$Env:Path Incorrect in VSCode Integrated Terminal with PowerShell

[adamgranthendry]

Type: Bug

This is a duplicate of issue #74606, which I am requesting to reopen as it was closed inconclusively and the issue is occuring for me on later versions of VSCode and Windows 10.

1. In VSCode, execute the following in the Integrated Terminal using PowerShell Core (version 7.3.6):

$Env:Path -split ';' | ForEach-Object { $_ | Add-Content -Path 'path_vscode.txt' }

2. In Windows 10 PowerShell Core, enter:

$Env:Path -split ';' | ForEach-Object { $_ | Add-Content -Path 'path_localmachine.txt' }

VSCode's integrated terminal does not render Path properly, while Windows PowerShell Core proper does.

VS Code version: Code 1.80.2 (2ccd690, 2023-07-27T20:40:28.909Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6248R CPU @ 3.00GHz (48 x 2993)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled canvas_oop_rasterization: disabled_off direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	190.65GB (160.69GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 9e9db912-c31c-4be1-8c40-4080829b5095
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Extensions (122)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
arepl	alm	2.0.5
preview-pdf	ana	1.0.0
vscode-color	ans	0.4.5
vscode-icontheme-nomo-dark	be5	1.3.6
github-markdown-preview	bie	0.3.0
markdown-checkbox	bie	0.4.0
markdown-emoji	bie	0.3.0
markdown-footnotes	bie	0.1.1
markdown-mermaid	bie	1.19.0
markdown-preview-github-styles	bie	2.0.2
markdown-yaml-preamble	bie	0.1.0
mermaid-markdown-syntax-highlighting	bpr	1.5.2
htmltagwrap	bra	0.0.9
solargraph	cas	0.24.0
vscode-innosetup	cho	1.9.2
path-intellisense	chr	2.8.4
js-codeformer	cms	2.6.1
gitignore	cod	0.9.0
doxdocgen	csc	1.4.0
vscode-markdownlint	Dav	0.51.0
githistory	don	0.6.20
vscode-html-css	ecm	1.13.1
replacequotes	eda	0.0.1
pre-commit-helper	ela	0.4.3
RunOnSave	eme	0.2.0
prettier-vscode	esb	9.19.0
markdown-table-formatter	fcr	2.2.4
code-runner	for	0.12.0
graphviz-markdown-preview	gee	0.0.8
html-snippets	gey	0.2.3
vscode-github-actions	git	0.25.8
gitlab-workflow	Git	3.71.0
gc-excelviewer	Gra	4.2.57
language-cython	guy	0.0.7
markdown-table-maker	hel	1.0.3
output-colorizer	IBM	0.1.2
nsis	idl	4.2.4
pynsist	idl	0.12.2
vscode-cython-annotate	ita	0.1.6
vscode-picture	Jak	1.0.0
latex-workshop	Jam	9.13.3
markdown-extended	jeb	1.1.3
better-cpp-syntax	jef	1.17.2
nbpreviewer	jit	1.2.2
vscode-graphviz	joa	0.0.6
columnpaste	joh	0.0.8
vscode-peacock	joh	4.2.2
cmake-language-support-vscode	jos	0.0.9
endwise	kai	1.5.1
vscode-colorize	kam	0.11.1
markdown-math	koe	0.1.0
tag-inserter	l7s	1.4.0
python-sphinx-highlight	leo	0.3.0
restructuredtext	lex	189.3.0
quickstart	lol	0.1.0
csvtomarkdown	mar	0.0.1
vscode-3dviewer	md2	1.0.0
markdown-shortcuts	mdi	0.12.0
rainbow-csv	mec	3.7.0
git-graph	mhu	1.30.0
vscode-docker	ms-	1.26.0
vscode-dotnet-runtime	ms-	1.6.0
black-formatter	ms-	2023.4.1
flake8	ms-	2023.6.0
isort	ms-	2023.10.1
pylint	ms-	2023.6.0
python	ms-	2023.12.0
vscode-pylance	ms-	2023.7.40
jupyter	ms-	2023.6.1101941928
jupyter-keymap	ms-	1.1.2
jupyter-renderers	ms-	1.0.17
vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-	0.1.8
vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-	0.1.5
remote-containers	ms-	0.299.0
remote-ssh	ms-	0.102.0
remote-ssh-edit	ms-	0.86.0
remote-wsl	ms-	0.80.2
cmake-tools	ms-	1.14.34
cpptools	ms-	1.16.3
cpptools-extension-pack	ms-	1.3.0
powershell	ms-	2023.6.0
remote-explorer	ms-	0.4.1
test-adapter-converter	ms-	0.1.8
pytest-fixtures	nic	0.3.0
autodocstring	njp	0.6.1
emoji	Per	1.0.1
vscode-versionlens	pfl	1.5.0
material-icon-theme	PKi	4.29.0
polacode	pnp	0.3.4
run-on-save	puc	1.5.1
ruby	reb	0.28.1
vscode-xml	red	0.26.1
vscode-yaml	red	1.14.0
vscode-sort-json	ric	1.20.0
vscode-json-validate	rio	1.4.3
LiveServer	rit	5.7.9
trailing-spaces	sha	0.4.1
markdown-preview-enhanced	shd	0.6.8
vscode-table-formatter	shu	1.2.1
html5-boilerplate	sid	1.1.1
vscode-dicom	smi	1.4.0
code-spell-checker	str	2.20.5
code-spell-checker-medical-terms	str	2.0.3
code-spell-checker-scientific-terms	str	0.2.0
even-better-toml	tam	0.19.2
ejs-snippets	Tao	0.1.0
ayu	tea	1.0.5
latex-utilities	tec	0.4.10
shellcheck	tim	0.33.0
simple-rst	tro	1.5.3
cmake	twx	0.0.17
tiff-preview	uco	0.0.1
vscode-choosealicense	ult	0.9.2
errorlens	use	3.12.0
vscode-icons	vsc	12.4.0
gitblame	wad	10.4.0
HTML5-extension-pack	wal	1.0.0
vscode-todo-highlight	way	1.0.5
extension-manager	web	0.0.5
vscode-ruby	win	0.28.0
markdown-pdf	yza	1.4.4
markdown-all-in-one	yzh	3.5.1

