Add arguments property to npm tasks

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes

• VS Code Version: 1.63.2
• OS Version: Windows 11 (10.0.22000.376)

This has been reported before (#128569), but that issue is locked as “not reproducible”. The default Office.js add-ins created using Yeoman generator create several launch configurations. The one for Microsoft Word looks like this:

{
  "name": "Word Desktop (Edge Chromium)",
  "type": "pwa-msedge",
  "request": "attach",
  "useWebView": true,
  "port": 9229,
  "timeout": 600000,
  "webRoot": "${workspaceRoot}",
  "preLaunchTask": "Debug: Word Desktop",
  "postDebugTask": "Stop Debug"
},

preLaunchTask refers to an entry in tasks.json that is defined like this:

{
  "label": "Debug: Word Desktop",
  "type": "npm",
  "script": "start:desktop -- --app word",
  "presentation": {
    "clear": true,
    "panel": "dedicated",
  },
  "problemMatcher": []
},

start:desktop is defined in package.json:

"start:desktop": "office-addin-debugging start manifest.xml desktop",

Trying to launch this configuration, I see the following error:

> Executing task: npm run "start:desktop -- -- app word" <

npm ERR! Missing script: "start:desktop -- -- app word"
npm ERR!
npm ERR! To see a list of scripts, run:
npm ERR!   npm run

It is basically the npm run tasks with command-line argument, which fails saying that it can’t locate the script. Interestingly, running the task directly from the terminal launches it successfully:

$ npm run start:desktop -- --app word

> office-addin-taskpane@0.0.1 start:desktop
> office-addin-debugging start manifest.xml desktop "--app" "word"

Debugging is being started...
App type: desktop
Enabled debugging for add-in 216e8727-a1f1-4fad-9421-a768af6ab77c.
Starting the dev server... (webpack serve --mode development)
The dev server is running on port 3000. Process id: 19976
Sideloading the Office Add-in...
Debugging started.

From this, I conclude that this has got something to do with how arguments are being handled/passed by the task.

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Install yeoman and office-generator (npm install -g yo generator-office)
2. Run yo office in an empty folder. Choose Typescript, Word and Task Pane Project options.
3. Select Word Desktop (Edge Chromium) debug configuration and start debugging. There you go!

[alexr00]

@meganrogge IIRC this would be for adding args that would be passed to the npm command (added in the npm extension), not to the shell.

[meganrogge]

@gthaker the shell workaround should work bc as you mentioned, running it directly in the terminal works and that’s what happens w shell tasks