Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands #4701

Copilot · 2026-02-09T14:36:43Z

This change addresses item #4574

This changes visible behavior

The following changes are proposed:

Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, and cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands so they work as ${command:cmake.testProgram} in launch.json from the Run and Debug panel
Handle both ${cmake.testProgram} and ${command:cmake.testProgram} forms in the Test Explorer debug flow
Update documentation to recommend the ${command:...} form

The purpose of this change

${cmake.testProgram} and related variables were only resolved internally during Test Explorer debugging (debugCTestImpl). They were never registered as VS Code commands, so launching a debug config containing these variables from the Run and Debug panel failed with:

launch:program '${cmake.testProgram}' does not exist

Users can now use ${command:cmake.testProgram} in launch.json, which VS Code resolves as a command substitution. When invoked from Run and Debug (no test context), the user is prompted to select a test via quick pick.

{
    "name": "(ctest) Launch",
    "type": "cppdbg",
    "request": "launch",
    "program": "${command:cmake.testProgram}",
    "args": ["${command:cmake.testArgs}"],
    "cwd": "${command:cmake.testWorkingDirectory}"
}

Other Notes/Information

Changes by file:

src/ctest.ts — Make testProgram(), testWorkingDirectory(), testArgs() public; add ${command:...} form replacement in debugCTestImpl
src/extension.ts — Add pickTestName() helper + three new command methods on ExtensionManager; register in funs array
package.json — Add activation events for the three commands
docs/debug-launch.md — Document both variable forms; update examples to use ${command:...}
CHANGELOG.md — Add bug fix entry

Backward compatible: existing ${cmake.testProgram} (without command:) continues to work from the Test Explorer.

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

0psvsblobprodwus2145.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install conntrack --ctstate INVALID,NEW -j DROP (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install --registry REDACTED --ignore-scripts -j ACCEPT (dns block)
2wrvsblobprodwus2180.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)
40vvsblobprodwus2135.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install conntrack --ctstate INVALID,NEW -j DROP (dns block)
5bdvsblobprodwus2128.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install conntrack --ctstate INVALID,NEW -j DROP (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install --registry REDACTED --ignore-scripts -j ACCEPT (dns block)
7t8vsblobprodwus2168.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install conntrack --ctstate INVALID,NEW -j DROP (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install --registry REDACTED --ignore-scripts -j ACCEPT (dns block)
b15vsblobprodwus2164.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)
b53vsblobprodwus2154.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)
d94vsblobprodwus2119.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)
ezcvsblobprodwus2170.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install conntrack --ctstate INVALID,NEW -j DROP (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install --registry REDACTED --ignore-scripts -j ACCEPT (dns block)
k4pvsblobprodwus2140.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/npm install conntrack --ctstate INVALID,NEW -j DROP (dns block)
n6wvsblobprodwus2123.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)
p2tvsblobprodwus2189.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)
v41vsblobprodwus2175.vsblob.vsassets.io
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install --registry REDACTED (dns block)
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/work/_temp/ghcca-node/node/bin/node node /usr/local/bin/yarn install ep/bin/linux-x64/rg (dns block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

Original prompt

This section details on the original issue you should resolve

<issue_title>[Bug] launch:program '${cmake.testProgram}' does not exist</issue_title>
<issue_description>### Brief Issue Summary

ctest debug no longer works when I click from Debug > Run and Debug, just states "launch:program '${cmake.testProgram}' does not exist"

launch.json

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        { // From https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools/blob/main/docs/debug-launch.md#gdb-1
            "name": "(ctest) Launch",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            // Resolved by CMake Tools:
            "cwd": "${cmake.testWorkingDirectory}",
            "program": "${cmake.testProgram}",
            "args": [ "${cmake.testArgs}"],
        }
    ]
}

settings.json

{
    "cmake.debugConfig": {
        "args": ["-l0","-e", "h"]
    },
    "cmake.buildDirectory": "${workspaceFolder}/out",
    "cmake.cmakePath": "/tmp/deviceupdate-cmake/bin/cmake",
    "cmake.cpackPath": "/tmp/deviceupdate-cmake/bin/cpack",
    "cmake.ctestPath": "/tmp/deviceupdate-cmake/bin/ctest",
    "cmake.loggingLevel": "debug"
}

CMake Tools Diagnostics

{
  "os": "linux",
  "vscodeVersion": "1.104.1",
  "cmtVersion": "1.21.36",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "folder": "/workspaces/iot-hub-device-update",
      "cmakeVersion": "3.23.2",
      "configured": true,
      "generator": "Ninja",
      "usesPresets": false,
      "compilers": {
        "C": "/usr/bin/gcc",
        "CXX": "/usr/bin/g++"
      }
    }
  ],
  "cpptoolsIntegration": {
    "isReady": true,
    "hasCodeModel": true,
    "activeBuildType": "Debug",
    "buildTypesSeen": [
      "Debug"
    ],
    "requests": [
      "file:///workspaces/iot-hub-device-update/src/utils/workflow_utils/tests/workflow_utils_ut.cpp"
    ],
    "responses": [],
    "partialMatches": [],
    "targetCount": 93,
    "executablesCount": 2,
    "librariesCount": 63,
    "targets": []
  },
  "settings": [
    {
      "communicationMode": "automatic",
      "useCMakePresets": "auto",
      "configureOnOpen": true
    }
  ]
}

