Setting a terminal by workspace settings is broken! User settings are not sufficient!

[RobIsHere]

• VSCode Version: 1.9.0
• OS Version: Windows 10

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Upgrade to VSCode 1.9.0
2. Open Terminal

VSCode complains that my custom terminal settings in the workspace configuration are wrong after the update. It does not respect these anymore.

I need per project/workspace configuration because i use remote ssh terminals to work on the dev server. The dev server is different in every workspace.

This was perfectly working:

    "terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "ssh.exe",
    "terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows": [
        "myuser@myserver.com",
        "-t",
        "cd /data/project; bash --login"
    ],

Please tell me how i can downgrade to the working version until this is fixed.

[AdrianPell]

Similar thing - I use Bash in some workspaces, Cmd in others - hence user settings alone isn't sufficient.

[RobIsHere]

I could easily downgrade by uninstalling and installing the previous version via chocolately:
https://chocolatey.org/packages/VisualStudioCode/1.8.1

[Tyriar]

@kieferrm thoughts?

[Matticusau]

I agree, we need a way to specify these sort of settings per workspace. I work across different projects where while the bulk use PowerShell some others use SQL Command line and Bash etc

Another point to this is I collaborate across teams with these projects. I dont really want to have to explain to them how to edit their User settings each time a new member helps out on a project. It should just ship the workspace setting with the code base. Isn't that the intent here? I mean I understand this could be seen as a security risk, but no more than running any terminal / command line code? If I was starting out on an existing project after I get the code I would check what workspace settings are set. Maybe that could be a solution, the first time someone opens a project up display the workspace settings to them for review?

[Matticusau]

I've been reading the release notes and there seems to be language specific settings now (or maybe I'm just catching up). This might help in some circumstance but not in all cases like mentioned in other comments

[Tyriar]

Maybe we are being too strict, this use case does seem particularly useful. How about we take another approach to the problem while still protecting users from running malicious executables?

Consider the following scenario:

1. Download a git repo with terminal.integrated.shell.windows set to "foo" and terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows set to "bar"
2. Open the git repo in VS Code
3. Press ctrl+`, at this moment the following things happen;
   • the terminal opens with the user setting for terminal.integrated.shell.windows
   • a message box appears explaining that the workspace sets terminal.integrated.shell.windows and asks if the user wants to allow it or ignore it
   • a message box appears explaining that the workspace sets terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows and asks if the user wants to allow it or ignore it

For example:

The actions on the message box could be [Yes] and [Ignore] (or something more verbose). When [Yes] if selected, the option would be saved in local storage and not bug the user again. When [Ignore] is selected, the message box will go away from the rest of the session, displaying again the next time the workspace is loaded.

Something like this would prevent anything from running without an explicit opt in from the user.

[AdrianPell]

I understand the concern with targeting malicious executables in git repo. Hadn't thought about that before.
I do like the proposal, though. As long as the action is remembered across sessions, that would seem to address most needs. How about adding a [Remove] action as well that would remove the setting from the workspace settings ... might be useful for somebody who doesn't know where those settings are?

[gulshan]

I think the shell name and shell executable path can be separate settings. And executable path settings will not be allowed in project/workspace settings. The names can be- "BASH", "CMD", "Powershell", "SQL", "Custom" etc. Then a project will be able to set the name of the intended shell but not the path.

[RobIsHere]

The usable thing is the whole use case, not just a part of it:
Open SSH AND Open working directory

The settings as in 1.8.1 are flexible and this way good for every situation.
The proposed solution by @Tyriar is good, because flexibility is preserved.

[kieferrm]

@Tyriar your proposed solution makes sense that is applicable to all platforms.

[Tyriar]

This is what you should see in tomorrow's Insiders build:

[RobIsHere]

Thank you!