"Get started with C++ development" action launches c... | microsoft/vscode-cpptools

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Type: Bug

In VS Code, from the Welcome page, I click on "Get started with C++ development". In the "Set up your C++ environment" step, there is a button named "Select my Default Compiler".

I click on that button, and get the choice "Use cl.exe". I click on that choice, and then it launches a File Explorer pop-up prompting me to choose a file of some kind. The title of the pop-up window is just called "Open", and the pop-up displays my current working directory. I have no information about what file it wants me to be choosing, it's very confusing, and makes me concerned that something isn't working correctly.

This is possibly related to #14352 since they are both occurring.

Extension version: 1.31.4
VS Code version: Code 1.114.0 (e7fb5e96c0730b9deb70b33781f98e2f35975036, 2026-04-01T09:27:11Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2320 CPU @ 3.00GHz (4 x 2993)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: unavailable_software GPU0: VENDOR= 0x1002, DEVICE=0x677b [AMD Radeon HD 7400 Series], DRIVER_VENDOR=Google, DRIVER_VERSION=8.17.10.1404 GPU1: VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c [Microsoft Basic Render Driver], DRIVER_VERSION=10.0.19041.5794 Machine model name: Machine model version: direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: disabled_software multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: disabled_off rasterization: disabled_software raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off trees_in_viz: disabled_off video_decode: disabled_software video_encode: disabled_software webgl: unavailable_software webgl2: unavailable_software webgpu: unavailable_software webnn: unavailable_software
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	11.96GB (1.77GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 446329a1-4bb8-420a-8b52-627c7d2b9460
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

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Start by reproducing the Welcome page flow on Windows: choose “Get started with C++ development,” then “Select my Default Compiler” and “Use cl.exe.” Trace the action behind that compiler choice and verify the completed flow no longer opens an unexplained File Explorer dialog, or clearly identifies what file must be selected.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

"Get started with C++ development" action launches confusing File Explorer pop-up

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