Debug Log

[main] Building folder: /workspaces/iot-hub-device-update/out 
[main] Saving open files before configure/build
[build] Starting build
[driver] Start build all
[proc] Executing command: /tmp/deviceupdate-cmake/bin/cmake --build /workspaces/iot-hub-device-update/out --config Debug --target all --
[proc]   with environment: {"HOSTNAME":"3cc60b8b140d","HOME":"/home/vscode","PATH":"/vscode/vscode-server/bin/linux-x64/0f0d87fa9e96c856c5212fc86db137ac0d783365/bin/remote-cli:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/home/vscode/.local/bin","SHELL":"/bin/bash","PWD":"/vscode/vscode-server/bin/linux-x64/0f0d87fa9e96c856c5212fc86db137ac0d783365","VSCODE_CWD":"/vscode/vscode-server/bin/linux-x64/0f0d87fa9e96c856c5212fc86db137ac0d783365","VSCODE_NLS_CONFIG":"{\"userLocale\":\"en\",\"osLocale\":\"en\",\"resolvedLanguage\":\"en\",\"defaultMessagesFile\":\"/vscode/vscode-server/bin/linux-x64/0f0d87fa9e96c856c5212fc86db137ac0d783365/out/nls.messages.json\",\"locale\":\"en\",\"availableLanguages\":{}}","VSCODE_HANDLES_SIGPIPE":"true","VSCODE_ESM_ENTRYPOINT":"vs/workbench/api/node/extensionHostProcess","VSCODE_HANDLES_UNCAUGHT_ERRORS":"true","REMOTE_CONTAINERS_IPC":"/tmp/vscode-remote-containers-ipc-f5edd349-ab49-44d0-81cc-403b4037dc99.sock","LS_COLORS":"","REMOTE_CONTAINERS_SOCKETS":"[\"/tmp/vscode-ssh-auth-f5edd349-ab49-44d0-81cc-403b4037dc99.sock\",\"/tmp/.X11-unix/X5\",\"/home/vscode/.gnupg/S.gpg-agent\"]","USER":"vscode","SHLVL":"1","PROMPT_DIRTRIM":"4","_":"/bin/cat","SSH_AUTH_SOCK":"/tmp/vscode-ssh-auth-f5edd349-ab49-44d0-81cc-403b4037dc99.sock","DISPLAY":":5","REMOTE_CONTAINERS_DISPLAY_SOCK":"/tmp/.X11-unix/X5","REMOTE_CONTAINERS":"true","BROWSER":"/vscode/vscode-server/bin/linux-x64/0f0d87fa9e96c856c5212fc86db137ac0d783365/bin/helpers/browser.sh","ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE":"1","VSCODE_IPC_HOOK_CLI":"/tmp/vscode-ipc-b626f353-4bbf-4342-8f78-7aa45763d6e2.sock","VSCODE_L10N_BUNDLE_LOCATION":"","APPLICATION_INSIGHTS_NO_STATSBEAT":"true","NINJA_STATUS":"[%s/%t %p :: %e] "}
[build] ninja: no work to do.
[driver] Build completed: 00:00:00.029
[cmakefileapi-parser] Read reply folder: /workspaces/iot-hub-device-update/out/.cmake/api/v1/reply
[cmakefileapi-parser] Found index files: ["cache-v2-03971b698f03b73c2820.json","cmakeFiles-v1-3cc9b643bd55ab018470.json","codemodel-v2-7d4a7027335ae99a1ac2.json","directory-.-Debug-f5ebdc15457944623624.json","directory-daemon-Debug-a8788f423dcbf5060187.json","directory-src-Debug-b6cf2213fc5053b67c22.json...

</details>



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- Fixes microsoft/vscode-cmake-tools#4574

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---

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…s as VS Code commands Fixes #4574 - The ${cmake.testProgram}, ${cmake.testWorkingDirectory}, and ${cmake.testArgs} variables were only resolved internally by CMake Tools when debugging from the Test Explorer. They were not registered as VS Code commands, so using ${command:cmake.testProgram} in launch.json from the Run and Debug panel would fail with "program does not exist". Changes: - Make testProgram, testWorkingDirectory, testArgs public on CTestDriver - Add corresponding methods to ExtensionManager with test name quick pick - Register them in the funs array and package.json activation events - Handle ${command:cmake.testProgram} form in debugCTestImpl for Test Explorer - Update docs to recommend ${command:cmake.testProgram} format - Add CHANGELOG entry Co-authored-by: hanniavalera <[email protected]>

Co-authored-by: hanniavalera <[email protected]>

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and hanniavalera Feb 9, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of hanniavalera February 9, 2026 14:37 View session

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Fix ctest debug launch program error~~ Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands Feb 9, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from hanniavalera February 9, 2026 15:19

Copilot finished work on behalf of hanniavalera February 9, 2026 15:19

Copilot AI and others added 2 commits February 9, 2026 12:17

Fix typo in comment: repalce -> replace

f2167f9

Co-authored-by: hanniavalera <[email protected]>

hanniavalera force-pushed the copilot/fix-ctest-debug-issue branch from 0185023 to f2167f9 Compare February 9, 2026 18:17

Merge branch 'main' into copilot/fix-ctest-debug-issue

a188f8f

hanniavalera marked this pull request as ready for review February 9, 2026 20:09

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Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands #4701

Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands #4701

Copilot AI commented Feb 9, 2026 •

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Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands #4701

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Register cmake.testProgram, cmake.testWorkingDirectory, cmake.testArgs as VS Code commands #4701

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Copilot AI commented Feb 9, 2026 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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This change addresses item #4574

This changes visible behavior

The purpose of this change

Other Notes/Information

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

CMake Tools Diagnostics

Debug Log

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Copilot AI commented Feb 9, 2026 •

edited

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