Visual Studio 2022: "Task List" window is empty when VS starts

Question

Found several similar questions for older VS versions, some especially mentioning C++. I'm getting the effect with C# as well as VB.Net projects in Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2022 (64-bit) - Version 17.3.3

Steps to reproduce:

• Open a new VS2022 IDE instance
• "Create new Project", say type "ASP.Net Core Web App (C#)" or a "Console App (Visual Basic)"
• Open the View -> "Task List" window
• Open any code file, e.g. WebApplication1\Pages\Index.cshtml.cs
• In C# add a line

    //TODO: find this in the IDE's "Task List" window // in the OnGet() event handler
    ' Or TODO: something ' in VB.Net code

• Observed: the TODO line appears in the Task List window as expected //Okay
• Save, and close the IDE instance
• Open a the same newly created "WebApplication1" solution in a new VS IDE instance.
• Observed: Task List window is empty although the TODO line still exists // not Okay
• As soon as one edits any code file, e,g. WebApplication1\Pages\Error.cshtml.cs, even by just adding and removing a single space
• Observed: unexpectedly (all if there are more than just one) TODO lines magically reappear in the Task List

Actual question: Is that a reproducible VS Bug or is it just me / my PC/setup?

Answer 1

In the (hidden) .vs\ProjectEvaluation\ folder, deleting the older versions of the files .metadata.vx.y and .projects.vx.y of the project in question solved the problem for me.

Answer 2

I encountered the same issue on VS 2022 17.10.3. For me, this worked:

1. Exit Visual Studio.
2. Go to the folder of your solution.
3. Delete the hidden .vs folder.

When something unexpected happens in my solution on VS, I usually do this trick first.