[BUILD] Changes in gpo.h don't trigger rebuild of PoweToys.Settings project when debugging

[htcfreek]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.73.0-DEV

Installation method

Dev build in Visual Studio

Running as admin

None

Area(s) with issue?

General

Steps to reproduce

I fixed a bug I made in /src/common/utils/gpo.h and then build the code again in debug mode. But the changes doesn't take effect. The settings app was still crashing.

I had to delete my local clone, clone it again and then build from scratch. This happend multiple times to me and is very annoying.

xref:

• Bug I made: [Run, Enterprise] GPO for plugin enabled state #27468 (comment)
• Crash: [Run, Enterprise] GPO for plugin enabled state #27468 (comment)

✔️ Expected Behavior

All the changes take effect and the settings ui isn't crashing anymore.

❌ Actual Behavior

The settings app is still crashing and it seems that some build results are not updating.

Other Software

No response

[htcfreek]

@snickler
Can you please take a look if you have some time? That would be awesome.

Btw,after opening the issue I have updated my VS to the newest stable version. But I didn't test if the problem is gone now.

[htcfreek]

@jaimecbernardo
I hope it's okay that I'm pinging you as well. If you or your team have time to look at this and can help me, that would be great.

[jaimecbernardo]

@htcfreek , looking at the issue, it's not clear to me: what's the issue? Was it gone on the new version or not?
Perhaps there's some old files laying around?
I guess try this:

• Make sure you have no new files you may want to add to git's index on git status
• Clear all build files with VS closed using git clean -fxd
• Try to build again.

[jaimecbernardo]

I've tried building #27468 from scratch and I'm able to open PowerToys Run page without the Settings app crashing

[snickler]

Yeah I haven't had any issues building PT and opening without the Settings app crashing either.

[htcfreek]

I will answer later and add some repo steps. But the problem I have is that code changes don't have any effect after the first debug run of settings project. So if you now change something that should crash settings and run debug of settings they won't crash.

[htcfreek]

@jaimecbernardo, @snickler
No the update of VS didn't fix my problem. My problem is that starting with the second debug run (Startup project: PowerToys.Settings) changes in gpo.h have no effect. Like if VS doesn't rebuild the code.

Make sure you have no new files you may want to add to git's index on git status

This has nothing to do with my problem and no I haven't any files missing in the index.

Clear all build files with VS closed using git clean -fxd

This does help.

Steps to reproduce

1. Clone the PR ([Run, Enterprise] GPO for plugin enabled state #27468) branch locally (and update the submodules).
2. Debug the PowerToys.Settings project using the debug button (and open PT Run page).
3. Change the line 128 in the file gpo.h from char string_value[1024]{}; to char* string_value{};. (This should brake the code.)
4. Debug the PowerToys.Settings project again using the debug button and open PT Run page.

Expected behavior
After the changes in step 3 the PT Settings should crash in step 4.

Actual behavior
It seems that VS doesn't detect the code changes and doesn't build again because the settings app doesn't crash.

How to work araund this
Using one of the following solutions updates the code:

• Delete the local clone, then clone and build it again.
• Executing git clean -fxd and then build/debug again.
• Rebuild the PowerToys.Settings projects manually again before starting the debugging.

Btw, I have updated the issue title.

[snickler]

Between steps 3 and 4, are you rebuilding the PowerToys.Settings project? Or are you just clicking debug again?

I'd say to enable verbose logging and run through those steps. It should note whether it rebuilt or did an incremental or not, and why

[snickler]

Between steps 3 and 4, are you rebuilding the PowerToys.Settings project? Or are you just clicking debug again?

I'd say to enable verbose logging and run through those steps. It should note whether it rebuilt or did an incremental or not, and why

I've made it standard for me when making changes, to explicitly do rebuilds and not rely on incrementals.

[htcfreek]

Between steps 3 and 4, are you rebuilding the PowerToys.Settings project? Or are you just clicking debug again?

If I rebuild the project between step 3 and step 4 it works as expected and the code is up to date. If I just click 'debug' again it doesn't rebuild and the code is outdated.

I'd say to enable verbose logging and run through those steps. It should note whether it rebuilt or did an incremental or not, and why

I need to check it. But I think it's incremental. It only rebuilds changed projects/code on clicking the debug button.

[snickler]

Between steps 3 and 4, are you rebuilding the PowerToys.Settings project? Or are you just clicking debug again?

If I rebuild the project between step 3 and step 4 it works as expected and the code is up to date. If I just click 'debug' again it doesn't rebuild and the code is outdated.

I'd say to enable verbose logging and run through those steps. It should note whether it rebuilt or did an incremental or not, and why

I need to check it. But I think it's incremental. It only rebuilds changed projects/code on clicking the debug button.

Usually pressing Debug will simply Build rather than Rebuild. That seems to be what's going on in this case, since manually rebuilding the project properly updates the binary.

Question: if you go to Tools -> Options, then Projects and Solutions -> Build and Run, what do the settings look like?