Analysis: -d option deprecation for dotnet tool install --create-manifest-if-needed already resolved

[Copilot]

Summary

After thorough analysis of issue #36830, I found that the reported problem has already been resolved in the current codebase. The issue described a non-functional -d option for dotnet tool install --create-manifest-if-needed that was supposed to show diagnostic information about manifest search paths.

Findings

1. No -d option exists for tool install

The dotnet tool install command does not implement any -d option for manifest diagnostics. Only the global -d option exists for general dotnet diagnostics, which is unrelated to manifest search functionality.

2. Error message already shows search paths by default

The current implementation in ToolManifestFinder.cs displays search paths automatically:

throw new ToolManifestCannotBeFoundException(string.Format(CliStrings.CannotFindAManifestFile, 
    string.Join(Environment.NewLine, allPossibleManifests.Select(f => "\t" + f.manifestfile.Value))));

With the error message template:

Cannot find a manifest file. The list of searched paths:
{0}

3. Tests confirm proper behavior

All related tests pass, including:

• GivenNoManifestFileItShouldThrowAndContainNoManifestGuide
• Multiple CreateManifestIfNeeded scenarios

4. Issue timeline

Based on the GitHub discussion, the issue was that:

1. There was supposed to be a -d option to show manifest search paths
2. This option was never properly implemented
3. The functionality was instead implemented by always showing search paths in error messages
4. The error message was updated from suggesting users use -d to directly showing the paths

Conclusion

The manifest search diagnostic functionality is working correctly - search paths are displayed by default in error messages without requiring any special flags. The misleading reference to a -d option has been removed from error messages, making this issue resolved.

No code changes were necessary as the current implementation already provides the desired functionality in the most user-friendly way possible.

Addressing #49880.

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