\Desktop\ComputerVision_Bootcamp-master\bootcamp_basecamera\bootcamp_basecamera\bootcamp_basecamera.csproj 144

The line in question in boot_camp_basecamera.csproj is:

<Error Condition="!Exists('..\packages\Accord.3.8.0\build\Accord.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\packages\Accord.3.8.0\build\Accord.targets'))" />

I've gone through each and every NuGet question / solution here on StackOverflow, but none of the answers worked for me.

I tried package restore, I un-installed all NuGet packages manually and installed them again.

This didn't make the error messages go away.

I would therefore like to ask where exactely this error message originates from. It says "This project references...". I've even deleted the package.config files, and I'm still seeing this error.

Therefore I would like to ask where exactely this reference is stored, since it can't be packages.config (because I deleted them).

Thank you.

Per request, here is the contents of the .csproj file in question:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="15.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <Import Project="..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\build\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.props" Condition="Exists('..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\build\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.props')" />
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />
  <PropertyGroup>
    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
    <Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
    <ProjectGuid>{10F276C8-F8C8-43FB-90F3-B3F1F0B74A2C}</ProjectGuid>
    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
    <RootNamespace>Bootcamp.CompVis.Webinar</RootNamespace>
    <AssemblyName>webinar</AssemblyName>
    <TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.6.1</TargetFrameworkVersion>
    <FileAlignment>512</FileAlignment>
    <AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>true</AutoGenerateBindingRedirects>
    <NuGetPackageImportStamp>
    </NuGetPackageImportStamp>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <PlatformTarget>x64</PlatformTarget>
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
    <PlatformTarget>x86</PlatformTarget>
    <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
    <Optimize>true</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|x64'">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <OutputPath>bin\x64\Debug\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <PlatformTarget>x64</PlatformTarget>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <CodeAnalysisRuleSet>MinimumRecommendedRules.ruleset</CodeAnalysisRuleSet>
    <Prefer32Bit>true</Prefer32Bit>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|x64'">
    <OutputPath>bin\x64\Release\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <Optimize>true</Optimize>
    <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
    <PlatformTarget>x64</PlatformTarget>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <CodeAnalysisRuleSet>MinimumRecommendedRules.ruleset</CodeAnalysisRuleSet>
    <Prefer32Bit>true</Prefer32Bit>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Reference Include="Accord, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Controls.Imaging, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Controls.Imaging.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Controls.Imaging.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Imaging, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Imaging.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Imaging.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.MachineLearning, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.MachineLearning.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.MachineLearning.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Math, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Math.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Math.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Math.Core, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Math.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Math.Core.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Statistics, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Statistics.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Statistics.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Video, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Video.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Video.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Video.DirectShow, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Video.DirectShow.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Video.DirectShow.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="Accord.Vision, Version=3.8.2.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=fa1a88e29555ccf7, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\Accord.Vision.3.8.2-alpha\lib\net46\Accord.Vision.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="DlibDotNet, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, processorArchitecture=AMD64">
      <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
      <HintPath>dlib\DlibDotNet.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="DlibDotNet.Extensions, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, processorArchitecture=AMD64">
      <SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
