Fix: Add env object syntax to launch.json schema for cppdbg and cppvsdbg

Extension/package.json

@@ -4378,6 +4378,14 @@
                                 },
                                 "default": []
                             },
+                            "env": {
+                                "type": "object",
+                                "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.env.description%",
+                                "additionalProperties": {
+                                    "type": "string"
+                                },
+                                "default": {}
+                            },
                             "envFile": {
                                 "type": "string",
                                 "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.envFile.description%",
@@ -6046,6 +6054,14 @@
                                 },
                                 "default": []
                             },
+                            "env": {
+                                "type": "object",
+                                "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.env.description%",
+                                "additionalProperties": {
+                                    "type": "string"
+                                },
+                                "default": {}
+                            },
                             "envFile": {
                                 "type": "string",
                                 "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.envFile.description%",

Extension/package.nls.json

@@ -927,6 +927,7 @@
             "{Locked=\"[ { \\\"name\\\": \\\"\"} {Locked=\"\\\", \\\"value\\\": \\\"\"} {Locked=\"\\\" } ]\"} {Locked=\"[ { \\\"\"} {Locked=\"\\\": \\\"\"} {Locked=\"\\\" } ]\"}"
         ]
     },
+    "c_cpp.debuggers.env.description": "Object of environment variables to add to the environment for the program. Example: { \"MY_VAR\": \"value\" }. Use `environment` for the array-of-objects form.",
     "c_cpp.debuggers.envFile.description": "Absolute path to a file containing environment variable definitions. This file has key value pairs separated by an equals sign per line. E.g. KEY=VALUE.",
     "c_cpp.debuggers.additionalSOLibSearchPath.description": "Semicolon separated list of directories to use to search for .so files. Example: \"c:\\dir1;c:\\dir2\".",
     "c_cpp.debuggers.MIMode.description": "Indicates the console debugger that the MIDebugEngine will connect to. Allowed values are \"gdb\" \"lldb\".",

Extension/src/Debugger/configurationProvider.ts

@@ -270,6 +270,10 @@ export class DebugConfigurationProvider implements vscode.DebugConfigurationProv
         // Add environment variables from .env file
         this.resolveEnvFile(config, folder);
 
+        // cppdbg (MIEngine) consumes the legacy `environment` array, not `env`.
+        // Convert here so both syntaxes work while preserving `env` precedence.
+        this.resolveEnvObjectForCppdbg(config);
+
         await this.expand(config, folder);
 
         this.resolveSourceFileMapVariables(config);
@@ -706,6 +710,35 @@ export class DebugConfigurationProvider implements vscode.DebugConfigurationProv
         }
     }
 
+    private resolveEnvObjectForCppdbg(config: CppDebugConfiguration): void {
+        if (config.type !== DebuggerType.cppdbg || config.request !== 'launch') {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const envObject = config.env;
+        if (!util.isObject(envObject)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const environment: Environment[] = util.isArray(config.environment) ? config.environment : [];
+        const mergedEnvironment = new Map<string, string>();
+
+        for (const entry of environment) {
+            if (util.isString(entry?.name) && util.isString(entry?.value)) {
+                mergedEnvironment.set(entry.name, entry.value);
+            }
+        }
+
+        for (const [name, value] of Object.entries(envObject)) {
+            if (util.isString(value)) {
+                mergedEnvironment.set(name, value);
+            }
+        }
+
+        config.environment = Array.from(mergedEnvironment.entries()).map(([name, value]) => ({ name, value }));
+        delete config.env;
+    }
+
     private resolveSourceFileMapVariables(config: CppDebugConfiguration): void {
         const messages: string[] = [];
         if (config.sourceFileMap) {

Extension/src/Debugger/runWithoutDebuggingAdapter.ts

@@ -14,6 +14,18 @@ import { isWindows } from '../constants';
 nls.config({ messageFormat: nls.MessageFormat.bundle, bundleFormat: nls.BundleFormat.standalone })();
 const localize = nls.loadMessageBundle();
 
+type LaunchEnvironmentEntry = { name: string; value: string; };
+
+type LaunchConfiguration = {
+    program?: string;
+    args?: string[];
+    cwd?: string;
+    environment?: LaunchEnvironmentEntry[];
+    env?: Record<string, string>;
+    console?: string;
+    externalConsole?: boolean;
+};
+
 /**
  * A minimal inline Debug Adapter that runs the target program directly without a debug adapter
  * when the user invokes "Run Without Debugging".
@@ -59,26 +71,24 @@ export class RunWithoutDebuggingAdapter implements vscode.DebugAdapter {
     }
 
     private async launch(request: { command: string; seq: number; arguments?: any; }): Promise<void> {
-        const config = request.arguments as {
-            program?: string;
-            args?: string[];
-            cwd?: string;
-            environment?: { name: string; value: string; }[];
-            console?: string;
-            externalConsole?: boolean;
-        };
+        const config = request.arguments as LaunchConfiguration;
 
         const program: string = config.program ?? '';
         const args: string[] = config.args ?? [];
         const cwd: string | undefined = config.cwd;
-        const environment: { name: string; value: string; }[] = config.environment ?? [];
+        const environment: LaunchEnvironmentEntry[] = config.environment ?? [];
+        const envObject: Record<string, string> = config.env ?? {};
         const consoleMode: string = config.console ?? (config.externalConsole ? 'externalTerminal' : 'integratedTerminal');
 
-        // Merge the launch config's environment variables on top of the inherited process environment.
+        // Merge environment values in this order: inherited process environment, legacy
+        // `environment` entries, then shorthand `env` values (higher precedence).
         const env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = { ...process.env };
         for (const e of environment) {
             env[e.name] = e.value;
         }
+        for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(envObject)) {
+            env[key] = value;
+        }
 
         this.sendResponse(request, {});
 

