Visual Studio 2017升级后测试数据项目报‘Build目标不存在’错误求助

Hey there, let's work through this issue together—since you're a junior dev, I'll break this down into simple, actionable steps that target the most common causes for this error:

1. Update SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) in VS2017 #

This is the #1 fix for version mismatch issues when upgrading database-related projects:

• Open Visual Studio 2017
• Go to Tools > Extensions and Updates
• Switch to the Updates tab, then look for SQL Server Data Tools
• Install any available updates, then restart VS2017 completely
• Try building your test data project again after restarting

2. Verify & Fix the Project File (.sqlproj) #

Sometimes the upgrade process doesn't properly update the project file's build targets. Here's how to fix it:

• Right-click your test data project in Solution Explorer → Unload Project
• Right-click the unloaded project → Edit [YourProjectName].sqlproj
• Look for lines like this (they import the required build targets for SSDT projects):

  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)\SSDT\Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.SqlTasks.targets" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)\SSDT\Microsoft.Data.Tools.Schema.SqlTasks.targets')" />
  

  • If this line is missing, add it inside the <Project> tag (you can copy this line from your working database project's .sqlproj file)
  • Also check that there are no typos or incorrect paths in existing Import tags
• Save the file, then right-click the project → Reload Project
• Attempt to build again

3. Migrate to a New VS2017-Compatible Project #

If the above steps don't work, the original test data project might be using a deprecated template that VS2017 no longer supports:

• Create a new project in VS2017: Go to File > New > Project, search for SQL Server Project (or SQL Server Unit Test Project if you're using tests)
• Copy all your test data scripts, configurations, and files from the old project into this new one
• Set up any necessary references or deployment settings to match your original project
• Build the new project—this should use the correct build targets for VS2017

4. Check for Deprecated Project Types #

If your test data project was a specialized type (like an old SSDT "Data Generation" project), VS2017 might have phased out support for it. In this case:

• Consider switching to a simpler approach: use a regular SQL project to store your test data scripts, then run them manually or via a post-deployment script
• Or use a testing framework like xUnit or NUnit with SqlClient to insert test data programmatically—this is more flexible and supported across VS versions

Give these steps a try in order—start with updating SSDT, since that's the quickest fix for most upgrade-related build issues. If you hit a snag on any step, feel free to share more details about your test data project's type and what you see when editing the project file!

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Lenster