VS2015 MSB3884 warning: Could not find rule set file

Received this warning on a build machine where only VS 2017 Build Tools was installed (VS 2017 not installed). Once I installed the Static analysis tools (Individual components -> Code tools -> Static analysis tools) the warnings went away.

You need to edit the .csproj file and find the reference to the CodeAnalysisRuleSetDirectories. Change the version of the Visual Studio reference in the path to the one that is for VS2015 (a.k.a 14) and reload the project. (That worked for me.)

Alternatively delete all references of

<CodeAnalysisRuleSetDirectories>
<CodeAnalysisIgnoreBuiltInRuleSets> 
<CodeAnalysisRuleDirectories> 
<CodeAnalysisIgnoreBuiltInRules>

I found the solution here.

Use the DevEnvDir instead of the hardcoded path to your old version of VS (probably 2010).

<CodeAnalysisRuleSet>ManagedMinimumRules.ruleset</CodeAnalysisRuleSet>
<CodeAnalysisRuleSetDirectories>;$(DevEnvDir)\..\..\Team Tools\Static Analysis Tools\\Rule Sets</CodeAnalysisRuleSetDirectories>

I solved to add following to app.config.

<Target Name="BeforeBuild">
    <PropertyGroup>
      <CodeAnalysisRuleSet></CodeAnalysisRuleSet>
    </PropertyGroup>
</Target>