pytest colored output (with --color=yes) makes the test output log unreadable (by humans)

VS Code version

1.62.3

Extension version

v2021.11.1422169775

OS type

macOS

OS version

12.0

Python distribution

Other

Python version

3.9

Language server

Pylance

Expected behaviour

I expect the output log in “Python Test Log” to not display the control characters, for instance by stripping them, that is obtaining the following output:

============================= test session starts ==============================
platform darwin -- Python 3.9.7, pytest-6.2.5, py-1.10.0, pluggy-0.13.1
rootdir: /Users/ogrisel/code/scikit-learn, configfile: setup.cfg
plugins: anyio-3.3.0, xdist-2.3.0, timeout-1.4.2, forked-1.3.0
collected 1 item

sklearn/impute/tests/test_base.py .                                      [100%]

- generated xml file: /var/folders/_y/lfnx34p13w3_sr2k12bjb05w0000gn/T/tmp-17017Jlww71GJ2jF6.xml -
============================== 1 passed in 0.07s ===============================

Alternatively, colors could be rendered in the log as they are when running the tests in a shell terminal:

Actual behaviour

The “Python Test Log” displays the color control characters such as  without rendering them:

============================= test session starts ==============================
platform darwin -- Python 3.9.7, pytest-6.2.5, py-1.10.0, pluggy-0.13.1
rootdir: /Users/ogrisel/code/debugpytestvscode, configfile: setup.cfg
plugins: anyio-3.3.0, xdist-2.3.0, timeout-1.4.2, forked-1.3.0
collected 1 item

test_debug_vscode.py .                                                   [100%]

- generated xml file: /var/folders/_y/lfnx34p13w3_sr2k12bjb05w0000gn/T/tmp-24919mvRdR0hh0QGh.xml -
============================== 1 passed in 0.01s ===============================

Steps to reproduce

Create a new test Python test project, configure a Python interpreter with pytest installed and add a setup.cfg file containing:

[aliases]
test = pytest

[tool:pytest]
addopts = --color=yes

and a test file with a single test function, for instance a file named test_debug_vscode.py with the following content:

def test_donothing_but_pass():
    assert True

Then:

Shift-Ctrl-P > Python: Configure Tests > pytest > Use existing config file setup.cfg

Then launch the test by clicking on the green > icon in the VS Code UI and open the “Python Test Log” output view.

Logs

The Python log itself has no problem:

> ~/mambaforge/envs/dev/bin/python -m pytest --rootdir ~/code/debugpytestvscode --override-ini junit_family=xunit1 --junit-xml=/var/folders/_y/lfnx34p13w3_sr2k12bjb05w0000gn/T/tmp-24919pLfLJqAh0u2i.xml
cwd: ~/code/debugpytestvscode

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project’s Code of Conduct

[karthiknadig]

@ogrisel I see, thanks for clarifying.

[ogrisel]

Currently we parse the pytest output, that causes this problem.

Parsing is not the problem: the test runner can complete successfully with green markers everywhere. It’s just the display in the “Python Test Log” output view that is unreadable.