Profiles missing after copying settings to other computer

[ygoe]

Windows Terminal version

1.19.10821.0

Windows build number

10.0.19045.4291

Other Software

No response

Steps to reproduce

1. Create profiles on one computer with VS 2022 Community, these include the following
   • Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022
   • Developer PowerShell for VS 2022
   • Git Bash
   • Visual Studio Debug Console
2. Copy the content of settings.json to another computer with VS 2022 Professional
3. Open the Terminal app

Expected Behavior

All profiles are there

Actual Behavior

All mentioned profiles are missing. But I can add duplicates of the first two, so they appear to be known but just hidden. The duplicates will have the "(copy)" name suffix which can be removed. After the process, they exist all twice in the listbox in "add profile". Interesting is that the start command is not included in the settings.json file, so I guess it comes from somewhere else on the system. I'd expect the profile definitions to be complete and not rely on external hidden system configuration.

Git Bash and the last one remain unavailable however. They simply cannot be added or shown on the new computer.

Looks like the Terminal profiles management has severe issues and can't even read or maintain a simple list.

[zadjii-msft]

The Visual Studio profiles are "dynamic profiles" - they're maintained by the Terminal. Terminal will make them for you if it finds a VS install. If you move your settings to a machine without that version of VS installed, or uninstall VS, the terminal will also hide them for you.

Git Bash is a "fragment profile". That's created by Git Bash itself. You'll need to install git bash to have that profile show up.

[ygoe]

So, what's broken then when Terminal won't show me the VS 2022 profiles or the Git Bash profile? All of them are installed. And do I need to take special care to clean up the settings file when copying it to another machine?

[zadjii-msft]

Could you share your settings.json file/? (the state.json that's adjacent might also be helpful)

[ygoe]

