miDebuggerPath invalid #2925

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-13T18:13:20Z

I am unable to find out, why miDebuggerPath is invalid.

Setup:

OS: Windows 10
I am coding in C
C/C++ Extension by Microsoft is installed
MinGW installed

Issue:

my launch.json

location of gdb.exe

So with all these working together I have no clue why it is unable to find the gdb.exe
Any help appreciated!
Thanks ~Phil

WardenGnaw · 2018-12-15T00:51:44Z

Can you get the engine logging and paste it here?

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-15T10:58:57Z

1: (85) LaunchOptions WorkingDirectory='C:\QS_SurfacePro\FHS\SWE'
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (85) LaunchOptions ExeArguments=''\r\n"},"seq":8,"type":"event"}
1: (85) LaunchOptions ExeArguments=''
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (85) LaunchOptions MIMode='gdb'\r\n"},"seq":10,"type":"event"}
1: (85) LaunchOptions MIMode='gdb'
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (85) LaunchOptions MIDebuggerPath='‪‪‪C:\MinGW\bin\gdb.exe'\r\n"},"seq":12,"type":"event"}
1: (85) LaunchOptions MIDebuggerPath='‪‪‪C:\MinGW\bin\gdb.exe'
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (85) LaunchOptions WaitDynamicLibLoad='false'\r\n"},"seq":14,"type":"event"}
1: (85) LaunchOptions WaitDynamicLibLoad='false'
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (86) LaunchOptions ExternalConsole='true'\r\n"},"seq":16,"type":"event"}
1: (86) LaunchOptions ExternalConsole='true'
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (86) LaunchOptions>\r\n"},"seq":18,"type":"event"}
1: (86) LaunchOptions>
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (86) LaunchOptions \r\n"},"seq":20,"type":"event"}
1: (86) LaunchOptions
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (86) LaunchOptions -enable-pretty-printing\r\n"},"seq":22,"type":"event"}
1: (86) LaunchOptions -enable-pretty-printing
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (87) LaunchOptions \r\n"},"seq":24,"type":"event"}
1: (87) LaunchOptions
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"console","output":"1: (87) LaunchOptions\r\n"},"seq":26,"type":"event"}
1: (87) LaunchOptions
--> E (output): {"event":"output","body":{"category":"telemetry","output":"VS/Diagnostics/Debugger/Launch","data":{"VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.ImplementationName":"Microsoft.MIDebugEngine","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.EngineVersion":"14.0.51030.1","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.HostVersion":"14.0.51030.1","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.AdapterId":"cppdbg","VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch.ErrorCode":1005,"VS.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch.IsError":true}},"seq":28,"type":"event"}
--> R (launch-2): {"request_seq":2,"success":false,"command":"launch","message":"Unable to start debugging. The value of miDebuggerPath is invalid","body":{"error":{"id":1005,"format":"Unable to start debugging. The value of miDebuggerPath is invalid"}},"seq":30,"type":"response"}

WardenGnaw · 2018-12-19T01:25:07Z

I'm quite stumped, too. The error message The value of miDebuggerPath is invalid only appears if that file does not exist.

Can you try running C:\MinGW\bin\gdb.exe --interpreter=mi in a command prompt and see if that works?

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-19T09:43:18Z

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-19T09:59:24Z

I have tried to setup Visual Code with MinGW the same way on my computer, and got the same results.
The walktrhorugh is:

install MinGW
- mingw32-base-bin
- mingw32-gcc-g++-bin
- adding mingw to PATH
install Visual Code
setup tasks in Visual Code (gcc -g FILE -o FILE.exe)
- "command": "gcc",
- "args": ["-g", "${file}", "-o", "${workspaceRoot}\${fileBasename}.exe"]
install ms-vscode.cpptools
setup launch
- path to gdb.exe
- add "compile task" as pretask

WardenGnaw · 2018-12-20T00:41:10Z

Sadly I still can't repro the issue with your provided steps. Can you copy the launch.json file you were using here?

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-20T02:59:18Z

launch.json

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "(gdb) Launch",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${workspaceRoot}\\${fileBasename}.exe",
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "environment": [],
            "externalConsole": true,
            "MIMode": "gdb",
            "miDebuggerPath": "‪C:\\MinGW\\bin\\gdb.exe",
            "setupCommands": [
                {
                    "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
                    "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
                    "ignoreFailures": true
                }
            ],
            "preLaunchTask": "Build",
        }
    ]
}

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-20T03:00:55Z

task.json

{
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "Build",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "gcc",
            "args": [
                "-g",
                "${file}",
                "-o",
                "${workspaceRoot}\\${fileBasename}.exe"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
        },
        {
            "label": "RunCFile",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": ".\\${fileBasename}.exe",
            "group": {
                "kind": "test",
                "isDefault": true
            }
        }
    ]
}

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-20T03:03:29Z

Maybe dump MinGW for something else?

WardenGnaw · 2018-12-20T03:47:19Z

I just copied your launch.json, and I also got the same failure.

There is no visible difference between the two strings so I wrote a simple program to see whats going on.

Your string printed out character by character is:

"miDebuggerPath": "?C:\\MinGW\\bin\\gdb.exe",
34 109 105 68 101 98 117 103 103 101 114 80 97 116 104 34 58 32 34 8234 67 58 92 92 77 105 110 71 87 92 92 98 105 110 92 92 103 100 98 46 101 120 101 34 44

When the expected is:

"miDebuggerPath": "C:\\MinGW\\bin\\gdb.exe",
34 109 105 68 101 98 117 103 103 101 114 80 97 116 104 34 58 32 34 67 58 92 92 77 105 110 71 87 92 92 98 105 110 92 92 103 100 98 46 101 120 101 34 44

Theres a weird 8234 character in your string, which printing it rendered it as '?'.

