"internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart" not working out of the box

[1Mark]

Issue Type: Bug

Issue was originally raised on microsoft/vscode#146102
fyi @sandy081 @isidorn
microsoft/vscode-python#6159 introduced "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart" but using this via one of the pre-existing python debug configurations doesn't work out of the box since it has a constraint.

Start debugging a new project or file, it will ask you to choose a debug config

If you choose this first option it gives

{
    // 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": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "justMyCode": true
        }
    ]
}

Then you realise you want the debug console to open automatically when you start the debugging, you come across microsoft/vscode-python#6159
then you add this to your config and

{
    // 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": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "justMyCode": true,
            "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart"
        }
    ]
}

Which doesn't work since

"purpose": [
    "debug-test"
    ],

Isn't in the default config.

Several requests

1. Make it the default to always launch the debug console
2. Make it clear in the docs (and in the hints in vscode) that internalConsoleOptions must be used with

"purpose": [
    "debug-test"
    ],

3. Add a new debug configuration just for debugging tests and make it be

{
    // 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": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Debug Tests",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "purpose": [
                "debug-test" // the main requirement
            ],
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "justMyCode": false, // not bothered about this value
            "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart" // the main requirement
        }
    ]
}

Here is a diff compared to the existing one Python File Debug the currently active Python file

4. Update the existing Python File Debug the currently active Python file config to include. This is somewhat controversial but although it's incorrect, purpose works both for tests and debug file and therefore there is no downside by doing this.

"purpose": [
    "debug-test"
    ],

5. Maybe remove this constraint for

"purpose": [
    "debug-test"
    ],

Since I don't see how this is related to launching the Debug console.

Diagnostic data

• Python version (& distribution if applicable, e.g. Anaconda): 3.8.10
• Type of virtual environment used (e.g. conda, venv, virtualenv, etc.): Venv
• Value of the python.languageServer setting: Pylance

User Settings

defaultLS: {"defaultLSType":"Pylance"}

downloadLanguageServer: true

envFile: "<placeholder>"

venvPath: "<placeholder>"

venvFolders: "<placeholder>"

condaPath: "<placeholder>"

pipenvPath: "<placeholder>"

poetryPath: "<placeholder>"

languageServer: "Pylance"

linting
• enabled: true
• cwd: "<placeholder>"
• Flake8Args: "<placeholder>"
• flake8Enabled: false
• flake8Path: "<placeholder>"
• lintOnSave: true
• banditArgs: "<placeholder>"
• banditEnabled: false
• banditPath: "<placeholder>"
• mypyArgs: "<placeholder>"
• mypyEnabled: false
• mypyPath: "<placeholder>"
• pycodestyleArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pycodestyleEnabled: false
• pycodestylePath: "<placeholder>"
• prospectorArgs: "<placeholder>"
• prospectorEnabled: false
• prospectorPath: "<placeholder>"
• pydocstyleArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pydocstyleEnabled: false
• pydocstylePath: "<placeholder>"
• pylamaArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pylamaEnabled: false
• pylamaPath: "<placeholder>"
• pylintArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pylintPath: "<placeholder>"

sortImports
• args: "<placeholder>"
• path: "<placeholder>"

formatting
• autopep8Args: "<placeholder>"
• autopep8Path: "<placeholder>"
• provider: "black"
• blackArgs: "<placeholder>"
• blackPath: "<placeholder>"
• yapfArgs: "<placeholder>"
• yapfPath: "<placeholder>"

testing
• cwd: "<placeholder>"
• debugPort: 3000
• nosetestArgs: "<placeholder>"
• nosetestsEnabled: false
• nosetestPath: "<placeholder>"
• promptToConfigure: true
• pytestArgs: "<placeholder>"
• pytestEnabled: true
• pytestPath: "<placeholder>"
• unittestArgs: "<placeholder>"
• unittestEnabled: false
• autoTestDiscoverOnSaveEnabled: true

terminal
• activateEnvironment: true
• executeInFileDir: "<placeholder>"
• launchArgs: "<placeholder>"

experiments
• enabled: true
• optInto: []
• optOutFrom: []

insidersChannel: "off"

tensorBoard
• logDirectory: "<placeholder>"

Extension version: 2022.2.1924087327
VS Code version: Code 1.65.2 (c722ca6c7eed3d7987c0d5c3df5c45f6b15e77d1, 2022-03-10T14:33:55.248Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19044
Restricted Mode: No
Remote OS version: Linux x64 5.10.60.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4460 CPU @ 3.20GHz (4 x 3193)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on oop_rasterization: enabled opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled skia_renderer: enabled_on video_decode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	7.95GB (1.57GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 59055d64-30be-409f-a026-85b5df56f021
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Item	Value
Remote	WSL: Ubuntu
OS	Linux x64 5.10.60.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4460 CPU @ 3.20GHz (4 x 3192)
Memory (System)	6.16GB (5.45GB free)
VM	0%

A/B Experiments

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bridge0708:30335490
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pynewfile477:30450038

[karthiknadig]

@1Mark the purpose field has nothing to do with console. It is only used by the extension to find the right debug configuration to use from the launch.json. If every configuration had debug-test set be default on it, then when user debugs a test, we would not know which one to pick. The only constraint that is there on debug-test is that it is used specifically when debugging tests using the Test view, there are no other constraints on it.

Make it the default to always launch the debug console

By default, the console option is set to integratedTerminal (not by the extension, this is the default for debug configurations). If console type is set to intergratedTerminal, we set the internalConsoleOptions to neverOpen. This is because historically, people have expected the focus to move to the terminal where the user code is executed.

Make it clear in the docs (and in the hints in vscode) that internalConsoleOptions must be used with

The neverOpen value is used due to how users expected the focus to move when debugging. We can change that but will require input from the community.

Add a new debug configuration just for debugging tests and make it be

This is something that we could do, but this would be a separate feature request. see here microsoft/vscode-python#11932

Update the existing Python File Debug the currently active Python file config to include. This is somewhat controversial but although it's incorrect, purpose works both for tests and debug file and therefore there is no downside by doing this.

Adding purpose to every configuration means, we don't know which configuration to use with debugging tests or some other thing. The intent of that field was to allow users to mark certain single configuration that we could use when we run tests using the Tests view. It is no-op when used in other cases. But, if it is added to all configuration, we are back to a situation where we don't know which configuration to use with tests.

Maybe remove this constraint for purpose

As mentioned before there is no constraint on that field that translates to restrictions on internalConsoleOptions.

/cc @luabud

[1Mark]

@karthiknadig Ok I don't know if I'm missing the point but I've read it twice. My issue is that the following launch.json doesn't cause the debug console in vscode to open and be focused if I've closed it manually regardless of what I debug

{
    // 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": [
        {
            "name": "Python: Current File",
            "type": "python",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "${file}",
            "console": "integratedTerminal",
            "justMyCode": true,
            "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart"
        }
    ]
}

The only way I got it to work was to add

purpose": [
    "debug-test"
    ],

This seems like a bug

[karthiknadig]

@1Mark Oh I see. thanks for clarifying.

[dzid26]

For me "internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart" causes the console to open, but VERY briefly. Something like 40ms. Then immediately goes back to the terminal.
I am on Win11.

It also affects another extension (Platformio IDE) which opens debug console using "internalConsoleOptions" "openOnSessionStart". And if I disable Python extension or if Python extension is not running yet, Platformio's original Debug Console behavior is fine.

[eleanorjboyd]

Hi! This issue has been around a bit and we have made changes to this area in the meantime. Wanted to check in on if this is this still a problem you are facing. Thanks!

[eleanorjboyd]

Hi! Are you still facing this bug?