I believe I can reproduce the blank Error List tool problem.  To reproduce:

Delete ~/.es directory.
Start estudio, click Cancel, then close estudio.  Creates ~/.es directory.
Copy the attached layout.wb file into ~/.es/docking_61 directory.
Start estudio and add project test1.ecf (attached).
Estudio starts compiling, then detects VD71 configuration error but the
   Error List tool window is blank (gray, for me) so I can't see what the
   problem is.