title: The OutputPath property is not set for project (C++, blank new solution, VS2017)
body: <p>It happens in a complex solution, but I can reproduce it in a new empty solution.</p>
  
  <p>I built it (<code>ctrl+shift+B</code>) with debug mode, X86, diagnostic. <a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xu6Pf.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Xu6Pf.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>1>  Set Property: _InvalidConfigurationMessageText=<strong>The OutputPath
    property is not set for project</strong> 'ConsoleApplication1.vcxproj'.  Please
    check to make sure that you have specified a valid combination of
    Configuration and Platform for this project.  Configuration='Debug' 
    Platform='Win32'. 1>  Set Property:
    _InvalidConfigurationMessageText=The OutputPath property is not set for project 'ConsoleApplication1.vcxproj'.  Please check to make sure
    that you have specified a valid combination of Configuration and
    Platform for this project.  Configuration='Debug'  Platform='Win32'. 
    This error may also appear in some other project is <strong>trying to follow a
    project-to-project reference to this project</strong>, this project has been
    unloaded or is not included in the solution, and the referencing
    project does not build using the same or an equivalent Configuration
    or Platform.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/IFTD6.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/IFTD6.png" alt="enter image description here"></a><br>
  ^ I make sure that there isn't any <code>References</code> that it claims. </p>
  
  <p>Here is what I have tried.</p>
  
  <p>First, a part of my <code>.vcxproj</code> (<a href="https://pastebin.com/kiZRtdQi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">link to the full file</a>) looks like this:-</p>
  
  <pre><code>  &lt;PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|Win32'" Label="Configuration"&gt;
      &lt;ConfigurationType&gt;Application&lt;/ConfigurationType&gt;
      &lt;UseDebugLibraries&gt;true&lt;/UseDebugLibraries&gt;
      &lt;PlatformToolset&gt;v141&lt;/PlatformToolset&gt;
      &lt;CharacterSet&gt;Unicode&lt;/CharacterSet&gt;
      ### I will insert something here ###
    &lt;/PropertyGroup&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>According to <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1100238/the-outputpath-property-is-not-set-for-this-project-error">a SO link</a> and <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3967431/output-path-for-build-in-visual-studio-2010">another one</a>, I should insert one of these lines at <code>###</code> :-</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;OutputPath&gt;$(Configuration)\$(Platform)\&lt;/OutputPath&gt;
  &lt;OutputPath&gt;$(SolutionDir)$(Configuration)\&lt;/OutputPath&gt;
  &lt;OutputPath&gt;bin\$(Platform)\&lt;/OutputPath&gt;  
  </code></pre></li>
  <li><p>Same as above, but add it in <code>&lt;ItemGroup Label="ProjectConfigurations"&gt;</code></p></li>
  <li><p>Remove <code>Label="Configuration"</code>.</p></li>
  <li><p>According to <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8871200/issue-building-a-single-project-using-msbuild-that-has-multiple-configurations">another SO link</a>, I also tried <code>AnyCPU</code> or <code>Any CPU</code> (tested in a more complex solution, but a new empty solution doesn't have it.). </p></li>
  <li><p><a href="https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165410.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A Microsoft link</a> states that <code>Output Path</code> is for <code>C#</code>.   In <code>C++</code>, I must use  <code>Output Directory</code>.   It is <code>OutDir</code>.  </p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;OutDir&gt;$(SolutionDir)$(Configuration)\&lt;/OutDir&gt;
  &lt;OutDir&gt;$(Configuration)\$(Platform)\&lt;/OutDir&gt;
  </code></pre></li>
  <li><p>Do above things, but in a property sheet.</p></li>
  <li><p>Do above things, but also unloaded-reload project, and even restart VS2017.</p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>After I tried every combination, the warning still exists.       </p>
  
  <p>The program can be compiled and run correctly,<br>
  but I believe it is a cause of unnecessary recompilation in a much larger solution.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Question:</strong> How to solve the warning/error?  </p>
  
  <p><code>OutputPath</code> word in the console is suspicious.<br>
  I doubt VS recognize my solution as <code>C#</code>. (is it even possible? - my test project has <code>std::cout</code>)</p>
  
  <p>For some reasons, most SO questions about this error are related to <strong>msbuild</strong> or <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9086795/the-outputpath-property-is-not-set-for-this-project"><strong>C#</strong></a> or <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12218495/the-outputpath-property-is-not-set-for-project-when-outputpath-is-set"><strong>.net</strong></a> (<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23276291/how-can-i-solve-the-the-outputpath-property-is-not-set-for-this-project-err">another one</a>), not <strong>C++</strong>.</p>
  
  <h2>Reply</h2>
  
  <p>There is no such <code>Win32</code> option in the combo box, so I create a new one.<br>
  <code>Configuration Manager</code> > <code>Active solution platform</code> : <code>&lt;New...&gt;</code>     </p>
  
  <p>I also make sure that the setting is correct :- 
  <a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/K0MFj.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/K0MFj.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>However, I still got the same error message.  </p>