VSCode debugging C++ launches external terminal, but doesn't run program - macos

Question

I've set up a launch.json file such that a C++ program uses an external console (so that it can receive user inputs), but when launching, VSCode simply opens a terminal window without running the program in it. If "externalConsole": true, is set to false, the program runs and can be debugged fine, just can't take inputs.
Note: No task.json file is used, CMake is used to create the executable binary.
Launch 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": [
{
"name": "g++ - Debug active file",
"type": "cppdbg",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${workspaceFolder}/build/bin/program_bin",
"args": [],
"stopAtEntry": false,
"cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/build/bin",
"environment": [],
"MIMode": "lldb",
"externalConsole": true,
"setupCommands": [
{
"description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
"text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
"ignoreFailures": true,
}
]
}
]
}
Is it possible that VSCode doesn't have 'permission' to run an external terminal? Using on MacOS.

Answer 1

I have the same issue. This may not be the working answer, but hopefully it will get us farther down the correct path.
I did some digging and found the following:
VS Code Documentation mentioned that it opens an external console via lldb-mi.
A search for lldb-mi led to this post on the Apple Developer forums.
...which leads to an open source Github Repo with a build of lldb-mi
I need to read through the documentation for that build first, and then I'll give it a shot. I'll post results if it solves the issue.

Answer 2

I've tried to use standard (recomended ways of debugging from vscode documentation) and ran into the same issues with external terminal.
I'm also using mac and switching to CodeLLDB plugin to use LLDB for debugging helped
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=vadimcn.vscode-lldb
just follow documentation: https://github.com/vadimcn/vscode-lldb/blob/v1.8.1/MANUAL.md
But as a hint here is my working setup:
(I couldn't though make it work on windows, but I'm running windows via Parallel II, so maybe natively this plugin will work too)
tasks.json
{
"tasks": [
{
"type": "cppbuild",
"label": "C/C++: clang build active file",
"command": "/usr/bin/g++",
"args": [
"-fcolor-diagnostics",
"-fansi-escape-codes",
"-g",
"${file}",
"-o",
"${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe"
],
"options": {
"cwd": "${fileDirname}"
},
"problemMatcher": ["$gcc"],
"group": {
"kind": "build",
"isDefault": true
},
"detail": "Task generated by Debugger."
}
],
"version": "2.0.0"
}
launch.json
{
"configurations": [
{
"name": "(lldb) Launch",
"type": "lldb",
"request": "launch",
"program": "${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe",
"args": [],
// "stdio": ["input.txt", null, null], // https://github.com/vadimcn/vscode-lldb/blob/v1.8.1/MANUAL.md#stdio-redirection
"cwd": "${fileDirname}",
"preLaunchTask": "C/C++: clang build active file" // this have to be the same as "label" in tasks.json
}
],
"version": "2.0.0"
}
just make sure you have all tools available, check by running in cli:
/usr/bin/clang --version
# and
lldb --version
good luck