Installing a tool that targets a framework not installed gives a non-actionable error message.

[ericstj]

Describe the bug

Attempt to install a tool that targets a framework version not present. The error message emitted complains about a missing DotNetToolSettings.xml file.

To Reproduce

dotnet tool install --global microsoft.dotnet.genapi.tool --add-source https://dnceng.pkgs.visualstudio.com/public/_packaging/dotnet9-transport/nuget/v3/index.json --prerelease

Exceptions (if any)

Error observed:

Tool 'microsoft.dotnet.genapi.tool' failed to update due to the following:
The settings file in the tool's NuGet package is invalid: Settings file 'DotnetToolSettings.xml' was not found in the package.
Tool 'microsoft.dotnet.genapi.tool' failed to install. Contact the tool author for assistance.

Further technical details

This was reproduced with a machine that didn't have net9.0 SDK installed. To fix it, you can install the SDK, or use the package from the dotnet8-transport feed instead.

The SDK should do better when installing the tool to notify the user they might need to update the SDK.

[JL03-Yue]

Thanks for reporting it.

[MikeYeager]

I'm getting something similar:

PS D:\Repos\> **dotnet tool install -g NuGet.CommandLine**
Tool 'nuget.commandline' failed to update due to the following:
The settings file in the tool's NuGet package is invalid: Settings file 'DotnetToolSettings.xml' was not found in the package.
Tool 'nuget.commandline' failed to install. Contact the tool author for assistance.

I do have .NET9 SDK installed:

PS D:\Repos\> **dotnet --list-sdks**
9.0.200 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

I ended up downloading nuget.exe to get past it, but...

[baronfel]

@MikeYeager NuGet.CommandLine isn't a .NET SDK Tool. The issue we should log for you is that non-tools don't give a clear error saying " this is not a tool, you can't install me with dotnet tool install".

A .NET SDK Tool is a special kind of NuGet-delivered Framework-dependent app that includes some additional metadata that the SDK reads.