The strange .NET Core SDK 2.2.6 behavior

Question

I learn the Azure certification and started to study a Azure tutorial, that uses the .NET Core in its demo project. Actually I have VS 2019 (only) and installed the latest to day .NET Core SDK (x64), as follows

C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit>dotnet --info
A compatible SDK version for global.json version: [1.0.4] from [C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\global.json] was not found

Host (useful for support):
  Version: 2.2.6
  Commit:  7dac9b1b51

.NET Core SDKs installed:
  2.1.102 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.103 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.104 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.200 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.201 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.202 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.400 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.401 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.402 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.403 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.500 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.502 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.503 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.504 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.505 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.600-preview-009426 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.600-preview-009472 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.600 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.602 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.1.801 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  2.2.401 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

.NET Core runtimes installed:
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.2 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.4 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.5 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.7 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.8 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.9 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.1.12 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.All 2.2.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.All]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.2 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.4 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.5 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.7 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.8 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.9 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.1.12 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 2.2.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.0.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.0.7 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.0.9 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.2 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.3-servicing-26724-03 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.4 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.5 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.7 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.8 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.9 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.1.12 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 2.2.6 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]

To install additional .NET Core runtimes or SDKs:
  https://aka.ms/dotnet-download

C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit>dotnet new globaljson --sdk-version 2.2.401
A compatible SDK version for global.json version: [1.0.4] from [C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\global.json] was not found
Did you mean to run dotnet SDK commands? Please install dotnet SDK from:
  https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=798306&clcid=0x409

C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit>

Please notice the last command, that asks to build a new global.json file with the latest SDK, it seems the dotnet does not recognize the SDK it just said it installed...

Finally my solution doesn't open in VS 2019 with the following error in the console:

C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\AzureToolkitWalkthrough.csproj : error  : 
The project file cannot be opened by the project system, because it is missing some 
critical imports or the referenced SDK cannot be found.

Detailed Information:
Unable to locate the .NET Core SDK. Check that it is installed and that the version 
specified in global.json (if any) matches the installed version.

Visual-Studio-Code as well gives the following error, when trying to debug the project

[info]: OmniSharp.Stdio.Host Omnisharp server running using Stdio at location 'c:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit' on host 4820. A compatible SDK version for global.json version: [1.0.4] from [c:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\global.json] was not found [warn]: OmniSharp.MSBuild.ProjectManager Failed to load project file 'c:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\AzureToolkitWalkthrough.csproj'. c:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\AzureToolkitWalkthrough.csproj(1,1) Microsoft.Build.Exceptions.InvalidProjectFileException: The SDK 'Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web' specified could not be found. c:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\AzureToolkitWalkthrough.csproj at Microsoft.Build.Shared.ProjectErrorUtilities.ThrowInvalidProject(String errorSubCategoryResourceName, IElementLocation elementLocation, String resourceName, Object[] args) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Evaluator4.ExpandAndLoadImportsFromUnescapedImportExpressionConditioned(String directoryOfImportingFile, ProjectImportElement importElement, List1& projects, SdkResult& sdkResult, Boolean throwOnFileNotExistsError)
at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Evaluator4.ExpandAndLoadImports(String directoryOfImportingFile, ProjectImportElement importElement, SdkResult& sdkResult) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Evaluator4.EvaluateImportElement(String directoryOfImportingFile, ProjectImportElement importElement) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Evaluator4.PerformDepthFirstPass(ProjectRootElement currentProjectOrImport) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Evaluator4.Evaluate(ILoggingService loggingService, BuildEventContext buildEventContext) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Project.Reevaluate(ILoggingService loggingServiceForEvaluation, ProjectLoadSettings loadSettings, EvaluationContext evaluationContext) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Project.ReevaluateIfNecessary(ILoggingService loggingServiceForEvaluation, ProjectLoadSettings loadSettings, EvaluationContext evaluationContext) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Project.Initialize(IDictionary2 globalProperties, String toolsVersion, String subToolsetVersion, ProjectLoadSettings loadSettings, EvaluationContext evaluationContext) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.Project..ctor(String projectFile, IDictionary2 globalProperties, String toolsVersion, String subToolsetVersion, ProjectCollection projectCollection, ProjectLoadSettings loadSettings, EvaluationContext evaluationContext) at Microsoft.Build.Evaluation.ProjectCollection.LoadProject(String fileName, IDictionary2 globalProperties, String toolsVersion) at OmniSharp.MSBuild.ProjectLoader.EvaluateProjectFileCore(String filePath) in C:\projects\omnisharp-roslyn\src\OmniSharp.MSBuild\ProjectLoader.cs:line 129 at OmniSharp.MSBuild.ProjectLoader.BuildProject(String filePath) in C:\projects\omnisharp-roslyn\src\OmniSharp.MSBuild\ProjectLoader.cs:line 72 at OmniSharp.MSBuild.ProjectFile.ProjectFileInfo.Load(String filePath, ProjectIdInfo projectIdInfo, ProjectLoader loader) in C:\projects\omnisharp-roslyn\src\OmniSharp.MSBuild\ProjectFile\ProjectFileInfo.cs:line 95 at OmniSharp.MSBuild.ProjectManager.<>c__DisplayClass29_0.<LoadProject>b__0() in C:\projects\omnisharp-roslyn\src\OmniSharp.MSBuild\ProjectManager.cs:line 297 at OmniSharp.MSBuild.ProjectManager.LoadOrReloadProject(String projectFilePath, Func1 loader) in C:\projects\omnisharp-roslyn\src\OmniSharp.MSBuild\ProjectManager.cs:line 308

Answer 1

A compatible SDK version for global.json version: [1.0.4] from [C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\global.json] was not found

As this error indicates and the suggestion, there is a global.json in your path C:\Learning\MS-Certif-20-487\AzureToolkit\. Remove it manually.

It seems you are using repository AzureToolkit, for this project, it targets to netcoreapp1.1. If you are learning Azure Storage APIs for .NET, I would suggest you get started from Azure Storage APIs for .NET by creating your own asp.net core project, instead of cloning the existing project with old .net core version. You may hit other issues since you may not be familiar with Asp.NET Core and SPA project template.

Answer 2

This is very straight-forward. You have a global.json either in your home directory or some path relative to your solution or project, which is set to use 1.0.4 of the .NET Core SDK/runtime. You don't have 1.0.4 installed, so you get the error. The global.json file affects all uses of dotnet, so attempt to gen a new global.json is going to fail as well.

Simply, you just need to find the existing file and manually change the version to one you do have installed, or just remove it entirely, allowing the latest installed SDK/runtime version to become the default.