microsoft / microsoft/vscode-dotnettools

Workspace reload not sufficient after installing SDK via .NET Install Tool — requires full VS Code restart

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area-sdk
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Description

Description

After installing a .NET SDK via the .NET Install Tool extension (triggered by the workspace requirements UI), reloading the VS Code workspace is not sufficient for the newly installed SDK/runtimes to be discovered. All VS Code instances must be fully closed and relaunched for the installation to take effect.

Reproduction
  1. Open a workspace that requires a specific .NET SDK version (e.g., via global.json)
  2. VS Code shows the workspace requirements UI prompting to install the SDK
  3. Install the SDK via the .NET Install Tool
  4. Reload the workspace (Developer: Reload Window)
  5. The newly installed SDK/runtimes are not found -- test projects still fail with "You must install or update .NET to run this application"
  6. Close all VS Code instances entirely and relaunch
  7. The SDK/runtimes are now correctly discovered
Expected Behavior

After installing a .NET SDK via the .NET Install Tool, reloading the workspace should be sufficient for the new SDK and runtimes to be picked up. Users should not need to fully quit and relaunch all VS Code instances.

Actual Behavior

A workspace reload does not pick up the newly installed SDK. Only a full close and relaunch of all VS Code instances resolves the issue.

Environment
  • macOS 14.8, arm64
  • VS Code (latest)
  • .NET Install Tool extension (latest)

Contributor guide

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the installation and workspace-reload steps on macOS, then compare SDK discovery after Developer: Reload Window with discovery after fully restarting VS Code. Trace the .NET Install Tool and workspace requirements flow to find where the new SDK state is missed; done means a reload discovers the installed SDK and runtimes without quitting VS Code.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
developer-experience, tooling
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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