{
    "$help": "https://aka.ms/terminal-documentation",
    "$schema": "https://aka.ms/terminal-profiles-schema",
    "actions": 
    [
        {
            "command": 
            {
                "action": "copy",
                "singleLine": false
            },
            "keys": "ctrl+c"
        },
        {
            "command": "paste",
            "keys": "ctrl+v"
        },
        {
            "command": "find",
            "keys": "ctrl+shift+f"
        },
        {
            "command": 
            {
                "action": "splitPane",
                "split": "auto",
                "splitMode": "duplicate"
            },
            "keys": "alt+shift+d"
        }
    ],
    "copyFormatting": "none",
    "copyOnSelect": false,
    "defaultProfile": "{574e775e-4f2a-5b96-ac1e-a2962a402336}",
    "initialRows": 40,
    "newTabMenu": 
    [
        {
            "type": "remainingProfiles"
        }
    ],
    "profiles": 
    {
        "defaults": 
        {
            "antialiasingMode": "cleartype",
            "font": 
            {
                "face": "Consolas",
                "size": 10.0
            },
            "historySize": 50000,
            "useAtlasEngine": false
        },
        "list": 
        [
            {
                "guid": "{574e775e-4f2a-5b96-ac1e-a2962a402336}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "PowerShell",
                "source": "Windows.Terminal.PowershellCore"
            },
            {
                "commandline": "\"C:\\Program Files\\PowerShell\\7\\pwsh.exe\"",
                "elevate": true,
                "guid": "{a2dac3a9-b425-4bb0-a1d6-e4c030ef8bd1}",
                "hidden": false,
                "icon": "ms-appx:///ProfileIcons/pwsh.png",
                "name": "PowerShell (Administrator)"
            },
            {
                "commandline": "%SystemRoot%\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe",
                "guid": "{61c54bbd-c2c6-5271-96e7-009a87ff44bf}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Windows PowerShell"
            },
            {
                "commandline": "%SystemRoot%\\System32\\cmd.exe",
                "guid": "{0caa0dad-35be-5f56-a8ff-afceeeaa6101}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Eingabeaufforderung"
            },
            {
                "commandline": "%SystemRoot%\\System32\\cmd.exe",
                "elevate": true,
                "guid": "{ad605584-4fe4-48ea-9c67-e27f2d0b4704}",
                "hidden": false,
                "icon": "ms-appx:///ProfileIcons/{0caa0dad-35be-5f56-a8ff-afceeeaa6101}.png",
                "name": "Eingabeaufforderung (Administrator)"
            },
            {
                "guid": "{b453ae62-4e3d-5e58-b989-0a998ec441b8}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Azure Cloud Shell",
                "source": "Windows.Terminal.Azure"
            },
            {
                "guid": "{807ee6ac-575b-5fc3-addf-d6b776d86c4c}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022",
                "source": "Windows.Terminal.VisualStudio"
            },
            {
                "guid": "{7990c245-801b-5dac-b188-4c24a940312e}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Developer PowerShell for VS 2022",
                "source": "Windows.Terminal.VisualStudio"
            },
            {
                "guid": "{2ece5bfe-50ed-5f3a-ab87-5cd4baafed2b}",
                "hidden": false,
                "name": "Git Bash",
                "source": "Git"
            },
            {
                "guid": "{16208362-94fc-5b1f-a491-5b2624d5ab56}",
                "hidden": true,
                "name": "Visual Studio Debug Console",
                "source": "VSDebugConsole"
            }
        ]
    },
    "schemes": 
    [
        {
            "background": "#0C0C0C",
            "black": "#0C0C0C",
            "blue": "#0037DA",
            "brightBlack": "#767676",
            "brightBlue": "#3B78FF",
            "brightCyan": "#61D6D6",
            "brightGreen": "#16C60C",
            "brightPurple": "#B4009E",
            "brightRed": "#E74856",
            "brightWhite": "#F2F2F2",
            "brightYellow": "#F9F1A5",
            "cursorColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "cyan": "#3A96DD",
            "foreground": "#CCCCCC",
            "green": "#13A10E",
            "name": "Campbell",
            "purple": "#881798",
            "red": "#C50F1F",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#CCCCCC",
            "yellow": "#C19C00"
        },
        {
            "background": "#012456",
            "black": "#0C0C0C",
            "blue": "#0037DA",
            "brightBlack": "#767676",
            "brightBlue": "#3B78FF",
            "brightCyan": "#61D6D6",
            "brightGreen": "#16C60C",
            "brightPurple": "#B4009E",
            "brightRed": "#E74856",
            "brightWhite": "#F2F2F2",
            "brightYellow": "#F9F1A5",
            "cursorColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "cyan": "#3A96DD",
            "foreground": "#CCCCCC",
            "green": "#13A10E",
            "name": "Campbell Powershell",
            "purple": "#881798",
            "red": "#C50F1F",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#CCCCCC",
            "yellow": "#C19C00"
        },
        {
            "background": "#282C34",
            "black": "#282C34",
            "blue": "#61AFEF",
            "brightBlack": "#5A6374",
            "brightBlue": "#61AFEF",
            "brightCyan": "#56B6C2",
            "brightGreen": "#98C379",
            "brightPurple": "#C678DD",
            "brightRed": "#E06C75",
            "brightWhite": "#DCDFE4",
            "brightYellow": "#E5C07B",
            "cursorColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "cyan": "#56B6C2",
            "foreground": "#DCDFE4",
            "green": "#98C379",
            "name": "One Half Dark",
            "purple": "#C678DD",
            "red": "#E06C75",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#DCDFE4",
            "yellow": "#E5C07B"
        },
        {
            "background": "#FAFAFA",
            "black": "#383A42",
            "blue": "#0184BC",
            "brightBlack": "#4F525D",
            "brightBlue": "#61AFEF",
            "brightCyan": "#56B5C1",
            "brightGreen": "#98C379",
            "brightPurple": "#C577DD",
            "brightRed": "#DF6C75",
            "brightWhite": "#FFFFFF",
            "brightYellow": "#E4C07A",
            "cursorColor": "#4F525D",
            "cyan": "#0997B3",
            "foreground": "#383A42",
            "green": "#50A14F",
            "name": "One Half Light",
            "purple": "#A626A4",
            "red": "#E45649",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#FAFAFA",
            "yellow": "#C18301"
        },
        {
            "background": "#002B36",
            "black": "#002B36",
            "blue": "#268BD2",
            "brightBlack": "#073642",
            "brightBlue": "#839496",
            "brightCyan": "#93A1A1",
            "brightGreen": "#586E75",
            "brightPurple": "#6C71C4",
            "brightRed": "#CB4B16",
            "brightWhite": "#FDF6E3",
            "brightYellow": "#657B83",
            "cursorColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "cyan": "#2AA198",
            "foreground": "#839496",
            "green": "#859900",
            "name": "Solarized Dark",
            "purple": "#D33682",
            "red": "#DC322F",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#EEE8D5",
            "yellow": "#B58900"
        },
        {
            "background": "#FDF6E3",
            "black": "#002B36",
            "blue": "#268BD2",
            "brightBlack": "#073642",
            "brightBlue": "#839496",
            "brightCyan": "#93A1A1",
            "brightGreen": "#586E75",
            "brightPurple": "#6C71C4",
            "brightRed": "#CB4B16",
            "brightWhite": "#FDF6E3",
            "brightYellow": "#657B83",
            "cursorColor": "#002B36",
            "cyan": "#2AA198",
            "foreground": "#657B83",
            "green": "#859900",
            "name": "Solarized Light",
            "purple": "#D33682",
            "red": "#DC322F",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#EEE8D5",
            "yellow": "#B58900"
        },
        {
            "background": "#000000",
            "black": "#000000",
            "blue": "#3465A4",
            "brightBlack": "#555753",
            "brightBlue": "#729FCF",
            "brightCyan": "#34E2E2",
            "brightGreen": "#8AE234",
            "brightPurple": "#AD7FA8",
            "brightRed": "#EF2929",
            "brightWhite": "#EEEEEC",
            "brightYellow": "#FCE94F",
            "cursorColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "cyan": "#06989A",
            "foreground": "#D3D7CF",
            "green": "#4E9A06",
            "name": "Tango Dark",
            "purple": "#75507B",
            "red": "#CC0000",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#D3D7CF",
            "yellow": "#C4A000"
        },
        {
            "background": "#FFFFFF",
            "black": "#000000",
            "blue": "#3465A4",
            "brightBlack": "#555753",
            "brightBlue": "#729FCF",
            "brightCyan": "#34E2E2",
            "brightGreen": "#8AE234",
            "brightPurple": "#AD7FA8",
            "brightRed": "#EF2929",
            "brightWhite": "#EEEEEC",
            "brightYellow": "#FCE94F",
            "cursorColor": "#000000",
            "cyan": "#06989A",
            "foreground": "#555753",
            "green": "#4E9A06",
            "name": "Tango Light",
            "purple": "#75507B",
            "red": "#CC0000",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#D3D7CF",
            "yellow": "#C4A000"
        },
        {
            "background": "#000000",
            "black": "#000000",
            "blue": "#000080",
            "brightBlack": "#808080",
            "brightBlue": "#0000FF",
            "brightCyan": "#00FFFF",
            "brightGreen": "#00FF00",
            "brightPurple": "#FF00FF",
            "brightRed": "#FF0000",
            "brightWhite": "#FFFFFF",
            "brightYellow": "#FFFF00",
            "cursorColor": "#FFFFFF",
            "cyan": "#008080",
            "foreground": "#C0C0C0",
            "green": "#008000",
            "name": "Vintage",
            "purple": "#800080",
            "red": "#800000",
            "selectionBackground": "#FFFFFF",
            "white": "#C0C0C0",
            "yellow": "#808000"
        }
    ],
    "showTabsInTitlebar": false,
    "tabWidthMode": "equal",
    "theme": "dark",
    "themes": 
    [
        {
            "name": "legacyDark",
            "tab": 
            {
                "background": null,
                "showCloseButton": "always",
                "unfocusedBackground": null
            },
            "window": 
            {
                "applicationTheme": "dark",
                "useMica": false
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "legacyLight",
            "tab": 
            {
                "background": null,
                "showCloseButton": "always",
                "unfocusedBackground": null
            },
            "window": 
            {
                "applicationTheme": "light",
                "useMica": false
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "legacySystem",
            "tab": 
            {
                "background": null,
                "showCloseButton": "always",
                "unfocusedBackground": null
            },
            "window": 
            {
                "applicationTheme": "system",
                "useMica": false
            }
        }
    ],
    "useAcrylicInTabRow": false,
    "windowingBehavior": "useExisting"
}

