Method not found: 'Void Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.DefaultContractResolver.set_IgnoreSerializableAttribute(Boolean)' - msbuild

Question

I have a problem regarding NewtonSoft.
I have a solution with 3 projects for example. Project A has reference points to Project B and Project C, Project B also has reference points to Project C. Both B and C has NewtonSoft assembly. Project C has function to get JsonMediaTypeFormatter:
new JsonMediaTypeFormatter()
the function is called by all three project. Both Project B and C can call the function without any problem. But when project A calls the function, it throws error:
Method not found: 'Void Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization.DefaultContractResolver.set_IgnoreSerializableAttribute(Boolean)'
Something I notice that even project A does not have NewtonSoft reference, when project is built, the Newtonsoft.json.dll is copied to its bin\Debug folder. I guess it is because of Newtonsoft assembly is set to true for Copy Local optoin in both project B and C. If I manually delete this dll from Project A's bin\Debug folder, problem solved.
My question is why project A can hit the exception, and is there any solution except manually delete Newtonsoft dll from project A's bin\Debug folder? Set Copy Local to false is not a option because it will prevent dll deploying to their own bin folder for project B and C too.
Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Update
Here is my code snippet
using Newtonsoft.Json.Converters;
using Newtonsoft.Json.Serialization;
using System.Net.Http.Formatting;
var jsonSerializerSettings = new JsonSerializerSettings
{
Formatting = Formatting.Indented,
ContractResolver = new CamelCasePropertyNamesContractResolver()
};
var dateConverter = new IsoDateTimeConverter
{
DateTimeFormat = "yyyy'-'MM'-'dd'T'HH':'mm':'ss'Z'"
};
jsonSerializerSettings.Converters.Add(dateConverter);
var formatter = new JsonMediaTypeFormatter
{
//SerializerSettings = jsonSerializerSettings
};
If I comment out SerializerSettings, it works fine.
If I uncomment this line, application will return such issue.
If I just pass in blank setting to it
var formatter = new JsonMediaTypeFormatter
{
//SerializerSettings = new JsonSerializerSettings{}
};
I got error:
Method not found: 'Void System.Net.Http.Formatting.BaseJsonMediaTypeFormatter.set_SerializerSettings(Newtonsoft.Json.JsonSerializerSettings)'
I think it may be related to different System.Net.Http.Formatting references inside projects, but I checked reference setting, they are all point to file
packages\Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Client.5.2.3\lib\net45\System.Net.Http.Formatting.dll
This code resides in Project C. It only failed when called by Project A, project B and C can call it without any problem. Once I remove NewtonSoft.Json.dll from Project A bin\Debug folder, it works in project A calls too.
Do you know what happened? and how can I check if there still have different reference version conflicit in project?
Thanks,

Answer 1

Here I finally got problem solved.
The reaon for this issue is that in project A, there is a reference library points to System.Net.Http.Formatting (5.2.3.0), which depends on Newtonsoft Joson version 6.0.0.0. You can check this on Assembly Explorer. I updated Newtonsoft to 8.0.0.0 recently and project B and C are referencing this version. When project is built, the Newtonsoft 8.0 has been copy to project A's output folder based on prject B and C (Copy Local is set to true). when application is running, it will throw error
System.IO.FileLoadException : Could not load file or assembly 'Newtonsoft.Json, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=30ad4fe6b2a6aeed' or one of its dependencies. The located assembly's manifest definition does not match the assembly reference. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80131040)
or in my debug mode, it throws
{"The 'CreateJsonSerializer' method threw an exception when attempting to create a JSON serializer."}
Solution:
Add app.config file in project A, including setting below, to redirect system assembly binding to correct NewtonSoft version
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<runtime>
<assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
<dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" culture="neutral" />
<bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.0.0.0" newVersion="8.0.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>
</assemblyBinding>
The reason project B can call project C successfully is that it has this redirect on its web.config file.
Thanks,

Answer 2

I would clean up the way you do references...in the "new way".
You have the below setup, except for repositories.config and the 3 packages.config
\SolutionFolder\
\SolutionFolder\MySolution.sln
\SolutionFolder\packages\
\SolutionFolder\packages\repositories.config
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectA\
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectA\CSProjectA.csproj
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectA\packages.config
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectB\
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectB\CSProjectB.csproj
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectB\packages.config
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectC\
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectC\CSProjectC.csproj
\SolutionFolder\CSProjectC\packages.config
Each of the packages.config will look like this
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
<package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="4.5.11" targetFramework="net45" />
</packages>
repositories.config will look like this
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<repositories>
<repository path="..\CSProjectA\packages.config" />
<repository path="..\CSProjectB\packages.config" />
<repository path="..\CSProjectC\packages.config" />
</repositories>
When you do a nuget restore, the following will be created
\SolutionFolder\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\
\SolutionFolder\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\
\SolutionFolder\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\net40\
\SolutionFolder\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\net40\
\SolutionFolder\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\net40\Newtonsoft.Json.dll
\SolutionFolder\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\net40\Newtonsoft.Json.xml
All your .csproj references (hintpath) will be
..\packages\Newtonsoft.Json.4.5.11\lib\net40\Newtonsoft.Json.dll
This is what nuget does for you (auto-voodoo-magically), but I'm explaining it here.
This is how you get consistency from your references.
On your local box, you can just do a normal VS "build" or "rebuild".
If you have missing packages, you can fix it (one time) with this command line call:
nuget.exe restore "\SolutionFolder\MySolution.sln"
When you build (on your build server), you will do a:
nuget.exe restore "\SolutionFolder\MySolution.sln"
msbuild.exe "\SolutionFolder\MySolution.sln"
APPEND
Try this:
"%WINDIR%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe" "MySolution.sln" /p:Configuration=Debug;FavoriteFood=Popeyes /l:FileLogger,Microsoft.Build.Engine;logfile=MySolution.Debug.log
"%WINDIR%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\msbuild.exe" "MySolution.sln" /p:Configuration=Release;FavoriteFood=Popeyes /l:FileLogger,Microsoft.Build.Engine;logfile=MySolution.Release.log
And view the log to see the source of the Newtonsoft.Json.dll is coming from (that ends up in ProjectA\bin\Debug).
Now that I relook at your comments and OP, you do have a weird problem. I'm wondering if the ProjectA\bin\Debug\Newtonsoft.Json.dll might be coming from an alternate source.

Answer 3

I have the same problem.
Project A (web app) reference project B (PCL), both have the same newtonsoft nuget package, and A has the binding redirect.
Project C (test project) reference project B and E (PCL too), all having the same newtonsoft nuget package.
When i build project A, project A works ok. IF i build (not rebuild) project C, project E is build a,d project B is skipped (alreadu built). BUT project A is affected: something overwrites the newtonsoft json DLL in its bin folder with a CL version. And now project A won't run with this method not found error.
If i manually replace the newtonsoft json dll in project A with the same one that was in the bin folder before building project C, A works again ok !
If i then start debugging project C, no rebuild occurs, but project A stop working !
I suppose something is wrong with the newtonsoft json assembly between the PCL version and the net45 version, and the .NET engine picks the wrong one. I have added the net45 version to the test project, without success.
UPDATE ------------
The only workaround i found, is to separate projects in 2 solutions and open 2 visual studio.
In solution A, i add project A and B.
In solution B, i add project C and its dependancies B and E.
And now all works as expected. Project A can run, and running/compiling project B does not interfere with project A.