      <HintPath>dlib\DlibDotNet.Extensions.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="OpenCvSharp, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6adad1e807fea099, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\lib\net46\OpenCvSharp.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="OpenCvSharp.Blob, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6adad1e807fea099, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\lib\net46\OpenCvSharp.Blob.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="OpenCvSharp.Extensions, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6adad1e807fea099, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\lib\net46\OpenCvSharp.Extensions.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="OpenCvSharp.UserInterface, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=6adad1e807fea099, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
      <HintPath>..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\lib\net46\OpenCvSharp.UserInterface.dll</HintPath>
    </Reference>
    <Reference Include="PresentationCore" />
    <Reference Include="System" />
    <Reference Include="System.Core" />
    <Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
    <Reference Include="System.Data.DataSetExtensions" />
    <Reference Include="Microsoft.CSharp" />
    <Reference Include="System.Data" />
    <Reference Include="System.Deployment" />
    <Reference Include="System.Drawing" />
    <Reference Include="System.Net.Http" />
    <Reference Include="System.Windows.Forms" />
    <Reference Include="System.Xml" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Compile Include="MainForm.cs">
      <SubType>Form</SubType>
    </Compile>
    <Compile Include="MainForm.Designer.cs">
      <DependentUpon>MainForm.cs</DependentUpon>
    </Compile>
    <Compile Include="Program.cs" />
    <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
    <Compile Include="Utility.cs" />
    <EmbeddedResource Include="MainForm.resx">
      <DependentUpon>MainForm.cs</DependentUpon>
    </EmbeddedResource>
    <EmbeddedResource Include="Properties\Resources.resx">
      <Generator>ResXFileCodeGenerator</Generator>
      <LastGenOutput>Resources.Designer.cs</LastGenOutput>
      <SubType>Designer</SubType>
    </EmbeddedResource>
    <Compile Include="Properties\Resources.Designer.cs">
      <AutoGen>True</AutoGen>
      <DependentUpon>Resources.resx</DependentUpon>
      <DesignTime>True</DesignTime>
    </Compile>
    <None Include="shape_predictor_68_face_landmarks.dat">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </None>
    <None Include="packages.config" />
    <None Include="Properties\Settings.settings">
      <Generator>SettingsSingleFileGenerator</Generator>
      <LastGenOutput>Settings.Designer.cs</LastGenOutput>
    </None>
    <Compile Include="Properties\Settings.Designer.cs">
      <AutoGen>True</AutoGen>
      <DependentUpon>Settings.settings</DependentUpon>
      <DesignTimeSharedInput>True</DesignTimeSharedInput>
    </Compile>
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <None Include="App.config">
      <SubType>Designer</SubType>
    </None>
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Content Include="swap.jpg">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </Content>
    <None Include="dlib\DlibDotNet.dll" />
    <None Include="dlib\DlibDotNet.Extensions.dll" />
    <Content Include="DlibDotNet.Native.dll">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </Content>
    <Content Include="input.jpg">
      <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
    </Content>
  </ItemGroup>
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
  <Import Project="..\packages\Accord.3.8.2-alpha\build\Accord.targets" Condition="Exists('..\packages\Accord.3.8.2-alpha\build\Accord.targets')" />
  <Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
    <PropertyGroup>
      <ErrorText>This project references NuGet package(s) that are missing on this computer. Use NuGet Package Restore to download them.  For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=322105. The missing file is {0}.</ErrorText>
    </PropertyGroup>
    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\packages\Accord.3.8.2-alpha\build\Accord.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\packages\Accord.3.8.2-alpha\build\Accord.targets'))" />
    <Error Condition="!Exists('..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\build\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.props')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\packages\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.3.3.1.20171117\build\OpenCvSharp3-AnyCPU.props'))" />
  </Target>
</Project>

Answer 1

The problem is that the directory structure is

• bootcamp_complete.sln
• bootcamp_basecamera/
  • bootcamp_basecamera.sln
  • bootcamp_basecamera/
    • bootcamp_basecamera.csproj

i.e. the .csproj is two levels deep, and there are two .slns. The HintPaths in the .csproj are only ..\package, i.e. they're set up for packages restored by bootcamp_basecamera.sln, not bootcamp_complete.sln.

So I think your options are

1. open each subproject's own .sln and restore packages there - lots of duplication of the downloaded files, but this may be easier if you only need to work with them individually and they don't depend on each other
2. modify the .csprojs to set the hintpath to be ..\..\package not ..\package
3. change the folder structure: remove the intermediate folder with its own .sln file, so bootcamp_basecamera.csproj is in only one folder depth from the root, and then update the top level .sln for the paths change