【SOLVED】PlatformIO Project Tasks grayed out and unable to use on VS Code

もくじ[Table of Contents]

• Symptoms
  • PlatformIO's Project Tasks were grayed out and are no longer available.
• The Solution
  • Downgrade VS Code version to 1.70 or older. ← WTF?💢
• Fixed by the update

Symptoms

PlatformIO's Project Tasks were grayed out and are no longer available.

Yes, that's all about it.
FYI, the environment is macOS, VSCode 1.71 + PlatformIO 2.5.2 (both are the latest on Sep 2.). But the situation was the same on Windows.

I'm using PlatformIO for my DIY force curve measuring machine 軸の秤 (Jiku-no-hakari), and on that day I was so motivated to continue developing as it was been like a week since the last time I saw my source codes.

However, I noticed immediately after opening VS Code that Project Tasks, which are essential for ESP32 development on PlatformIO, such as Build, Upload, Build Filesystem Image, etc... were grayed out, like the screenshot above. I've never seen like this before, and they were, of course, also UNABLE TO EXECUTE. Clicking them did nothing.
In addition, not only the tasks you can see on the screenshot but also literally all of the items in the PROJECT TASKS were unable to use.

Further information, I could still use the Build or the Upload program to the device via Command Palette.
Still, the Upload and Monitor, which is the most useful for ESP32 developing, is not available in the Command Palette. Also, all of SPIFFS related tasks such as the Upload Filesystem Image are not callable through the Command Palette, which means I can't write SPIFFS files onto my device. That was fatal, not a trouble I can just leave it and come back when I could find a time.

Ughhhhhh〜〜〜〜〜〜Gahhhhhhーーーー *big sigh*

The Solution

Downgrade VS Code version to 1.70 or older. ← WTF?💢

Yep, that's all.
When I opened my project on VS Code 1.70 or older, abra kadabra, Project Tasks were not gray as they were before, and able to use them without any problem.

I've wasted almost a day on this issue.💢
Such as confirming the issue can be reproduced on another project, checking another environment like Windows, looking up PlatformIO settings, trying to google it in English (which I'm not good at, obviously), and playing Apex since I was exhausted. Eventually, I was watching PlatformIO's source code even though I can't understand it at all.

After I hated everything on the earth, I was remembering the basics like 「Hmm, didn't anything particular happen recently...?」 And I guessed I saw VS Code's release note. (which always shows up when the VS Code was automatically updated.) It was bingo, downgrade VS Code perfectly worked.
I think I didn't see something would related to this on the 1.71 release note though...

I've never cared about the auto-update since there was no trouble until now. But I shut it down anyway for future safety. (You can do it in the settings.)
You can download older VS Code from at the top of each version's release note page, by the way.

Just tired. But it can't be helped. I'm a noob programmer.
Tools always drag me along with their plan, not that me using them like a wizard.

この記事のタグ[This article is filed under]: Visual Studio Code[Visual Studio Code] | PlatformIO[PlatformIO] | トラブル[Trouble] | 英語の記事[Written in English]