Visual Studio 2010 : Can't change target. Gives TargetFrameworkMoniker Error

Question

I have a console application which has target .NET 2.0

It is very short but full of unsafe code.

I converted it to VS 2010. I run it OK.

When I try to change "target framework" in properties to 3.5 or 4.0 it shows message box:

TargetFrameworkMoniker: Error parsing application configuration file at line 0. XML document must have a top level element.

the target then stays 2.0 anyway.

For me it was this same issue when going from .NET to NET 4.5. The solution was part of TFS and turns out I was in offline mode. When I connected back online to my TFS server it all worked fine. — gideon, Jul 08 '15 at 09:34

score 30 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 12 '16 at 04:54

30

This happened to me because my project file was marked as "Read Only" in its properties. Changed it, and it was fine.

It also could be caused by read-only app.config/web.config

edited Mar 12 '16 at 04:54

Michael Freidgeim

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answered May 21 '13 at 19:54

jocull

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score 21 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 21 '10 at 00:12

Found the solution. Simply opened app.config in text pad (it was empty for some reason) and pasted:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<startup><supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.0"/></startup></configuration>

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 14 '15 at 12:27

1

For me the problem was the web.config file located outside of the project directory. I moved it back in, and was able to change the target framework.

answered Oct 14 '15 at 12:27

Idan P

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 10 '16 at 12:56

1

I have same issue. I solved it by removing write protected attribute of web.config file. It was read only earlier.

answered Feb 10 '16 at 12:56

arpan desai

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score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 06 '16 at 21:23

1

For me, my project was using a web.config file that was a linked file back to a web.config in another project. I removed the link, changed the target, then added the link back.

answered Sep 06 '16 at 21:23

jwatts1980

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score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Mar 02 '20 at 09:32

1

I faced this problem , i solved it by click app.config to open it and leave it ,then go to properties and upgrade .NET version

answered Mar 02 '20 at 09:32

Baraka Ally

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 05 '16 at 16:32

I was trying to retarget from .NET 4.5.2 to .NET 4.5 In my app.config, I had to change

<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5.2" />

to

<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" />

before the project properties page would let me retarget.

Visual Studio 2010 : Can't change target. Gives TargetFrameworkMoniker Error

7 Answers7

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