CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#.netvisual-studio-code.net-core
Emily Coleman
Emily Coleman

Reputation: 230

Running a C# program with command line prompts in Visual Studio Code

I am running an inherited project written in C# inside Visual Studio Code. In order for this application to run, it needs to take command line input (-t, -h, etc). How do I test this from inside Visual Studio?

Currently (I've been learning dotnet, C#, VS, etc as I go) I have a hello world program I can run from vsc's terminal. For a reason I haven't been able to pinpoint, probably how I installed it, dotnet run isn't recognized - I have to feed it an explicit path to dotnet.exe: C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe run

How can I do this when the program requires command line input? My shot in the dark of C:\Program Files\dotnet\dotnet.exe run -t predictably didn't work, but I'm not sure what else to try.

Thanks!

Upvotes: 5

Views: 8422

Answers (5)

PGmath
PGmath

Reputation: 450

Since OP is specifically asking about how to do this in Visual Studio Code, they are likely using VSCode's run feature (not the dotnet CLI as other answers assume), to run their application. In this case, the proper way to supply command line arguments is via the .vscode\launch.json file.

Add an args array attribute to your configuration and populate it with the arguments you would like to pass.

"configurations": [
    {
        // ... ,
        "args": ["-arg1", "-arg2"]
    }

Upvotes: 1

user10214592
user10214592

Reputation: 51

Run with Terminal

When you run your code using terminal you must add ' -- ' to tell dotnet you are running your code with an argument/s

C:>dotnet run -- <your arguments here>

Run with Debugger

  • Locate your .vscode folder inside your project if not create one.
  • Open the launch.json file
  • You will see a json object and add your arguments inside the "args" key.

launch.json

    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": ".NET Core Launch (console)",
            "args": [], // PUT YOUR ARGUMENTS HERE
             ...
        }
    ]

Upvotes: 5

TastyRamenNoodles
TastyRamenNoodles

Reputation: 21

I tried to add a comment to Nico's answer but I lack sufficient reputation points. I was confused by the dash character in front of each arg: "-arg1 -arg2 (etc)". For clarity I would like to point out that .NET Core 2.1 seems to not need this. In the case of my console app, it takes a date for the first arg, an integer for the second, then an operator (+ or -) for the third arg. If I entered the following:

C:\>dotnet run -- -7/13/2018 -30 -+

I found that the leading dash in front of each arg was passed into the program along with the intended arg and I ended up trying to date parse "-7/13/2018"

I got the expected result when I entered it like this:

C:\>dotnet run -- 7/13/2018 30 +

Upvotes: 0

David C Fuchs
David C Fuchs

Reputation: 365

  1. Right click on your project
  2. Click Properties
  3. Click Debug in the Properties window
  4. Under "start options:"
  5. Add a "Command Line Argument:" = run -t
  6. Add a "Working Directory:" try the bin\debug directory

Upvotes: -1

Nico
Nico

Reputation: 12683

If you are using dotnet.exe run to start your application you need add the -- switch statement to instruct dotnet.exe to pass the arguments to your application. For example

Microsoft Documentation

dotnet.exe run -- -arg1 -arg2 (etc) notice the -- after the dotnet arguments and before your program specific arguments.

GitHub Issue

Upvotes: 4

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