Debug session cannot be started a second time, extension re-installation required

[aallrd]

Bug type: Debugger

Describe the bug

• OS and Version: RHEL 7.6
• VS Code Version: 1.6.1.0
• C/C++ Extension Version: v1.7.1

I can successfully start a first debugging session of my C++ binary.
After stopping it, I cannot start anymore a debug session: the bottom bar turns orange and immediately back to normal.
Nothing seems to be logged anywhere, even with all logs enabled.
I have to uninstall the ms-vscode.cpptools extension, reload VSCode, and re-install the extension to debug again.
The problem is the same after the re-installation.

Here is my launch.json:

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "mdsystem-tests",
            "type": "cppdbg",
            "request": "launch",
            "program": "/tmp/mdsystem",
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
            "envFile": "${workspaceFolder}/.vscode/debug.env",
            "externalConsole": false,
            "MIMode": "gdb",
            "setupCommands": [
                {
                    "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
                    "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
                    "ignoreFailures": true
                }
            ],
            "logging": {
                "engineLogging": true,
                "exceptions": true,
                "moduleLoad": true,
                "programOutput": true,
                "trace": true,
                "traceResponse": true,
            }
        }
    ]
}

I have recorded the issue:

• Starting a debug session by pressing F5 to show that it works fine the first time
• The debugger starts, logs in the debug console and the breakpoint is hit as expected
• Disconnecting by pressing the red stop button in the debug menu bar
• Pressing F5 after that does not work anymore

vscode-cpptools-debug-failed.mp4

[WardenGnaw]

On the second F5, I don't see anything appear in the debug console which leads me to think VS Code is not activating the debug adapter.

Do you see this in VS Code v1.62?

[aallrd]

I have the same issue with VSCode 1.62.
I actually went a bit further and it seems to be linked with the way we install the extension on the remote environment (we are using the remote-SSH extension).
Since our remote servers don't have internet access and #8152 is not yet implemented, I wrote a script plugged into the user ~/.bash_profile that downloads the cpptools-linux-latest.vsix from an internal server and installs it using the code CLI:

code --force --install-extension "cpptools-linux-latest.vsix"

This way, it should be "transparent" for the users, they just have to open a terminal and the extension will be installed without network errors.
This mechanism is somehow causing this issue because I am not able to reproduce the debugging error if I disable it and install the extension:

• Manually from the CLI (same command as above)
• Manually using the "Install from VSIX" button

Do you know where the issue could come from? I guess the debug adapter starts a shell process since I have since seen the below lines in the history, maybe it gets corrupted by my customization:

/usr/bin/env /bin/sh /tmp/Microsoft-MIEngine-Cmd-qqdlh1h4.uzv

Until #8152 is implemented, do you have a better way to "auto-magically" install the Linux extension so the users don't always have to do it?