Failed assembly resolution in XAML workflow projects

[lmagyar]

Situation:

• using VS 15.6.5
• a net461 project uses old project format but the new PackageReference tag
• the net461 project contains XAML Workflow Activity definitions
• the net461 project refers directly to a netstandard2.0 NuGet package or refers to a net461 NuGet package that has references to netstandard projects, ie. it's a mixed environment
  • indirect: Microsoft.Orleans.Core v1.5.3 (net461 project)
  • direct: Orleans.Activities v0.4.0, Abp v3.4.0 (netstandard2.0 projects)

Problem:

• build warnings, that some (quite random) .dll-s has an incorrect format
• it's only a warning, but the application really fails with System.NotSupportedException: Expression Activity type 'CSharpValue'1' requires compilation in order to run. Please ensure that the workflow has been compiled.

In case of referring to Orleans.Activities NuGet pkg the build warnings:

• Could not compile workflow expressions because file 'file:///C:\Users\xxx\.nuget\packages\system.reflection.typeextensions\4.4.0\ref\net461\System.Reflection.TypeExtensions.dll' has an incorrect format. Workflows in this project may still run, if they do not require expression compilation. If the file is a platform-specific library or executable, consider building the project using MSBuild.exe from a command prompt of the targeted platform.
• Could not run workflow validation because file 'System.Reflection.TypeExtensions, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' has an incorrect format. This will not prevent workflows from running; but any workflow that has a validation error will fail at runtime. If the file is a platform-specific library or executable, consider building the project using MSBuild.exe from a command prompt of the targeted platform.

In case of referring to Microsoft.Orleans.Core NuGet pkg the build warnings:

• Could not compile workflow expressions because file 'file:///C:\Users\xxx\.nuget\packages\system.net.http\4.3.0\ref\net46\System.Net.Http.dll' has an incorrect format. Workflows in this project may still run, if they do not require expression compilation. If the file is a platform-specific library or executable, consider building the project using MSBuild.exe from a command prompt of the targeted platform.
• Could not run workflow validation because file 'System.Net.Http, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' has an incorrect format. This will not prevent workflows from running; but any workflow that has a validation error will fail at runtime. If the file is a platform-specific library or executable, consider building the project using MSBuild.exe from a command prompt of the targeted platform.

In case of referring to Abp NuGet pkg the build warnings:

• Could not compile workflow expressions because file 'file:///C:\Users\xxx\.nuget\packages\system.runtime.compilerservices.unsafe\4.4.0\ref\netstandard2.0\System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe.dll' has an incorrect format. Workflows in this project may still run, if they do not require expression compilation. If the file is a platform-specific library or executable, consider building the project using MSBuild.exe from a command prompt of the targeted platform.
• Could not run workflow validation because file 'System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' has an incorrect format. This will not prevent workflows from running; but any workflow that has a validation error will fail at runtime. If the file is a platform-specific library or executable, consider building the project using MSBuild.exe from a command prompt of the targeted platform.

Repros:

• see developer community problem though nobody cares about these reports...
• lmagyar/Orleans.Activities/tree/samples-xaml "permalink"
  • NOTE: If you want to run the solution,
    • there is another error Missing netfx.force.conflicts.dll problem, again #704, before running it, copy a netfx.force.conflicts.dll to the Arithmetical.DevSiloHost output dir
    • first start manually Arithmetical.DevSiloHost wait 5s to start up, then start manually Arithmetical.DevClusterClient!

referring #704 #481 dotnet/sdk#1930

I don't know whether dotnet/project-system is a better place for this issue?

[lmagyar]

This is a reincarnation of dotnet/sdk#1522. Until that issue is reopened I leave this issue open.

[lmagyar]

Closing after dotnet/sdk#1522 is reopened.