Error trying to show the controls if they are loaded too shortly after Visual Studio is started [has workaround]

[TheEqualizer]

Recently I only get this error where the controls should appear.. I have tried reinstalling but that hasn't helped.

Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.CompositionFailedException: An exception was thrown while initializing part "VS_DiffAllFiles.Sections.PendingChangesSection". ---> System.Windows.Markup.XamlParseException: Provide value on 'QuickConverter.MultiBinding' threw an exception. ---> System.Exception: Failed to tokenize expression "!$P0 || ($P0 ## $P1) ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed". Did you forget a '$'?
at QuickConverter.EquationTokenizer.Tokenize(String expression)
at QuickConverter.MultiBinding.GetLambda(String expression)
at QuickConverter.MultiBinding.ProvideValue(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
at MS.Internal.Xaml.Runtime.ClrObjectRuntime.CallProvideValue(MarkupExtension me, IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Windows.Markup.WpfXamlLoader.Load(XamlReader xamlReader, IXamlObjectWriterFactory writerFactory, Boolean skipJournaledProperties, Object rootObject, XamlObjectWriterSettings settings, Uri baseUri)
at System.Windows.Markup.WpfXamlLoader.LoadBaml(XamlReader xamlReader, Boolean skipJournaledProperties, Object rootObject, XamlAccessLevel accessLevel, Uri baseUri)
at System.Windows.Markup.XamlReader.LoadBaml(Stream stream, ParserContext parserContext, Object parent, Boolean closeStream)
at System.Windows.Application.LoadComponent(Object component, Uri resourceLocator)
at VS_DiffAllFiles.Sections.DiffAllFilesSectionControl.InitializeComponent() in C:\dev\Git\VS.DiffAllFiles\VS.DiffAllFiles.VS2017\obj\Release\DiffAllFilesSectionControl.xaml:line 1
at VS_DiffAllFiles.DiffAllFilesBaseClasses.DiffAllFilesSectionBase..ctor() in C:\dev\Git\VS.DiffAllFiles\VS.DiffAllFiles\DiffAllFilesBaseClasses\DiffAllFilesSectionBase.cs:line 82
at VS_DiffAllFiles.Sections.PendingChangesSection..ctor() in C:\dev\Git\VS.DiffAllFiles\VS.DiffAllFiles\Sections\PendingChangesSection.cs:line 27
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.RuntimeExportProviderFactory.RuntimeExportProvider.RuntimePartLifecycleTracker.CreateValue()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.PartLifecycleTracker.Create()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.PartLifecycleTracker.MoveNext(PartLifecycleState nextState)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.PartLifecycleTracker.MoveToState(PartLifecycleState requiredState)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.PartLifecycleTracker.GetValueReadyToExpose()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.<>c__DisplayClass53_0.b__0()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.<>c__DisplayClass55_0.b__1()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.ExportProvider.<>c__DisplayClass54_0.b__0()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.DelegateServices.<>c__DisplayClass2_01.<As>b__0() at System.ComponentModel.Composition.ExportFactory1.CreateExport()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Composition.NetFxAdapters.MefV1ExportProvider.ComposablePartDefinitionForExportFactory.CreatePart()
at System.ComponentModel.Composition.ReflectionModel.ExportFactoryCreator.LifetimeContext.GetExportLifetimeContextFromExport[T](Export export)
at System.ComponentModel.Composition.ReflectionModel.ExportFactoryCreator.<>c__DisplayClass6_02.<CreateStronglyTypedExportFactoryOfTM>b__0() at System.ComponentModel.Composition.ExportFactory1.CreateExport()
at Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Controls.WPF.TeamExplorer.Framework.TeamExplorerSectionHost.Create()

[deadlydog]

Hmmm, thanks for reporting this. Which version of Visual Studio are you using? And can you also confirm what version of the extension is installed please @TheEqualizer .

[StevenBonePgh]

I'm seeing this as well in both VS2017 and VS2019 with Version 1.0.1. It did work flawlessly on VS2019 the first time after it was installed, subsequent opening of VS2019 instances all show the same error quoted above by the initial poster.

[TheEqualizer]

I am using VS 2017 Community version 15.9.11 with extension version 1.1.0

[StevenBonePgh]

After a bit of accidental messing around, I think I determined a pattern. If you have the Pending Changes window popped-out and visible when you close Visual Studio, it will fail as above when you reopen Visual Studio. If you have Pending Changes pinned but do not have it visible on exit (like in a tab group with pending changes in the non-active tab), and you wait a bit after VS launches then switch to the tab, it loads fine - switch too fast after launch and it will fail. Likely due to a side effect from the change you made for async loading.

[deadlydog]

Hey guys, I was able to replicate the issue thanks to your description @StevenBonePgh :) I believe the issue is fixed in VS 2019 v1.0.2 and VS 2017 v1.1.1.

I'm going to close this out, but if you still experience the issue please let me know! Thanks!