microsoft / microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools
Using "Launch target" doesn't allow reading files from the project root due to weird cwd
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- Dominant language
- TypeScript
- Stars
- 1.7k
- Forks
- 546
- Avg merge
- 2d 16h
- Merged PRs (30d)
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Description
Brief Issue Summary
Clicking "Launch target" runs the resulting executable with cwd = build/Debug. This means it cannot access e.g. the assets folder in the project root, which is a major inconvenience when multiple people are working on the same project and have to be instructed on copying that directory manually.
I haven't been able to find a cross-platform way to automate this besides using a file(COPY ...) hack or modifying the extension config, but it just feels wrong. Is there a different solution that works with the stock settings.json so anybody could just jump right in?
CMake Tools Diagnostics
No response
Debug Log
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Additional Information
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Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with the Launch target action and how it selects the working directory when the executable runs from build/Debug. Check the stock settings.json path and the reported file(COPY ...) workaround, then define a cross-platform behavior that lets the executable read project-root assets without manual copying; done means the launch works consistently for project users.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- cmake, typescript
- Domain
- devtools
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100