Try replacing this string below with your current one:
"miDebuggerPath": "C:\\MinGW\\bin\\gdb.exe"

theOne-Phil · 2018-12-20T04:05:35Z

I copied your string, and get a Syntax-Error:

But after adding '\' it works!! :D i am so happy right now!

THANK YOU! ❤️
I will look into this char element, since I edited the launch.json manually on PC and on my Surface...

reservoirinvest · 2019-11-13T00:48:59Z

I just copied your launch.json, and I also got the same failure.

There is no visible difference between the two strings so I wrote a simple program to see whats going on.

Your string printed out character by character is:
"miDebuggerPath": "?C:\\MinGW\\bin\\gdb.exe",
34 109 105 68 101 98 117 103 103 101 114 80 97 116 104 34 58 32 34 8234 67 58 92 92 77 105 110 71 87 92 92 98 105 110 92 92 103 100 98 46 101 120 101 34 44
When the expected is:
"miDebuggerPath": "C:\\MinGW\\bin\\gdb.exe",
34 109 105 68 101 98 117 103 103 101 114 80 97 116 104 34 58 32 34 67 58 92 92 77 105 110 71 87 92 92 98 105 110 92 92 103 100 98 46 101 120 101 34 44
Theres a weird 8234 character in your string, which printing it rendered it as '?'.

Try replacing this string below with your current one:
"miDebuggerPath": "C:\MinGW\bin\gdb.exe"

I had the exact same problem and was struggling. It really is wierd.

Looks like manually editing file in JSON in vs code introduces extra invisible characters. This would be a question to developers?

lvZic · 2020-04-09T09:15:12Z

thank god!
in my opinion, it may be somthiing about ANSI coding

gtsompanoglou · 2021-06-02T13:50:42Z

"miDebuggerPath":"C:\TDM-GCC-64\bin\gdb.exe"

This saved my day (: . If you are reading this you should definately try it.

dvogureckiy99 · 2022-06-30T14:56:33Z

@gtsompanoglou gtsompanoglou
Where is situated TDM-GCC-64\bin\gdb.exe execpt you example ?

nested-slk · 2022-07-29T07:27:40Z

Check the End of line setting

TTFH · 2023-12-15T20:31:54Z

If you're using Makefile Tools, edit the settings.json (NOT launch.json) and make sure the paths starts with a lowercase 'c'.

	"makefile.launchConfigurations": [
		{
			"cwd": "path to folder with exe",
			"binaryPath": "path to exe",
			"binaryArgs": [],
			"MIMode": "gdb",
			"miDebuggerPath": "c:\\msys64\\usr\\bin\\gdb.exe"
		}
	]
}

KhaledT5 · 2024-04-09T05:32:55Z

The solution that worked for me was that either you delete this line "C:\MinGW\bin\gdb.exe",
except gdb and the quotations, or the problem might be that minGW is downloaded within another folder in C drive. I don't know how it happened with me but i found that minGW was inside a folder named mingw.

WardenGnaw added debugger more info needed The issue report is not actionable in its current state labels Dec 15, 2018

WardenGnaw self-assigned this Dec 15, 2018

theOne-Phil closed this as completed Dec 20, 2018

reservoirinvest mentioned this issue Nov 23, 2019

Windows 10 VS code debugger for C++ not stopping for anything #4488

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miDebuggerPath invalid #2925

miDebuggerPath invalid #2925

theOne-Phil commented Dec 13, 2018

WardenGnaw commented Dec 15, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 15, 2018 •

edited

WardenGnaw commented Dec 19, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 19, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 19, 2018 •

edited

WardenGnaw commented Dec 20, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018 •

edited

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018

WardenGnaw commented Dec 20, 2018 •

edited by pieandcakes

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018 •

edited

reservoirinvest commented Nov 13, 2019

lvZic commented Apr 9, 2020

gtsompanoglou commented Jun 2, 2021

dvogureckiy99 commented Jun 30, 2022

nested-slk commented Jul 29, 2022

TTFH commented Dec 15, 2023 •

edited

KhaledT5 commented Apr 9, 2024

miDebuggerPath invalid #2925

miDebuggerPath invalid #2925

Comments

theOne-Phil commented Dec 13, 2018

Setup:

Issue:

my launch.json

location of gdb.exe

WardenGnaw commented Dec 15, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 15, 2018 • edited

WardenGnaw commented Dec 19, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 19, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 19, 2018 • edited

WardenGnaw commented Dec 20, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018 • edited

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018

WardenGnaw commented Dec 20, 2018 • edited by pieandcakes

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018 • edited

reservoirinvest commented Nov 13, 2019

lvZic commented Apr 9, 2020

gtsompanoglou commented Jun 2, 2021

dvogureckiy99 commented Jun 30, 2022

nested-slk commented Jul 29, 2022

TTFH commented Dec 15, 2023 • edited

KhaledT5 commented Apr 9, 2024

theOne-Phil commented Dec 15, 2018 •

edited

theOne-Phil commented Dec 19, 2018 •

edited

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018 •

edited

WardenGnaw commented Dec 20, 2018 •

edited by pieandcakes

theOne-Phil commented Dec 20, 2018 •

edited

TTFH commented Dec 15, 2023 •

edited