Select Widget outputs <inspected variable> into Debug Console instead of selecting the code in VS Code Editor

[kovalyovi]

I've noticed that sometimes (doesn't depend on anything, based on my experience with it) DevTools Widget Inspector, when in the Select Widget Mode and when you click on a widget in Android Emulator, instead of highlighting the source code in the project it just outputs <inspected variable> into VS Code DEBUG CONSOLE.

Previously, it would be solved when I reload VS Code but now I reinstalled VS Code, reinstalled Flutter and Dart extensions, wiped the emulator data and nothing helps - Flutter DevTools just doesn't work. How to fix that?

[jacob314]

When this issue occurs what happens if you have dart devtools open to the inspector? Does the selection change in the widget tree or not?

Danny did you change anything related to how VSCode handles dart:developer inspect api?

[DanTup]

@jacob314 nothing has changed recently, but a while ago I made calling inpsect() on something that wasn't handled by the inspector (eg. we didn't get a widget summary for) print the variable to the output (to allow calling inspect() in user code to inspect variables):

Dart-Code/Dart-Code#2560

For this to occur, it suggests that getSelectedSummaryWidget is either returning a null result, or that creationLocation is not set:

https://github.com/Dart-Code/Dart-Code/blob/7456077fdfd40ac928ef88afaad17add44ec2eff/src/debug/flutter_debug_impl.ts#L384-L393

I did some testing and couldn't repro this, though I did note that if you click the [root] node in the inspector this happens (it has a null result).

Do you know of anything that could prevent getSelectedSummaryWidget from returning a result?

[kovalyovi]

When this issue occurs what happens if you have dart devtools open to the inspector? Does the selection change in the widget tree or not?

If I understood you right when the Dart Devtools inspector is open and I click on a widget, it selects that widget in the widget tree but it does not select the widget in the code (doesn't open the file to the widget position).

I found out that this happens when I have multiple emulators running at the same time (I need it for correct positioning of widgets). I open both emulators from VS Code, select one of them (let's say number 2) as the 'default' for VS Code, run F5 to start the debug session, then use a different CLI to start the same application on a different emulator. To reproduce, I just have to switch the 'default' emulator in VS Code while the debug session is running. After that, it starts outputting the 'inspected variable' into the console until I remove the application from the device.

[kovalyovi]

@jacob314 Another update: right now after it starts outputting <inspected variable> upon a click on a widget instead of navigating to the code in the code window, it doesn't get fixed by uninstalling the application from the device. I tried clearing VS Code cache, uninstalling the application, running flutter clean but nothing seems to be working...

[DanTup]

I open both emulators from VS Code, select one of them (let's say number 2) as the 'default' for VS Code, run F5 to start the debug session, then use a different CLI to start the same application on a different emulator.

@jacob314 could building the app a second time be overwriting anything that might affect this? As far as VS Code is concerned here, there's only one app (the one launched from VS Code). The file system (/build folder) is the only thing I can think that would be shared/stateful (although I don't know whether that should impact the inspector at all).

[kovalyovi]

Any update on that guys?

[DanTup]

@jacob314 any thoughts on the above?

[esentis]

Today I started facing the same exactly issue on VS Code. Selecting a widget on "Select Widget Mode" just outputs on debug console . The issue is only present on VS Code, I tested the same project in Studio, it works as intended. Guess it's a VS Code bug ?

[DanTup]

@esentis are you seeing this even without running the app on two devices/simulators at the same time? Do you have steps to reproduce?

[esentis]

@DanTup Yes, I'm running it in just one instance (emulator). Unfortunatelly I don't have any steps to reproduce, since it started occuring suddenly in a project that I'm working on for months, and it's mildly annoying. The issue is present only on this specific project. I'm sorry for not being more helpful...

[kovalyovi]

Guys are there any updates about this issue? It still persists on my project.