without-browser-env-var variable is not sent to vscode server

[migolo]

without-browser-env-var is not specified, so tools like create-react-app attempts to start a browser at the vscode defined path and crashes

Sorry for the incomplete data, I will try to edit the issue with the logs and paths appended later

OS/Web Information

• Web Browser: Any (Chrome)
• Local OS: Mac OSX
• Remote OS: Ubuntu
• Remote Architecture: amd64
• code-server --version: 4.0.1

Steps to Reproduce

1. Run npm start on integrated terminal for code-server
2. Crashes immediately trying to look at browser.sh from vscode

Expected

npm start should start, not crash.

Actual

Crashes

Notes

This is the line that gets appended to the browser env so react crashes (as there should not be a browser env file) https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/6249dab4fe849d0ad11500fabd28ddc204ef12da/src/vs/server/extensionHostConnection.ts#L60

code-server version 3.12.0 doesn't crash

This issue can be reproduced in VS Code: No

[jsjoeio]

Thanks for reporting this! Running code-server 4.0.1 locally, this tries to open in my browser (and succeeds) since it's running on the same machine.

Now with a remote machine, I tested and cannot reproduce.

Video

Screen.Recording.2022-01-12.at.10.22.12.AM.mov

@code-asher can you reproduce?

[migolo]

You can see me reproducing the issue,
https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/207846/149213757-43c72cc6-976b-4557-9c35-0354c2f033c3.mov

Starting the development server...

node:events:368
      throw er; // Unhandled 'error' event
      ^

Error: spawn /usr/lib/code-server/vendor/modules/code-oss-dev/bin/helpers/browser.sh ENOENT
    at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:282:19)
    at onErrorNT (node:internal/child_process:477:16)
    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:83:21)
Emitted 'error' event on ChildProcess instance at:
    at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:288:12)
    at onErrorNT (node:internal/child_process:477:16)
    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:83:21) {
  errno: -2,
  code: 'ENOENT',
  syscall: 'spawn /usr/lib/code-server/vendor/modules/code-oss-dev/bin/helpers/browser.sh',
  path: '/usr/lib/code-server/vendor/modules/code-oss-dev/bin/helpers/browser.sh',
  spawnargs: [ 'http://localhost:3000/app' ]
}

[jsjoeio]

Thanks for the video! It looks like you're using custom environment variables when running your React app. What does .env.development have in it?

What happens if you add BROWSER=false that .env file?

[migolo]

Adding the BROWSER=false to the env file works!

[migolo]

So, yeah for the moment I can use that as a workaround, but, probably would be helpful to know why the $BROWSER env is populated?

$ echo $BROWSER
/usr/lib/code-server/vendor/modules/code-oss-dev/bin/helpers/browser.sh

[jsjoeio]

Weird that I don't see that...but this is locally on my macOS where code-server is installed with Homebrew.

@code-asher any ideas?

[migolo]

Oh! It's not on the usual terminal, is inside the vscode terminal, if I ssh into the remote host $BROWSER env is not set

[jsjoeio]

Ah, I misunderstood. I thought it was adding that to your global environment for some reason. Thanks for clarifying. I see it now!

[jsjoeio]

@code-asher do you have any thoughts on this?

[code-asher]

I think it is supposed to open in your current browser via the VS Code API (if you look at browser.sh it is calling the VS Code CLI). We must not be including the browser.sh script as part of our bundle (see the ENOENT) so adding it should sort the issue.

[migolo]

Is there a way to add in the configuration the ability to send without-browser-env-var flag so $BROWSER flag is not set?

[code-asher]

We could add that flag although maybe we should implement #1528 which will allow passing any VS Code flag.