[BUG] Debug can't find launchable target with MacOS apps

[andrews4s]

Describe the Issue

Attempting to debug an app targetting net7.0-macos fails with the error:

"{projectname}.csproj" does not support debugging. No launchable target found.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Open a terminal
2. mkdir mactest
3. cd mactest
4. dotnet new macos
5. code .
6. Right-click the project and select Debug>Start New Instance

Expected Behavior

The app launches with the VS Code debugger attached.

Environment Information

-OS: MacOS 13.4.1
-VS Code: 1.82.2
-Extension Version: v2.2.10

[WardenGnaw]

@tmeschter The ILaunchConfigurationService is returning 0 projects with the macos template.

[tmeschter]

@andrew-tavera @WardenGnaw What kind of project does dotnet new macos create?

[andrews4s]

It generates an app using the net7.0-macos runtime (Mac desktop app). Manually adding a launch.json works if you treat it like a console app but change the "program" to go to the binary inside the .app bundle instead of the dll in the bin folder.

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": ".NET Core Launch (console)",
            "type": "coreclr",
            "request": "launch",
            "preLaunchTask": "build",
            "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/Debug/net7.0-macos/osx-x64/mactest.app/Contents/MacOS/mactest",
            "args": [],
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "console": "internalConsole"
        }
    ]
}

[tmeschter]

@andrew-tavera Is this a MAUI project? Would you be able to provide an example project?

[andrews4s]

mactest.zip
This is not a MAUI project. I've uploaded an example new project with a manually created launch.json/tasks.json. The second launch profile works but the debug option from the extension does not.

[tmeschter]

Thanks for that; I can see what's going on now.

The short answer is that C# Dev Kit is currently focusing support on a narrow set of project types: web applications, MAUI apps (in conjunction with the MAUI extension), and Unity apps (in conjunction with the Unity extension). This particular project falls outside the scope of what we support so we haven't gotten around to figuring out how it should work.

The long answer is that the MacOS SDK targets (Microsoft.macOS.Sdk.targets) pull in the Xamarin shared targets (Xamarin.Shared.Sdk.targets) which removes the "LaunchProfiles" capability. Currently all the launch targets in C# Dev Kit are based off the projects' launch profiles; with that capability turned off we have no way of knowing how to launch the project.

For the time being I see two options:

1. Continue to use launch.json.
2. Attempt to turn launch profiles support back on by adding the following to your project:

   <PropertyGroup>
     <_KeepLaunchProfiles>true</_KeepLaunchProfiles>
   </PropertyGroup>
   

   Setting this property will prevent the "LaunchProfiles" capability from being removed. I'm not entirely sure what will happen, though, as the default launch profile support doesn't know anything specific about launching macOS projects.

[andrews4s]

Thanks for the explanation @tmeschter! Is there any documentation or public roadmap that shows what is supported now and planned? I'm trying to transition off VS4Mac since it is retiring.

[tmeschter]

@andrew-tavera Here's the documentation on what is currently supported: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/csharp/cs-dev-kit-faq#_what-project-types-are-currently-supported.

[kvenkatrajan]

related issue: #726

[datvm]

I have this issue with MacCatalyst as well for an existing project. Does anyone know the "magic" that they add for newer project? New project works well but I have this solution with many projects (some of them cannot be compiled which is not a problem for my specific project).

Edit: found it, you need to choose a startup project over here at the bottom corner:

[emaf]

I'm assigning this to MAUI since the MAUI extension brings the support for .NET iOS and MacCatalyst, and should handle supporting macOS.