VisualStudio debugger using older version of source files

David Thielen 3,096

Hi all;

I just upgraded to the latest version of Visual Studio - 17.10.0 Preview 3.0

And the debugger is now showing me source files from several days ago in the debugger. These older version of the files don't exist anywhere on my system but it somehow is finding them somewhere and using them in the debugger.

These resurrected files are then placed in folders under C:\Users\David\AppData\Local\SourceServer

What's going on here? And how do I stop this?

Update: I found the cause! When I run the debugger, when I hit an issue, I write a note right there in the code. When I'm done debugging I then go address the items I wrote. This happens after I write my first note.

Still no idea why Visual Studio has suddenly decided to act this way when the source changes. And no idea where it finds the out of date source file (generally the state of the source from several days ago). But that's the cause.

Still have the question - how do I fix it?

thanks - dave

David Lowndes 2,535 Reputation points MVP

2024-04-11T23:18:24.3+00:00

What type of project/files are you working on?
David Thielen 3,096 Reputation points

2024-04-11T23:21:56.44+00:00

@David Lowndes It's a Blazor app. The files are in the .web project so ComponentName.razor.cs files.
David Lowndes 2,535 Reputation points MVP

2024-04-11T23:40:12.3666667+00:00

I'd guess then that those are a result of automatic decompilation if you're debugging an older version of your DLLs.
Have a look if these settings affect things for you.
David Thielen 3,096 Reputation points

2024-04-12T00:17:14.06+00:00

@David Lowndes Both of those are checked for me. Also, I have never had this problem before and the only change I can think of is I upgraded Visual Studio yesterday.

Also, how does the DLL get an out of date source file? Because there is only the up to date .cs file for where I'm having these issues. And the breakpoints I set in the new file hit in the old file - at that line number, which is not matching code.

??? - thanks - dave
David Lowndes 2,535 Reputation points MVP

2024-04-12T11:02:08.52+00:00

Do the "old" files have your comments in them - i.e. are they decompiled or not?
Tried unchecking those options?
I've no idea why the DLL you're debugging may be old or even if that is the case, I'm guessing!
David Thielen 3,096 Reputation points

2024-04-12T14:22:10.5233333+00:00

@David Lowndes Yes, they are the full source. Comments, formatting of the code, etc. They are the old source files even though they don't exist anywhere, as a discrete file, on my system.

Based on your comment about an older DLL I deleted every copy of LouisHowe.web.dll on my system, rebuilt, and ran. That fixed it. For now at least.

But what the bloody he!! was going on here - both using the older DLL (or something) for the source file and displaying the actual older file?

The code running, and the actions based on line numbers, were the current code.

thanks - dave
David Lowndes 2,535 Reputation points MVP

2024-04-12T14:41:21.0066667+00:00

I'm afraid I have no idea either - I'm glad it's sorted for now anyhow.
David Thielen 3,096 Reputation points

2024-04-12T23:00:49.2633333+00:00

@David Lowndes I found the cause! See the update above. No idea how to fix it (other than making notes in a separate file). But I know the cause!

Any suggestions?

thanks - dave
David Lowndes 2,535 Reputation points MVP

2024-04-12T23:30:05.6133333+00:00

I don't understand precisely what's happening, do you have EnC enabled, does it even work in your scenario if it is enabled?
Like you I also like to make notes when debugging - if you're not aware of the feature, you can now name bookmarks using the bookmark window. Perhaps that's would suffice for your note making?
David Thielen 3,096 Reputation points

2024-04-13T12:45:21.73+00:00
@David Lowndes What is EnC? In the debugger options I have the following un checked:

Require source files to exactly match the original version

Enable Hot Reload

Clearly something has changed in the latest version in how it handles editing a source file during debugging. The question is, how do I turn it off?

thanks - dave
David Lowndes 2,535 Reputation points MVP

2024-04-13T14:00:35.0533333+00:00

EnC (Edit and Continue) is the old name for hot reload.
I don't know what could be giving rise to the change in behaviour you've experienced.
Anders Petterøe 0 Reputation points

2024-04-30T13:11:45.0033333+00:00

I have this exact same problem with the latest version of Visual Studio Preview. Annoying as H*LL! This never happened before, and now I can't run my code because it is using an old version of the code which had a certain method commented out. Now I have uncommented that method to be able to use it - but Visual Studio won't let me as it is only getting the older file from somewhere. How do we fix this?

I have cleaned my solution and rebuilt - nothing happens. Still using old code.

1 answer

David Thielen 3,096 Reputation points

2024-04-30T13:43:48.62+00:00

Tools -> Options -> Debugging -> General, find the "Enable Source Link support" option and uncheck it.
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VisualStudio debugger using older version of source files

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