Bug: Command C/C++: Select IntelliSense Configuration... -> Use g**

[thernstig]

Feature Request

Environment

• OS and Version: Windows 11 23H2
• VS Code Version: 1.92.2
• C/C++ Extension Version: v1.21.6
• If using SSH remote, specify OS of remote machine: wsl (Ubuntu 20.04)

Bug Summary and Steps to Reproduce

Bug Summary:
If you select a compiler via C/C++: Select IntelliSense Configuration... -> Use g** one can notice that the updated compilerPath is not updated until the second time you select the same command again. It then changes .vscode/c_cpp_properties.json to the compiler you selected in the n-1 try.

Inspelning.2024-09-12.142845.mp4

Steps to reproduce:

1. Keep the .vscode/c_cpp_properties.json file open while changing the compiler via the command ``C/C++: Select IntelliSense Configuration....`
2. Notice how it does not select what you chose.

Expected behavior:
It should format the file and add a new line at EOF.

Configuration and Logs

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Linux",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceFolder}/**"
            ],
            "defines": [],
            "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
            "cStandard": "c99",
            "cppStandard": "gnu++14",
            "intelliSenseMode": "linux-gcc-x64",
            "configurationProvider": "ms-vscode.cmake-tools"
        },
        {
            "name": "CMake",
            "compileCommands": "${config:cmake.buildDirectory}/compile_commands.json",
            "configurationProvider": "ms-vscode.cmake-tools"
        }
    ],
    "version": 4
}

-------- Diagnostics - 9/4/2024, 1:10:29 PM
Version: 1.21.6
Current Configuration:
{
    "name": "Linux",
    "includePath": [
        "/home/tobias/code/c-test/**"
    ],
    "defines": [],
    "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
    "cStandard": "c99",
    "cppStandard": "gnu++14",
    "intelliSenseMode": "linux-gcc-x64",
    "configurationProvider": "ms-vscode.cmake-tools",
    "compilerPathIsExplicit": true,
    "cStandardIsExplicit": true,
    "cppStandardIsExplicit": true,
    "intelliSenseModeIsExplicit": true,
    "compilerPathInCppPropertiesJson": "/usr/bin/gcc",
    "configurationProviderInCppPropertiesJson": "ms-vscode.cmake-tools",
    "mergeConfigurations": false,
    "browse": {
        "path": [
            "/home/tobias/code/c-test/**",
            "${workspaceFolder}"
        ],
        "limitSymbolsToIncludedHeaders": true
    }
}
Custom browse configuration: 
{
    "browsePath": [
        "/home/tobias/code/c-test/src"
    ],
    "compilerPath": "/usr/bin/gcc",
    "compilerArgs": [],
    "compilerFragments": [
        "-g"
    ]
}
cpptools version (native): 1.21.6.0
Translation Unit Mappings:
[ /home/tobias/code/c-test/src/main.c - source TU]:
Translation Unit Configurations:
[ /home/tobias/code/c-test/src/main.c ]:
    Process ID: 30660
    Memory Usage: 15 MB
    Compiler Path: /usr/bin/gcc
    Includes:
    System Includes:
        /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/9/include
        /usr/local/include
        /usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu
        /usr/include
    Standard Version: c17
    IntelliSense Mode: linux-gcc-x64
    Other Flags:
        --gcc
        --gnu_version=90400
Total Memory Usage: 15 MB

------- Workspace parsing diagnostics -------
Number of files discovered (not excluded): 4908

Other Extensions

No response

Additional context

No response

[sean-mcmanus]

@thernstig I believe that's "by design". The first time Select IntelliSense Configuration is used with gcc/g++ it will set the C_Cpp.default.compilerPath setting instead of creating/modifying a c_cpp_properties.json. If both C_Cpp.default.compilerPath and compilerPath in c_cpp_properties.json are set, then it will change the compilerPath in c_cpp_properties.json.

Did you want to use this issue to track formatting the c_cpp_properties.json and/or adding an EOL at the end? Does manually formatting have an affect? I think that behavior might be controlled by a json formatter or other VS Code setttings?

[thernstig]

@sean-mcmanus but this happens if I change the C/C++: Select IntelliSense Configuration... multiple times in a row, it always changes to the n-1. Did you see the video I recorded?

Although what you describe still sounds very strange to me. I think it should only ever update c_cpp_properties.json and not the C_Cpp.default.compilerPath setting. That is unintuitive and unexpected, and could cause confusion to users. Then rather have a separate section under C/C++: Select IntelliSense Configuration... to set the default settings.