(3 theme extensions excluded)

A/B Experiments

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dsvsc013:30795093
dsvsc014cf:30797590

path_vscode.txt

path_localmachine.txt

NOTE: I've also tried Command Prompt in the Integrated Terminal and get the same incorrect value for %PATH%:

echo %Path:;=&echo.%"

[adamgranthendry]

FWIW, I have many variables I need in Path. So, I use a Path2 variable in Path to overcome the Windows environment variable length limit (see below). Path2 consists of other environment variables listed in %VAR1%;%VAR2%;%VAR3% fashion.

AFAIK, Path2 is not cut off at any known length limit (e.g. 32,767) in either the expanded (C:\Users\...;C:\Program Files\...) or unexpanded (i.e. %VAR1%;%VAR2%;%VAR3%) version of the variable. Even if it were, it does not explain why Windows PowerShell Core on the desktop can read Path just fine with this setup.

Path2

C:\Users\hendra11\Code\external\commitizen\venv\Scripts
C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7
C:\WINDOWS\system32
C:\WINDOWS
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem
C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\
C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\
%PATH2%
...

To overcome the problem, as a temporary workaround, I removed %PATH2% from Path and instead set it to be appended to Path in my $PROFILE:

$ModifiedPath = "$env:Path;$env:Path2"
$ExpandedPath = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($ModifiedPath)
$Env:Path = $ExpandedPath

I do not run into any issues when I use this method.

However, it would be good to know why the original problem fails in VSCode and not PowerShell on the desktop.

[meganrogge]

/duplicate #170104

[adam-grant-hendry]

@Tyriar @meganrogge What's the final status of this? Is it a no-fix? This appears unresolved.

[meganrogge]

You'll eventually get the fix. See #170104 (comment)