"Please correct before proceeding." - Web.config error

Question

I attempted to launch a website project locally but received the below message in an error dialog:

Please correct before proceeding.(You might rename the current web.config and add a new one).

Typically this error is preceded by a general description of the cause, this one was not. Knowing odd, out-of-the-blue, problems such as these are typically related to corrupt IDE generated files. I tried deleting the .suo, .vssscc and other generated files from the solution and project directories but the problem continued.

Kershaw · Answer 1 · 2018-02-05T20:42:52.643

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This happened to me today after getting latest. I resolved by closing and reopening the solution, rebuild, then run. All is well...

edited Feb 05 '18 at 20:42

answered Nov 10 '16 at 00:28

Kershaw

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Except that you had to do that. – Anders Lindén Dec 18 '20 at 08:40
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Mine requires restarting visual studio... Closing and opening the solution isn't even good enough for me. *frowny face* Gotta be some hung process in IIS or something? – Urk Jan 14 '21 at 22:24
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After closing all .config file visualisation also worked for me. – BASKA Jun 08 '21 at 06:28

score 30 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 07 '16 at 17:42

30

I actually resolved this by making sure the Web.config file wasn't an open document inside VS 2015. In other words, close the Web.config file wherever it might be open, and make sure your Team Explorer isn't causing any problems, like an unexpected change or staged change...rebuild the sln and run...

answered Jul 07 '16 at 17:42

whyoz

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Thank you for providing a solution which is so much easier/quicker than close/reopen VS – OutstandingBill Sep 11 '20 at 00:32

score 22 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 15 '19 at 19:45

22

Close vs2017 and open it again worked for me

answered Aug 15 '19 at 19:45

Ton

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Worked for me too on Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2019 Version 16.9.0 – jaybro Mar 08 '21 at 22:42
the best solution is to reboot visual studio all for versions – ibrahimatay Apr 02 '21 at 13:30

score 15 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 06 '19 at 10:30

15

just open web.config and run again.I've had this problem and I resolved by this solution .

answered Aug 06 '19 at 10:30

Mohsen Zahedi

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altough it's a temporary soulution :) – Mohsen Zahedi Aug 06 '19 at 10:39

score 11 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

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I fixed the problem using a solution I found for a different IDE-related issue (original answer here). Run the following in an elevated command prompt:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe" /setup

Note: You'll need to adjust the path for your version of Visual Studio (original version mapping answer here):

Visual Studio 2005 = 8
Visual Studio 2008 = 9.0
Visual Studio 2010 = 10.0
Visual Studio 2012 = 11.0
Visual Studio 2013 = 12.0
Visual Studio 2015 = 14.0

edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

Community

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answered Dec 10 '15 at 14:12

alan

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In the start menu, there is `Visual Studio 2015 -> Visual Studio Tools`. Open it and select `Developer Command Prompt for VS 2015`. This will open a console with the right entry directory, so you can type `devenv.exe /setup` directly. A similar entry exists for the older Visual Studio versions. – Matt Sep 26 '16 at 11:20
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Maybe it's obvious, but I had to close Visual Studio before running an elevated Developer Command Prompt and once it was done start Visual Studio again. Running it while having Visual Studio 2019 open did not help. – Jonny Jul 07 '21 at 21:10

score 6 · Answer 6 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

6

This issue came to me after merging some code in version control using RTC tools. When I saw whyoz answer I noticed that web.config wasn't opened anywhere. It could be RTC locking the file or something like this. So, I simply restarted Visual Studio and it became normal again.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

Community

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answered Aug 26 '16 at 20:38

tgarcia

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score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Aug 07 '19 at 15:28

I ran into this issue today after doing a branch merge using the VS19 built-in Git tools. The config file was correct; I even used a schema validator based on KD2ND's answer in how can I validate dot net application config file(ex, app.exe.config) on console?.

I cleaned the solution, unloaded it, and reloaded it, and everything worked fine. I didn't even need to restart studio.

Based on others' answers, this appears to be related to code merging in the IDE. It's a weird problem but it's a relief that the solution (once found) is simple.

score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 13 '21 at 15:53

3

As an FYI, in VS 2019 the solution is to close the tabs, and the solution and Visual Studio, then restart Visual Studio. This has worked for me.

answered Jan 13 '21 at 15:53

Muniro

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Klai Abdessattar · Answer 9 · 2021-08-31T16:06:50.793

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in Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 : Just neeed to close project, thenn open+ clean+rebuild and everything work

edited Aug 31 '21 at 16:06

answered Aug 31 '21 at 15:19

Klai Abdessattar

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score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Aug 27 '19 at 08:12

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In VS 19 Enterprise, the Solution for me was:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe" /setup

Based on the merked answer from alan.

answered Aug 27 '19 at 08:12

C. Fritz

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Vivek Nuna · Answer 11 · 2021-12-01T02:26:50.550

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I had just opened the web.config file and then pressed CTRL K + D. it will make the formatting good of the file. and then run the application. it worked for me.

Even if you undo the above changes then also it works. it is weird somehow.

edited Dec 01 '21 at 02:26

answered Oct 07 '21 at 05:09

Vivek Nuna

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editing web.config will recycle application pool usually. so that might be the real fix – Tore Aurstad May 02 '22 at 15:38

score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Jul 25 '23 at 13:30

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I dont know how or why, but in my case, just opening the web.config file in visual studio , are solving my problem... if i close the web.config file in visual studio, the error message appears.

answered Jul 25 '23 at 13:30

Renan Duarte

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"Please correct before proceeding." - Web.config error

12 Answers12