Shell type is detected incorrectly after VSCode update

[mattkellymt]

Error: & was unexpected at this time

Workaround: #16175 (comment)

When I run a python script, without ever changing a setting in vs code after its installation, it uses powershell as the default terminal profile and there is no issue.

But when I change the default terminal profile from powershell to command prompt

I get the "& was unexpected at this time." error

I've seen people say I should type ctrl+shift+p then type "select default terminal" to change my terminal from powershell to the command prompt, but this isn't an option in the 2021-05-06 version of Visual Studio Code

I am using a fresh Windows 10 install with nothing but miniconda and visual studio code.

[Sunillad08]

I tried changing default terminal to cmd but it still runs .ps1 instead of .bat file for venv . We can manually run .bat file and it will work in cmd.

[mattkellymt]

I tried changing default terminal to cmd but it still runs .ps1 instead of .bat file for venv . We can manually run .bat file and it will work in cmd.

When you @Sunillad08 say "we can manually run .bat" are you suggesting that I do this?

[Sunillad08]

I tried changing default terminal to cmd but it still runs .ps1 instead of .bat file for venv . We can manually run .bat file and it will work in cmd.

When you @Sunillad08 say "we can manually run .bat" are you suggesting that I do this?

Not really , you can run that if you want to work with cmd only . I was just addressing that I got same issue.

[banggua]

terminal.integrated.shell.windows works good for me, but terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows doesn't.

[skilkis]

Can confirm that this is also the case when using Git Bash as terminal.integrated.shell.windows works while terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows does not. According to @brettcannon's answer, Git Bash is not officially supported but I had no issues prior to the introduction of the new terminal settings with VS Code 1.56. To clarify here are my settings:

    "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Git Bash",
    "terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
        "Git Bash": {
            "source": "Git Bash",
            "icon": "terminal-bash"
        }
    },
    "terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe",

Which results in the correct activation command:

$ source c:/Users/MDRyzenPC/Python/numfoil/.venv/Scripts/activate
(.venv) 

Wheras with the terminal.integrated.shell.windows setting omitted the output is:

$ & c:/Users/MDRyzenPC/Python/numfoil/.venv/Scripts/Activate.ps1
bash: syntax error near unexpected token `&'

Therefore, it seems like vscode-python is not using the new settings yet!

[banggua]

I disable it by setting "python.terminal.activateEnvironment": false,. I control the activation of the Python environment through .bashrc. I always use python -m venv venv to create a new Python environment in my project, so I add [ -f "venv/Scripts/activate" ] && source venv/Scripts/activate to .bashrc. The important thing is that it works well for me.

vscode settings.json

"python.terminal.activateEnvironment": false,
"terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Git Bash",
"terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
    "Git Bash": {
        "source": "Git Bash"
    }
},

.bashrc

function pyenv() {
    python -m venv venv
    pyac
    python -m pip install -U pip setuptools
}
function pyac() {
    [ -f "venv/Scripts/activate" ] && source venv/Scripts/activate
}
function pyde() {
    deactivate
}
function pylock() {
    pip freeze >requirements.txt
}
function pyinstall() {
    pip install -r requirements.txt
}
pyac

[asdasd-123]

Also having this issue since the latest update. Worked fine before the weekend then from launch today I've been getting the issue.

I used the workaround @skilkis showed and that seems to have resolved it for now so would recomend that if anyone else is have trouble

[karrtikr]

Thanks for the bug report! We just wanted to quickly acknowledge we received it and we will triage this as soon as we can. #16169 could be related.

[franneck94]

Also having this issue since the latest update.

[bshark8]

Also experiencing issue starting today. Using version 1.56.1

The removal of the entry below in settings.json file will cause the "& was unexpected at this time" issue even though it is marked as deprecated (yellow underline). Adding the entry fixes this issue.

"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd.exe",

[karrtikr]

I can reproduce this issue, thanks! There're 2 bugs:

• Extension relies on vscode.env.shell API which does not seem to be working If terminal.integrated.shell doesn't have a matching terminal.integrated.profiles entry the shell path will be ' ' vscode#121760
• Extension still reads from the old setting (terminal.integrated.shell) rather than terminal.integrated.defaultProfile for deciding what command to send which causes this issue.

vscode-python/src/client/common/terminal/shellDetectors/settingsShellDetector.ts

Line 31 in db8e1e2

const shellConfig = this.workspace.getConfiguration('terminal.integrated.shell');

The correct backwards compatible solution would be to read the new setting key first if it exists, and then fallback on the old setting key to support older versions of VSCode.

Related: #16023

[karrtikr]

Please try the workaround mentioned here: #16175 (comment)

[ChandlerTayek]

Please try the workaround mentioned here: #16175 (comment)

Confirming that this workaround worked for git bash.
Steps I took:

1. Set my default profile to Git Bash.
2. Then I added "terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe" in my .../user/settings.json file.

Worked like a charm thank you @karrtikr and @banggua

[karrtikr]

Blocked on getting upstream vscode issue fixed microsoft/vscode#121760

[Tyriar]

We're switching the default priority to always use the shell setting over the default profile if specified microsoft/vscode#123174. Unfortunately there isn't an easy/low risk fix for this other than that workaround.

[karrtikr]

I have followed up in the original issue. microsoft/vscode#121760 (comment)

[karrtikr]

Hi everyone 👋 The fix seems to be now available on VSCode insiders. Please try it out and let us know how it goes.

FYI things are better but I'm still having this issue microsoft/vscode#121760 (comment), you may also see it.

[ChandlerTayek]

@karrtikr I'm able to select different default profiles and have the correct behavior with the insiders build.

[karrtikr]

Should be fixed in the next stable release of VSCode. Note if you have both settings we prioritize the shell setting for now, #16175 (comment).