Visual studio 2015 and arcgis 10.5 debug error

[LobkeDeblaere]

I keep getting this ValidateAddinXMLTask error:

Severity	Code	Description	Project	File	Line	Suppression State
Error		The "ValidateAddInXMLTask" task failed unexpectedly.System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.12.0, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. Het systeem kan het opgegeven bestand niet vinden.File name: 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.12.0, Version=12.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' at ESRI.ArcGIS.AddIns.SDK.MSBuild.ValidateAddInXMLTask.Execute() at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskExecutionHost.Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.ITaskExecutionHost.Execute() at Microsoft.Build.BackEnd.TaskBuilder.<ExecuteInstantiatedTask>d__26.MoveNext()WRN: Assembly binding logging is turned OFF.To enable assembly bind failure logging, set the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog] (DWORD) to 1.Note: There is some performance penalty associated with assembly bind failure logging.To turn this feature off, remove the registry value [HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Fusion!EnableLog].	lijstEigenaars105

Installing visual studio 2013 sdk should solve it.  But I can't find the dll anywhere. 

Is there a workaround?  Anyone else having this problem?

[Anonymous User · Accepted solution]

This link explains it a bit more, but wont help much as MS is removing all downloads associated with VS2013.

I ended up copying 'Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.12.0' from a VS2013 machine into my GAC. The only solution seems to be either reinstall VS2013, or copy and register that assembly from another machine, or copy the add-in code into a fresh VS2015 project, or find the VS2013 isolated shell download.

Note this only occurs when loading VS2013 add-in projects into VS2015.

[MichaelRobb]

That link reflects badly on ESRI.  Not only is this a very inconvenient issue for any developer, the Solution or workaround within that link (ref: Error: The ValidateAddInXMLTask task failed unexpectedly...   )  doesn't work.

Worse yet, it is almost impossible to find that redistributable 2013 version.  Why didn't ESRI host that install directly in your supporting files (via my.esri.com)... to avoid developers spending days figuring out this compiling issue...

[LobkeDeblaere]

I managed to find a VS2013 download.  Installed it and the problem is fixed.

It's hard to find a download.  All links lead to MS and they removed it.

[MichaelRobb]

would you want to share where you did find the link?

[LobkeDeblaere]

Sure, here it is:

https://www.downloadcrew.com/article/32958-microsoft_visual_studio_community_2013_