Leaner launch.json generation

[isidorn]

• Node Simplify generated launch.json vscode-node-debug#185
• C# Simplify generated launch.json  dotnet/vscode-csharp#2673
• Python Simplify generated launch.json vscode-python#3321
• Java Simplify generated launch.json vscode-java-debug#476
• C++ Simplify generated launch.json  vscode-cpptools#2819
• Chrome https:/Microsoft/vscode-chrome-debug/issues/751
• Help Wanted Php Simplify generated launch.json  xdebug/vscode-php-debug#318
• Go Simplify generated launch.json  vscode-go#2120
• Powershell Simplify generated launch.json  PowerShell/vscode-powershell#1611
• React Native Simplify generated launch.json  vscode-react-native#830
• Help Wanted Ruby Simplify generated launch.json rubyide/vscode-ruby#404 thanks @YisraelV
• Docker Simplify generated launch.json vscode-docker#612

These are all the extensions from our top 100 which support debugging.

[isidorn]

@weinand houghts if node should be simplified, currently it generates the following file

{
    // 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": [
        {
            "type": "node",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Launch Program",
            "program": "${file}"
        }
    ]
}

imho I like this and would not add any wizard that asks if you would like to launch / attach
I think the bigger issues are other extensions and I would start there

[isidorn]

@roblourens chrome currently generates this

{
    // 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": [
        {
            "type": "chrome",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Launch Chrome against localhost",
            "url": "http://localhost:8080",
            "webRoot": "${workspaceFolder}"
        },
    ]
}

I also like that and I think we should be aligned with what node is doing.
What you profit from using quick pick to ask some questions? Did you notice that users get puzzled by something or that somethins is especially hard to setup? Like source maps for example?

[roblourens]

Configuring sourceMapPathOverrides and pathMapping is still an issue, but it's something you have to "discover" by looking at the app during runtime, I wouldn't try to make it easier during launch config creation.

If we want to optimize for few parameters by default, webRoot could be removed and defaulted to workspaceFolder. I think it helps to have it in the default config so it can be discovered more easily but I don't know how often it has to be changed.

[isidorn]

Adding help wanted as we need user help currently for ruby and might potentially need it for other extensions. The work needed is updating ruby to use the newest vscode debug configuration api. More details can be found here rubyide/vscode-ruby#404 and the PR should be done against that repository.

Another repository which the users could help with is PHP. More details here xdebug/vscode-php-debug#318

There are extensions which are already using latest vscode debug configuration api which can be used as examples, for instance node debug

[YisraelV]

@isidorn after struggling for some time with escaping the $ symbol in configurationSnippets I found this syntax in the node extension you linked to:

"localRoot": "^"\${workspaceFolder}"",

could you please tell me:

1. is there any documentation on the use of the caret symbol as escape character in snippets (could be I'm missing the obvious)
2. why isn't the syntax provided here (under Grammar) enough for escaping? it didn't work for me.

Thank you.

[isidorn]

@YisraelV here's some snippet documentation https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/userdefinedsnippets
For more details @jrieken would be better to answer. But I think there are some corner cases with the $ symbol and thus it has to be double escaped. I would just try to copy what nodeDebug does
https:/Microsoft/vscode-node-debug/blob/660175936b0d83277a1b8b2a8a0f2f868ccd032b/package.json#L169

Hope that helps, and thanks for your contribution

[isidorn]

We have provided feedback to most popular extensions, some are already updated and some are planning to update. Since all the work pllaned has been done I am closing this
Some related follow up work #65988