CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#visual-studio-2019
AGMaven
AGMaven

Reputation: 3

Cannot find Add Reference

I want to add some references but cannot seem to find the add reference option. I have googled and people have said its in the project menu, but for me, the project menu only shows the export template option and nothing else. Any fix for this?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1101

Answers (2)

Ben Voigt
Ben Voigt

Reputation: 283634

Don't look in the menu bar at the top of Visual Studio, instead in the Solution Explorer window, right-click on the project and look inside the popup menu. Even better, right-click on the References node inside the project.

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If you have closed or having trouble finding the Solution Explorer window, it can be found from the top-level "View" menu.

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The reference-manipulation options are also available in the top menu bar, but that menu bar is highly context-sensitive and items will appear and disappear depending on which MDI child window has focus. Best to use Solution Explorer.

You will need to have "Folder View" turned off. Solution Explorer in Folder View mode is not displaying your solution at all, but your project directory, and in my estimation it's pretty obvious that such a different view should have gone in a different window with a different name. The "Solutions and Folders" icon in the Solution Explorer toolbar will toggle between "Solution Explorer" and "Solution Explorer - Folder View"

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As it turns out, "Folder View" is also what has removed all of the project-related items from the menu bar "Project" menu. When in folder view you are using Visual Studio as a fancy code editor with no project support. Even the File menu "Open Project/Solution" and "Close Solution" items disappear, replaced by "Open Folder" and "Close Folder". The Build menu options for working with projects and solutions all disappear, replaced by "Build Document".

I do not understand why a toggle that changes the mode of the entire development environment is hidden away inside the "Solution Explorer" tool window, and phrased in a manner that suggests it just changes the presentation of one treeview, but that's what it is.

Upvotes: 1

RJS
RJS

Reputation: 83

To add references to your project, right-click References in the Solution Explorer of your project and click Add Reference... The project must be open to view the Solution Explorer.

Upvotes: 0

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