I am facing a problem, getting the error message "unable to create Arduino Project for Atmel studio" when trying to create a scetch. Version V6.1.2730SP2 of Atmel studio, windows 7 platform. Originally I had arduino 1.0.5 installed. I upgraded to 1.5.4 trying to fix the problem. In both cases the board list will not populate (I made sure to update the path in the appropriate section of the configuration manager each time). I have the visual micro submenu under tools, and can see the visual micro arduino in the addin manager. 

This problem first occured on the first install, since then I uninstalled both VM and the Atmel studio and reinstalled them in hope of a fix. If there is a way to preform a "clean" install please advise me. 

Arduino is installed in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\" and  the arduino installation works.

I didn't downgrade but on 1.5.4 I can confirm that copy-pasting the path off the configuration screen and running the exe file found inside runs a working arduino IDE. I can find no "reset user interface" on the tools menu (I run atmel studio V 6.1.2739 Service pack 2 https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5091572/atmelSS.png ).

User interface was reset, and problem persists.

CreateCommandBarItemsPerm	Begin AddinVer=1.1309.11
Permanent Items Setup Requested	 - Exiting setup because some controls already exist
CreateCommandBarItemsPerm	End
Create UI command items	Begin
CreateCommandBarItems	Begin AddinVer=1.1309.11
Get Bar	Tools
Create Bar	Tools>Arduino
Adding	Tools>Ports
Adding	Tools>Other Ports
Adding	UI Menu-Board-Items
Adding	UI Menu-SerialPort-Items
Adding	Creating project menu libraries for platform
Adding	ToolBar-Lib-Items
Error	Library names to UI
System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path.
   at System.IO.Path.CheckInvalidPathChars(String path, Boolean checkAdditional)
   at System.IO.Path.NormalizePath(String path, Boolean fullCheck, Int32 maxPathLength)
   at System.IO.Path.GetFullPathInternal(String path)
   at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.Init(String path, Boolean checkHost)
   at System.IO.DirectoryInfo..ctor(String path)
   at processing.app.SketchBase.getContentFolder(String name)
   at processing.app.SketchBase.getCoreLibrariesFolder()
   at Visual.Micro.Visual.Studio.Arduino.AddInApp.RefreshCommandBarLibsMenu()
Added	Library names to UI
Create UI command items	End 

"System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path" seems to be the culprit, but I don't know if it's referring to VM's installation path or Arduino's
Arduino's path is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino"
VM's path is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Visual Micro\Visual Micro for Arduino"
Atmel's path is "C:\Program Files (x86)\Atmel\Atmel Studio 6.1"
I can't imagine spaces cause problems, as more people would complain, and there's no funny characters in any of these paths. Should I try installing in c:\Arduino anyway?

Hi,

I have been reading about this error. It is in a .net routine that objects to certain characters in resolved paths. It looks like the arduino exe path but based on your reports the path looks good to me.

Can you please open regedit.exe and find the HK current user, software, visual micro, locations section and see what paths have been saved.

Are you using a virtual machine or mac or straight windows pc?

Thanks

Great. We need to re-instate the warnings for invalid paths.

I think the recent changes to support non-arduino apps (such as Energia) caused the warning code to be dropped.

Thanks for reporting it, I am sure it will happen to others.