MSB4018 / The error was: Illegal characters in path. - Please help me with that annoying error. Cant run a simple container support enabled console app

Question

MSB4018 / The error was: Illegal characters in path. - Please help me with that annoying error. Cant run a simple container support enabled console app

Katman, Furkan Sertap 5

Hello all ,

Please help fix that, since yesterday I am having this annoying problem. I have downgraded from enterprise to pro version of Visual studio 2022 then this error came in. Please please please help :)

I have tried numerous times repairing , uinstalling ,reinstalling nothing worked.

I am looking forward to your message.

Furkan

Steps I followed:

Create new console app then add docker support that is it. As soon as i add container support I get a message in the output window which is as follows ;

User's image

And this is the error when I hit debug button this error occurs.

User's image

Katman, Furkan Sertap 5 Reputation points

2025-06-26T08:49:17.8566667+00:00

see how I solved that annoying error. It is really a bad description on the error. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79670128/cant-run-a-simple-container-support-enabled-console-app-msb4018-the-error-wa/79677138#79677138

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Katman, Furkan Sertap 5 Reputation points

2025-06-26T08:49:17.8566667+00:00

see how I solved that annoying error. It is really a bad description on the error. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79670128/cant-run-a-simple-container-support-enabled-console-app-msb4018-the-error-wa/79677138#79677138

Answer 1

bierzeltpirat 0

I have a similar problem. I haven't changed my Visual Studio Pro 22 installation, but from one day to the next, I was unable to add “Docker Support” to projects or start existing and functioning projects in Docker.

I only get a pop-up error message saying “Illegal characters in path” or "An error occurred while adding Docker File support to this project. Illegal characters in path." without any additional information, e.g., via the console.
User's image

I have repaired and reinstalled Visual Studio Pro 22, as well as reset and reinstalled Docker Desktop.

No changes have been made to any configurations or environment variables. My colleagues do not have this problem.

Katman, Furkan Sertap 5 Reputation points

2025-06-26T08:45:45.8433333+00:00

Oh dear , let me share my so question that I answered on my own. It is really a bad descripton on the error. In my case it was all due to some missing packages through installation. I checked with my coleague who is able to do so in his machine and installed all those packages then error gone !!! https://stackoverflow.com/questions/79670128/cant-run-a-simple-container-support-enabled-console-app-msb4018-the-error-wa/79677138#79677138
bierzeltpirat 0 Reputation points

2025-06-26T08:52:56.15+00:00

I've already stumbled across this post, but unfortunately it doesn't bring me any closer to a solution – I've already installed all the packages.
Katman, Furkan Sertap 5 Reputation points

2025-06-26T09:00:21.3766667+00:00
oh god sorry to hear that , then what i would suggest is as follows (really strange and annoying error{ I hope either nuget package developers or microsoft guys provide better support here }) ;

try removing any path variables related to docker

and I also downgraded my docker to 4.30.0 not sure it helps but that was on my colleagues computer. I was using the latest before.

and try restarting ( hoping that you have already checked the path variables one by one if they all exist , by copying and pasting into the address bar of the file explorer )
bierzeltpirat 0 Reputation points

2025-06-26T09:27:28.0766667+00:00

I tried your suggestions, but unfortunately without success... i realy don't know what else to do ... can't work since last friday

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MSB4018 / The error was: Illegal characters in path. - Please help me with that annoying error. Cant run a simple container support enabled console app

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