[carlos-zamora]

Thanks! Could you also share a copy of the state.json /?

[ygoe]

{
	"dismissedMessages" : 
	[
		"setAsDefault",
		"closeOnExitInfo"
	],
	"generatedProfiles" : 
	[
		"{b453ae62-4e3d-5e58-b989-0a998ec441b8}",
		"{807ee6ac-575b-5fc3-addf-d6b776d86c4c}",
		"{7990c245-801b-5dac-b188-4c24a940312e}",
		"{2ece5bfe-50ed-5f3a-ab87-5cd4baafed2b}",
		"{16208362-94fc-5b1f-a491-5b2624d5ab56}",
		"{574e775e-4f2a-5b96-ac1e-a2962a402336}"
	],
	"settingsHash" : "ad91168ea1206c89-01d9eb26187bfb72"
}

[zadjii-msft]

• "{b453ae62-4e3d-5e58-b989-0a998ec441b8}": Azure Cloud Shell
• "{807ee6ac-575b-5fc3-addf-d6b776d86c4c}": Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022
• "{7990c245-801b-5dac-b188-4c24a940312e}": Developer PowerShell for VS 2022
• "{2ece5bfe-50ed-5f3a-ab87-5cd4baafed2b}": Git Bash
• "{16208362-94fc-5b1f-a491-5b2624d5ab56}": Visual Studio Debug Console
• "{574e775e-4f2a-5b96-ac1e-a2962a402336}": PowerShell Core

I bet, if you close the Terminal, delete state.json, and then start the Terminal, it should re-detect the VS ones. That's a guess.

[ygoe]

Sorry, that doesn't change anything.

I guess that Terminal's settings system is broken. I can't really use it to copy settings to another computer. What would I need that settings file for then? It's really a pain to use that app.

[ygoe]

Trying this on another separate computer now and the Git Bash profile just won't appear. The app itself is available from the start menu, but it can't go into the Terminal app. The saved profile in the settings is simply ignored. So there is definitely a bug in there. This issue needs relabelling from question to bug.

Plus, deleting the state file also messes up the settings file. Profiles and settings keys are reordered and deleted and reinserted. Some profiles are generated, some are deleted. What the heck? I added my profiles on purpose, not to have them deleted on next occasion. Not sure this app is ready for use yet. It does what it wants, not what I want. Not working for me.