microsoft / microsoft/winget-cli

`--log` Command Does Not Save Logs

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C++
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Description

Brief description of your issue

Observe the following command:

winGet update --id 7zip.7zip -h --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --include-unknown --disable-interactivity --log "$env:PUBLIC\log.txt"

The documentation states that the --log option applies for both install and update commands, with the following text:

Directs the logging to a log file. You must provide a path to a file that you have the write rights to.

The command I posted does not create a log file. Why not?
In StdOut I see the following:

No available upgrade found.
No newer package versions are available from the configured sources.

But I expect to see a log file created which contains at least this information, if not the error code as well.

Steps to reproduce

Run this command:

winGet update --id 7zip.7zip -h --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --include-unknown --disable-interactivity -o "$env:PUBLIC\log.txt"

Notice how it does not make a log file in C:\Users\Public\log.txt.

Expected behaviour

A log file to be created with logging information

Actual behaviour

No log file is created

Environment
Windows PowerShell 5.1
Windows Package Manager v1.9.25200

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by reproducing the documented winGet update command with --log and the issue's -o variant in Windows PowerShell 5.1. Trace the update command's log-option handling and compare it with the documented behavior. Done means the command creates the requested log file containing relevant update output, including the no-upgrade result.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp, powershell
Domain
cli, observability
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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