Dotnet (.Net) with VSCode Locally doesn't work with default tasks.json

[joeizy]

Bug description

When I use VSCode locally, the auto-generated Run & Debug doesn't work. I get the error: The terminal process failed to launch: Path to shell executable "dotnet" is not a file or a symlink.

This happens even when using the https://github.com/gitpod-io/template-dotnet-core-cli-csharp template.

Steps to reproduce

1. Navigate to template dotnet project https://github.com/gitpod-io/template-dotnet-core-cli-csharp
2. Open in GitPod
3. Open that workspace VSCode locally
4. Install the C# extension in VSCode
5. Click Yes to add the required assess for build & debug.
   
6. Click the "Run & Debug" button

Notice that this works fine the browser.

Workspace affected

No response

Expected behavior

The console app should run and debugger should attach in VSCode Local in the same way that it does when running VSCode in Browser.

NOTE: When you click "Run & Debug" button in VSCode (browser or local) it generates two files .vscode/launch.json and .vscode/tasks.json. The files which are generated by VSCode browser and VSCode local are identical.

Example repository

The issue is reproducible with the GitPod Dotnet Sample or any blank dotnet project such as one created with dotnet new <template_name> such as dotnet new console.

Here are two workarounds I was able to find but neither is ideal because you should be able to run dotnet new, open in vscode desktop, and immediately hit debug/run.

1. change build tasks to 'shell' from 'process' in branch working-task-as-shell

2. change build task command - full path to dotnet in branch working-command-full-path

These workarounds do not break vscode in browser.

Anything else?

No response

[0xakihiko]

I'm also experiencing this, can confirm changing command path works.

[akosyakov]

@kylos101 @aledbf @ghuntley Is it the same like #10122

I'm trying to reproduce and getting as well:
"The terminal process failed to launch: Path to shell executable "dotnet" is not a file or a symlink."

I don't think there is something to change in IDE, it is rather template shoudl be changed or something wrong with dotnet setup in workspace images. cc @gitpod-io/engineering-workspace @gitpod-io/dcs

[tobil4sk]

I just came across this when searching for an issue I was experiencing with an unrelated project. In case this is any help, this is the issue that is causing the error: microsoft/vscode#106661. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it'll get fixed.

You probably have a dotnet folder in your home directory (which might be the PWD of vscode). When the task is run as a process, for some reason this folder gets in the way and this error is shown before it is even able to look for a dotnet executable in PATH.

UPDATE: I ended up making a PR myself to fix this issue in VSCode: microsoft/vscode#158666

[tobil4sk]

Just to update, microsoft/vscode#158666 has been merged. With the next vscode release this issue should be resolved.

[axonasif]

cc @jeanp413 @akosyakov

[akosyakov]

@tobil4sk It should be in VS Code insider on our side already. Select latest in https://gitpod.io/preferences and try.

[jeanp413]

Closing this as @tobil4sk PR got merged upstream, you can test it by installing vscode-desktop insiders