`go.alternateTools` does not work when pointed to `.bat` tools.

[cristeigabriela]

What version of Go, VS Code & VS Code Go extension are you using?

Version Information

• Run go version to get version of Go from the VS Code integrated terminal.
  • go version go1.25.6 windows/amd64
• Run gopls -v version to get version of Gopls from the VS Code integrated terminal.
  • Build info

---

golang.org/x/tools/gopls v0.21.0
golang.org/x/tools/gopls@v0.21.0 h1:k8RlBm3ES+GVe+fbTSkzwKgarmNwN+6aDalb0T0xfag=
github.com/BurntSushi/toml@v1.5.0 h1:W5quZX/G/csjUnuI8SUYlsHs9M38FC7znL0lIO+DvMg=
github.com/fatih/camelcase@v1.0.0 h1:hxNvNX/xYBp0ovncs8WyWZrOrpBNub/JfaMvbURyft8=
github.com/fatih/gomodifytags@v1.17.1-0.20250423142747-f3939df9aa3c h1:dDSgAjoOMp8da3egfz0t2S+t8RGOpEmEXZubcGuc0Bg=
github.com/fatih/structtag@v1.2.0 h1:/OdNE99OxoI/PqaW/SuSK9uxxT3f/tcSZgon/ssNSx4=
github.com/fsnotify/fsnotify@v1.9.0 h1:2Ml+OJNzbYCTzsxtv8vKSFD9PbJjmhYF14k/jKC7S9k=
github.com/google/go-cmp@v0.7.0 h1:wk8382ETsv4JYUZwIsn6YpYiWiBsYLSJiTsyBybVuN8=
github.com/google/jsonschema-go@v0.3.0 h1:6AH2TxVNtk3IlvkkhjrtbUc4S8AvO0Xii0DxIygDg+Q=
github.com/modelcontextprotocol/go-sdk@v0.8.0 h1:jdsBtGzBLY287WKSIjYovOXAqtJkP+HtFQFKrZd4a6c=
github.com/yosida95/uritemplate/v3@v3.0.2 h1:Ed3Oyj9yrmi9087+NczuL5BwkIc4wvTb5zIM+UJPGz4=
golang.org/x/exp/typeparams@v0.0.0-20251023183803-a4bb9ffd2546 h1:HDjDiATsGqvuqvkDvgJjD1IgPrVekcSXVVE21JwvzGE=
golang.org/x/mod@v0.30.0 h1:fDEXFVZ/fmCKProc/yAXXUijritrDzahmwwefnjoPFk=
golang.org/x/sync@v0.18.0 h1:kr88TuHDroi+UVf+0hZnirlk8o8T+4MrK6mr60WkH/I=
golang.org/x/sys@v0.38.0 h1:3yZWxaJjBmCWXqhN1qh02AkOnCQ1poK6oF+a7xWL6Gc=
golang.org/x/telemetry@v0.0.0-20251111182119-bc8e575c7b54 h1:E2/AqCUMZGgd73TQkxUMcMla25GB9i/5HOdLr+uH7Vo=
golang.org/x/text@v0.31.0 h1:aC8ghyu4JhP8VojJ2lEHBnochRno1sgL6nEi9WGFGMM=
golang.org/x/tools@v0.39.1-0.20251205192105-907593008619 h1:NIdx9X+Z8lIV89t3Bs/bb4D/KTtHP4KYdUIFMiGlo6Y=
golang.org/x/vuln@v1.1.4 h1:Ju8QsuyhX3Hk8ma3CesTbO8vfJD9EvUBgHvkxHBzj0I=
honnef.co/go/tools@v0.7.0-0.dev.0.20251022135355-8273271481d0 h1:5SXjd4ET5dYijLaf0O3aOenC0Z4ZafIWSpjUzsQaNho=
mvdan.cc/gofumpt@v0.8.0 h1:nZUCeC2ViFaerTcYKstMmfysj6uhQrA2vJe+2vwGU6k=
mvdan.cc/xurls/v2@v2.6.0 h1:3NTZpeTxYVWNSokW3MKeyVkz/j7uYXYiMtXRUfmjbgI=
go: go1.25.6

• Run code -v or code-insiders -v to get version of VS Code or VS Code Insiders.
  • 1.108.2
    c9d77990917f3102ada88be140d28b038d1dd7c7
    x64
• Check your installed extensions to get the version of the VS Code Go extension
  • 0.52.1
• Run Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac OS) > Go: Locate Configured Go Tools command.

