I use Azure to host a cloud service, and I updated my code to target the .NET 4.5.2 Framework. When I published it, things went kablooey:
The 'targetFramework' attribute in the element of the Web.config file is used only to target version 4.0 and later of the .NET Framework (for example, ''). The 'targetFramework' attribute currently references a version that is later than the installed version of the .NET Framework. Specify a valid target version of the .NET Framework, or install the required version of the .NET Framework.
The yellow screen of death threw up here:
compilation strict="false" explicit="true" targetFramework="4.5.2"
So I'm confused here because I don't NEED to target 4.5.2 for any special features in my code, but 4.5 seems "old". Am I using cloud services wrong here? Is there a problem for me to continue using 4.5? OR should I go through some steps to have 4.5.2 available when I publish my code?
The reason you're getting this error is because .Net Framework 4.5.2 is not installed on your Cloud Service Virtual Machines by default. This is something that Microsoft is planning on doing very shortly (based on the email sent out by Microsoft earlier this week).
From that email:
On August 7, 2014, Microsoft announced that support will end for .NET Framework 4, 4.5, and 4.5.1 on January 12, 2016. It is recommended that customers and developers complete the in-place update to .NET Framework 4.5.2 by January 12, 2016 to continue receiving technical support and security updates. Visit Microsoft .NET Framework Support Lifecycle Policy for more details. On October 27, we announced that, Azure will update the .NET Framework in Windows Azure Guest operating system (Guest OS) family 2.x, 3.x and 4.x to .NET Framework 4.5.2 in the upcoming November Guest OS Release. Since then, we have received customers’ feedback to postpone the automatic update to an OS release with .NET 4.5.2 and provide an image with .NET 4.5.2 for test validation.
To better accommodate customers’ requirements and provide a smooth upgrade to .NET 4.5.2, Azure will update the .NET Framework in Windows Azure Guest operating system (Guest OS) family 2.x, 3.x and 4.x to .NET Framework 4.5.2 in the January 2016 Guest OS Release. Cloud services running on Guest OS family 2.x, 3.x and 4.x with automatic updates enabled will be updated to the January 2016 Guest OS with .NET Framework 4.5.2. In November, the .NET Framework installed in the default OS will not be changed. In order to help customers validate their cloud service with .NET 4.5.2, Azure will provide a second set of November OS Versions 201511-02 for with .NET 4.5.2 for manual deployment.
To manually install .Net Framework 4.5.2 in your Cloud Service, you may find this link helpful: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/cloud-services-dotnet-install-dotnet.