Portable mode: Presence of data folder prevents --user-data-dir command-line override

[myfonj]

• VSCode Version: 1.29.1 bc24f98
• OS Version: Windows 10 (1709)

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Have content of VSCode-...-.zip unpacked into say C:\apps\VSCode
2. Create C:\apps\VSCode\data folder (docs)
3. Invoke C:\apps\VSCode\bin\code.cmd --user-data-dir C:\other-data-dir
   (aside: no command-line argument apparently works on C:\apps\VSCode\Code.exe (Portable mode does not allow running command line commands. #57185))

Expected outcome:
C:\other-data-dir folder is created and populated with default profile (or used if existed already).

Actual outcome:
C:\apps\VSCode\data\user-data folder is created and populated, rendering command-line switch ineffective.

4. delete C:\apps\VSCode\data folder
5. Repeat step 3.

Actual outcome is now correct.

[joaomoreno]

Yeah, the user-data-dir command line flag is ignored in portable mode. What is the actual use case for it?

[myfonj]

What is the actual use case for it?

Testing.

code.cmd --user-data-dir C:\throwaway-vanilla-profile --extensions-dir C:\throwaway-no-extensions should ensure you run clean slate vanilla VSC without need to wipe your settings, move any folder etc, resulting in better and more reliable bugreports. Perhaps.

Consistency.

It is documented to do something, not documented not to do that in certain circumstances, so one could expect it to work all the time. Command line arguments generally serve such purpose.

[joaomoreno]

It is documented to do something, not documented not to do that in certain circumstances, so one could expect it to work all the time. Command line arguments generally serve such purpose.

Well, you could apply the same argument about portable: it is documented to do something, not documented not to do that in certain circumstances (when using --user-data-dir). It comes down to: which feature has priority?

I think you are right, though, in that a command line flag should have priority.

[myfonj]

BTW, I think that until this issue is resolved it would be worth mentioning this peculiarity in the aforementioned documentation page to prevent possible frustration of fellow portable mode users.

I. e. current

--user-data-dir <dir> | Specifies the directory that user data is kept in, (...).

Amend like

--user-data-dir <dir> | Unless using portable mode, specifies the directory that user data is kept in, (...).