  • Tools Configuration

Environment

GOBIN: undefined
toolsGopath:
gopath: C:\Users\gabriela\go
GOROOT: C:\Program Files\Go
PATH: C:\Program Files\Go\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.44.35207\bin\HostX64\x64;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\VC\VCPackages;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\TestWindow;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\TeamFoundation\Team Explorer;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\bin\Roslyn;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.8 Tools\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\HTML Help Workshop;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\FSharp\Tools;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Team Tools\DiagnosticsHub\Collector;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x64;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\Bin\amd64;C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\Tools;C:\Python314\Scripts;C:\Python314;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\java8path;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA App\NvDLISR;C:\Program Files\dotnet;C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Windows Performance Toolkit;C:\Program Files\CMake\bin;C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\bin;C:\Gradle\gradle-9.1.0\bin;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\Program Files\starship\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft\jdk-25.0.0.36-hotspot\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39;C:\Users\gabriela.cargo\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\scoop\shims;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Users\gabriela.dotnet\tools;C:\Program Files\LLVM\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Nmap;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\Kubernetes.kubectl_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe;C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2.3\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\dev\rust\mirrord\target\debug;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python314\Scripts;C:\Users\gabriela.local\bin;C:\Program Files\starship\bin;;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\CMake\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\Ninja;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\VC\Linux\bin\ConnectionManagerExe;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\vcpkg
PATH (vscode launched with): C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Tools\MSVC\14.44.35207\bin\HostX64\x64;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\VC\VCPackages;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\TestWindow;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\TeamFoundation\Team Explorer;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\bin\Roslyn;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.8 Tools\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\HTML Help Workshop;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\FSharp\Tools;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Team Tools\DiagnosticsHub\Collector;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\10.0.26100.0\x64;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\bin\x64;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\MSBuild\Current\Bin\amd64;C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\Tools;C:\Python314\Scripts;C:\Python314;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\java8path;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA App\NvDLISR;C:\Program Files\dotnet;C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Windows Performance Toolkit;C:\Program Files\CMake\bin;C:\Program Files\Docker\Docker\resources\bin;C:\Gradle\gradle-9.1.0\bin;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\Program Files\starship\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft\jdk-25.0.0.36-hotspot\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39\Scripts;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python39;C:\Users\gabriela.cargo\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\scoop\shims;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Users\gabriela.dotnet\tools;C:\Program Files\LLVM\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Nmap;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\Kubernetes.kubectl_Microsoft.Winget.Source_8wekyb3d8bbwe;C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2.3\bin;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\dev\rust\mirrord\target\debug;C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Roaming\Python\Python314\Scripts;C:\Users\gabriela.local\bin;C:\Program Files\starship\bin;;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\CMake\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\CMake\Ninja;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\VC\Linux\bin\ConnectionManagerExe;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\vcpkg

Tools

go:	C:\Program Files\Go\bin\go.exe: go version go1.25.6 windows/amd64

gotests:	not installed
impl:	not installed
goplay:	not installed
dlv:	C:\Users\gabriela\go\bin\dlv.exe	(version: v1.26.0 built with go: go1.25.6)
gopls:	C:\Users\gabriela\go\bin\gopls.exe	(version: v0.21.0 built with go: go1.25.6)

Go env

Workspace Folder (latest-ide-test): c:\dev\latest-ide-test

set AR=ar
set CC=gcc
set CGO_CFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CGO_CPPFLAGS=
set CGO_CXXFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CGO_ENABLED=0
set CGO_FFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CGO_LDFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CXX=g++
set GCCGO=gccgo
set GO111MODULE=
set GOAMD64=v1
set GOARCH=amd64
set GOAUTH=netrc
set GOBIN=
set GOCACHE=C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\go-build
set GOCACHEPROG=
set GODEBUG=
set GOENV=C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Roaming\go\env
set GOEXE=.exe
set GOEXPERIMENT=
set GOFIPS140=off
set GOFLAGS=
set GOGCCFLAGS=-m64 -fno-caret-diagnostics -Qunused-arguments -Wl,--no-gc-sections -fmessage-length=0 -ffile-prefix-map=C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Local\Temp\go-build827021001=/tmp/go-build -gno-record-gcc-switches
set GOHOSTARCH=amd64
set GOHOSTOS=windows
set GOINSECURE=
set GOMOD=NUL
set GOMODCACHE=C:\Users\gabriela\go\pkg\mod
set GONOPROXY=
set GONOSUMDB=
set GOOS=windows
set GOPATH=C:\Users\gabriela\go
set GOPRIVATE=
set GOPROXY=https://proxy.golang.org,direct
set GOROOT=C:\Program Files\Go
set GOSUMDB=sum.golang.org
set GOTELEMETRY=local
set GOTELEMETRYDIR=C:\Users\gabriela\AppData\Roaming\go\telemetry
set GOTMPDIR=
set GOTOOLCHAIN=auto
set GOTOOLDIR=C:\Program Files\Go\pkg\tool\windows_amd64
set GOVCS=
set GOVERSION=go1.25.6
set GOWORK=
set PKG_CONFIG=pkg-configa

Share the Go related settings you have added/edited

Run Preferences: Open Settings (JSON) command to open your settings.json file.
Share all the settings with the go. or ["go"] or gopls prefixes.

"go.alternateTools": { "dlv": "C:/test.bat" }

Describe the bug

alternateTools seems to support substituting the GOPATH bin with what you offer. It seems like vscode-go looks for .exe in the substitute path to trim the path (checked with ProcMon).

Missing .exe in the path means it's going to open a file with the entire DLV invocation, instead of for the path. Substituting with an .exe alternate tool bypasses this issue.

I would expect for any extension to be supported instead.

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Make a bat file with the content being {PATH_TO_GO_BINARY} %* (%* will make it take the arguments given to the bat execution)
2. Create a debug configuration that uses a go.alternateTools entry that is .bat instead of .exe.
3. Start debugger.