Cannot build using project as the target

[pepone]

Issue Description

After updating Visual Studio to version 16.10.0 can no longer build a solution targets using /t:

Steps to Reproduce

Create a solution with 2 C++ console projects foo and bar and save it, go to the console and try to build each project with msbuild foo.sln /t:foo and msbuild foo.sln /f:bar

Expected Behavior

You should be able to build the projects with /t:<project-name>

Actual Behavior

The build fails with an error

msbuild foo.sln /t:bar
Microsoft (R) Build Engine version 16.10.0+4242f381a for .NET Framework
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Building the projects in this solution one at a time. To enable parallel build, please add the "-m" switch.
Build started 5/28/2021 11:10:53 AM.
Project "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo.sln" on node 1 (bar target(s)).
ValidateSolutionConfiguration:
  Building solution configuration "Debug|x64".
Project "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo.sln" (1) is building "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo\foo.vcxproj" (2) on node 1 (bar target(s)).
C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo\foo.vcxproj : error MSB4057: The target "bar" does not exist in the project.
Done Building Project "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo\foo.vcxproj" (bar target(s)) -- FAILED.

Project "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo.sln" (1) is building "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\bar\bar.vcxproj" (3) on node 1 (bar target(s)).
C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\bar\bar.vcxproj : error MSB4057: The target "bar" does not exist in the project.
Done Building Project "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\bar\bar.vcxproj" (bar target(s)) -- FAILED.

Done Building Project "C:\Users\ppgut\source\repos\foo\foo.sln" (bar target(s)) -- FAILED.


Build FAILED.

The attached file contains a solution with two projects that can be used to reproduce the issue.

foo.zip

[ogaun]

Indeed... this is a critical bug as it will break (and is breaking) many build chains.

[eleasysoft]

+1

[larde]

FYI a workaround was found here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67729222/msbuild-error-msb4057-after-updating-to-vs-2019-16-10-0

[rainersigwald]

Duplicate of #6373

[rainersigwald]

(The fix will be in Visual Studio 16.10.1, available ASAP.)

[rhuijben]

Having the same issue. Reinstalled my PC in an attempt to resolve it. Finally confirmation that this will be resolved soon

Severe issue that passed release QA

[guitarjorge24]

I've tried 6 or 7 times to download older versions of Visual Studio like 16.9.6 and 16.9.5 but have not been able to download them successfully. I keep getting this error:

Anyone has seen this or know how to fix this?