Cannot add any shared projects to solution in VS2019

Question

I am using VS2019 16.0.0 Preview 4.4

If I create a new C# WPF project, then right click on the solution and click "Add new project". Create a C# class project and add it.

Now if I right click on references on the main startup project and click "add reference". Under shared projects the list is empty and I cannot add anything.

If I open an existing project with shared projects that was created in VS2017, all references to the shared project show up as intellisense errors with red squiggles. If I run the solution it compiles and runs fine.

It seems the GUI component cannot see any referenced projects, however at the MSBUILD level everything works correctly.

I have tried deleting the .VS folder with no luck.

Why do shared projects not work in VS2019 ?

Jere is a screenshot of a VS2017 project which opens, compiles and runs fine, but all the shared project references show up as red intellisense errors.

I have raised a question on the developer community forums with no response for over a week https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/490528/shared-projects-is-empty-and-all-referenced-projec.html

Answer 1

Under shared projects the list is empty and I cannot add anything.

As I know, we can't share the projects (shared) across solution.

Which means if we create a new project, choose "add reference", under shared projects the list would be empty unless we create a new shared project in the solution or add an existing shared project to this solution.

If I open an existing project with shared projects that was created in VS2017, all references to the shared project show up as intellisense errors with red squiggles. If I run the solution it compiles and runs fine.

Open the vs2017 project in vs2019, choose "rebuild", the same issue persists? If so, remove the shared project in the solution, right-click solution=>add existing project to add it back. After that, re-add the reference to the sharedproject.

Actually, the shared project works well on my side with similar vs version. And for more info about why shared project can't run across solution see here.