Visual Studio 2008 Project won't load, but no errors

Question

Hi, I've got a VS 2008 SP1 solution with multiple projects. Two of the projects appear in the list, but they have a folder icon instead of the normal project icon. The folder is grayed out and I can't expand the folder. The files are definitely available and security is fine.

I edited the SLN file and removed the projects, then re-added them from the IDE, but it's still doing the same thing.

I opened one of the projects singly (by double-clicking from a windows explorer window), created a new solution just for it, and get the same symptom (a grayed out folder for the project with no ability to see any of the files from within the VS 2008 IDE).

I can't find anything online that seems to help.

Anyone have an idea for recovering the project - before I just start over and create a new project?

Thanks,

Answer 1

Running

devenv.exe /installvstemplates

Fixed the problem. Both projects were Unit testing projects - one NUnit, one MS. I guess the messed up templates were causing the problem.

Figured that out when I tried to add a brand new project.

Answer 2

The easiest way to fix this is to delete your solution file. Open up your primary project directly, save out a new solution file, then add all the projects that are part of that solution. It sounds like there is something amiss in your solution file! Let me know if that solves it!