Extension/test/scenarios/RunWithoutDebugging/assets/envTest.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <fstream>
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
+    if (argc < 3) {
+        return 1;
+    }
+
+    const char *value = std::getenv(argv[1]);
+
+    std::ofstream resultFile(argv[2]);
+    if (!resultFile) {
+        return 2;
+    }
+
+    if (value) {
+        resultFile << value;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}

Extension/test/scenarios/RunWithoutDebugging/tests/runWithoutDebugging.integration.test.ts

@@ -146,15 +146,39 @@ async function waitForResultFileValue(filePath: string, timeoutMs: number): Prom
     assert.fail(`Timed out waiting for numeric result in ${filePath}. Last contents: ${lastContents}`);
 }
 
+async function waitForResultFileText(filePath: string, timeoutMs: number): Promise<string> {
+    const deadline = Date.now() + timeoutMs;
+    let lastContents = '';
+
+    while (Date.now() < deadline) {
+        try {
+            lastContents = await util.readFileText(filePath, 'utf8');
+            return lastContents.trim();
+        } catch (error) {
+            if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== 'ENOENT') {
+                throw error;
+            }
+        }
+
+        await new Promise<void>(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 100));
+    }
+
+    assert.fail(`Timed out waiting for output in ${filePath}. Last contents: ${lastContents}`);
+}
+
 suite('Run Without Debugging Test', function (): void {
     const expectedResultValue = 37;
     const workspaceFolder = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders?.[0] ?? assert.fail('No workspace folder available');
     const workspacePath = workspaceFolder.uri.fsPath;
     const sourceFile = path.join(workspacePath, 'debugTest.cpp');
+    const envSourceFile = path.join(workspacePath, 'envTest.cpp');
     const sourceUri = vscode.Uri.file(sourceFile);
     const resultFilePath = path.join(workspacePath, 'runWithoutDebuggingResult.txt');
+    const envResultFilePath = path.join(workspacePath, 'runWithoutDebuggingEnvResult.txt');
     const executableName = isWindows ? 'debugTestProgram.exe' : 'debugTestProgram';
     const executablePath = path.join(workspacePath, executableName);
+    const envExecutableName = isWindows ? 'envTestProgram.exe' : 'envTestProgram';
+    const envExecutablePath = path.join(workspacePath, envExecutableName);
     const sessionName = 'Run Without Debugging Result File';
     const debugType = isWindows ? 'cppvsdbg' : 'cppdbg';
     const miMode = isMacOS ? 'lldb' : 'gdb';
@@ -165,6 +189,7 @@ suite('Run Without Debugging Test', function (): void {
             await extension.activate();
         }
         await compileProgram(workspacePath, sourceFile, executablePath);
+        await compileProgram(workspacePath, envSourceFile, envExecutablePath);
     });
 
     suiteTeardown(async function (): Promise<void> {
@@ -175,6 +200,37 @@ suite('Run Without Debugging Test', function (): void {
 
     setup(async function (): Promise<void> {
         await util.deleteFile(resultFilePath);
+        await util.deleteFile(envResultFilePath);
+    });
+
+    test('Run Without Debugging should apply env and prefer it over environment entries', async () => {
+        const testVarName = 'CPPTOOLS_NO_DEBUG_ENV_TEST';
+        const expectedValue = 'value-from-env-object';
+        const fallbackValue = 'value-from-environment-array';
+        const envConfig: Record<string, string> = {
+            [testVarName]: expectedValue
+        };
+
+        const started = await vscode.debug.startDebugging(
+            workspaceFolder,
+            {
+                name: `${sessionName} Env`,
+                type: debugType,
+                request: 'launch',
+                program: envExecutablePath,
+                args: [testVarName, envResultFilePath],
+                cwd: workspacePath,
+                environment: [{ name: testVarName, value: fallbackValue }],
+                env: envConfig,
+                externalConsole: debugType === 'cppdbg' ? false : undefined,
+                console: debugType === 'cppvsdbg' ? 'internalConsole' : undefined
+            },
+            { noDebug: true });
+
+        assert.strictEqual(started, true, 'The noDebug launch with env did not start successfully.');
+        const actualValue = await waitForResultFileText(envResultFilePath, 10000);
+
+        assert.strictEqual(actualValue, expectedValue, 'Expected env object values to be applied and take precedence over environment entries.');
     });
 
     test('Run Without Debugging should not break on breakpoints and write the expected result file', async () => {
@@ -211,6 +267,7 @@ suite('Run Without Debugging Test', function (): void {
             tracker.dispose();
             vscode.debug.removeBreakpoints([breakpoint]);
             await util.deleteFile(resultFilePath);
+            await util.deleteFile(envResultFilePath);
         }
     });
 
@@ -261,6 +318,7 @@ suite('Run Without Debugging Test', function (): void {
             tracker.dispose();
             vscode.debug.removeBreakpoints([breakpoint]);
             await util.deleteFile(resultFilePath);
+            await util.deleteFile(envResultFilePath);
         }
     });
 

Extension/tools/OptionsSchema.json

@@ -706,6 +706,14 @@
           },
           "default": []
         },
+        "env": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.env.description%",
+          "additionalProperties": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "default": {}
+        },
         "envFile": {
           "type": "string",
           "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.envFile.description%",
@@ -1013,6 +1021,14 @@
           },
           "default": []
         },
+        "env": {
+          "type": "object",
+          "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.env.description%",
+          "additionalProperties": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "default": {}
+        },
         "envFile": {
           "type": "string",
           "description": "%c_cpp.debuggers.envFile.description%",