[Bug] `make.exe` path with Cygwin

[jakehedlund]

Brief Issue Summary

This issue is closely related to #263 (or may be identical). That issue was closed prematurely - there are still problems building with vscode-makefile under Cygwin.

ms-vscode.makefile-tools version: 0.12.17
VSCode version: 1.101.0 (2025-06-11)

Goals: build a C/C++ project under Cygwin using the makefile-tools extension, and have correct choices for the build-configuration option.

Description:

Upon first start of makefile-tools, the default makePath setting (make) does not populate the build targets choices. In other words, the only build target option is all - there should all options such as debug, release, install, etc. based on the targets provided in the makefile.

If you configure makePath to point to the Cygwin64 make program (e.g. C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe), the build target options are populated after the 'dry-run' or 'configure' step. However, the build button then fails to build. The error is:

*  Executing task: 'C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe' 'debug' '-f' 'c:\Users\path\to\Makefile' '-j4' 

bash: C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe: command not found

 *  The terminal process "C:\cygwin64\bin\bash.exe '--login', '-i', '-c', ''C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe' 'debug' '-f' 'c:\Users\path\to\Makefile' '-j4''" terminated with exit code: 127. 
 *  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it. 

This seems to be an issue caused by selecting Cygwin's Bash as the default terminal:

"terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Cygwin64",
"terminal.integrated.profiles.windows": {
        "Cygwin64": {
            "path": "C:\\cygwin64\\bin\\bash.exe", 
            "args": [ "--login", "-i" ],
            "env": {"CHERE_INVOKING": "1" },
        }, ... 
}

Attempting to set makePath to /usr/bin/make (the Linux-like path to make) yields a similar error:

*  Executing task: '\usr\bin\make' 'debug' '-f' 'c:\Users\e438179\git\star\Makefile' '-j4' 

bash: \usr\bin\make: command not found

*  The terminal process "C:\cygwin64\bin\bash.exe '--login', '-i', '-c', ''\usr\bin\make' 'debug' '-f' 'c:\Users\path\to\Makefile' '-j4''" terminated with exit code: 127. 
*  Terminal will be reused by tasks, press any key to close it. 

Note the direction of the slashes! Either the extension or VSCode changes /usr/bin/make to \usr\bin\make.

The relevant settings.json config:

"makefile.configurations": [
        {
            "makeArgs": [
                "-j4"
            ],
            "name": "parallel make",
            "makefile.makePath": "/usr/bin/make",  // slashes are reversed 
            // "makePath": "/cygdrive/c/cygwin64/bin/make.exe", // also fails due to slashes
            // "makePath": "C:\\cygwin64\\bin\\make.exe", // works for configure; not build.
            // "makePath": "make" // works for build; not configure
        }

After setting makePath with the C:\\cygwin... version, the build targets will populate and can be selected at will. However, the build will not complete due to the above-mentioned error. The makePath setting must be changed back to make (no path given) before the build will run successfully. This would be a valid workaround, but the build-target option resets after VSCode is restarted.

It seems that the Cygwin environment/terminal config is not being activated before the configure stage in the same way it is activated for the build stage.

Maybe there should be a settings.json override for buildTarget.

Debug Log

targets.log output (excerpt): 

C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe all -f c:\Users\user\git\star\Makefile -j4 --print-data-base --no-builtin-variables --no-builtin-rules --question
./mkversion.sh: line 21: perl: command not found

make: env: No such file or directory

make: uname: No such file or directory

/bin/sh: line 1: cut: command not found

/bin/sh: line 1: pkg-config: command not found

# GNU Make 4.4.1
# Built for x86_64-pc-cygwin
# Copyright (C) 1988-2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
# License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
# This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
# There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# Make data base, printed on Tue Jun 24 10:40:59 2025

# Variables

# environment
FPS_BROWSER_APP_PROFILE_STRING = Internet Explorer
# environment
SYSTEMDRIVE = C:
# environment
JAVA_HOME = C:\Program Files\Java\jre8\
# environment
LC_ALL = C
# environment
USERPROFILE = C:\Users\user
...
[end targets.log]

dryrun.log output (excerpt): 

C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe debug -f c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile -j4 --dry-run --keep-going --print-directory
make: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project'
 
./mkversion.sh: line 21: perl: command not found

./mkversion.sh: line 33: cat: command not found

make: env: No such file or directory

make: uname: No such file or directory

/bin/sh: line 1: cut: command not found

/bin/sh: line 1: pkg-config: command not found

mkdir -p lib
true
for d in doc etc libmyproject tools test; do \
	(cd $d && /usr/bin/make BUILD_DEBUG=1 BUILD_DEBUG=1 all) || exit 1; \
done
 
make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/doc'
 
make[1]: env: No such file or directory

make[1]: uname: No such file or directory

/bin/sh: line 1: cut: command not found

/bin/sh: line 1: pkg-config: command not found

make[1]: Nothing to be done for 'all'.
make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/doc'
 
make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/etc'
 
make[1]: env: No such file or directory

make[1]: uname: No such file or directory

/bin/sh: line 1: cut: command not found

/bin/sh: line 1: pkg-config: command not found

make[1]: Nothing to be done for 'all'.
make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/etc'
 
make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/libmyproject'
 
make[1]: env: No such file or directory

make[1]: uname: No such file or directory

/bin/sh: line 1: cut: command not found

/bin/sh: line 1: pkg-config: command not found

mkdir -p .deps
g++  -std=gnu++11 -fno-strict-aliasing  -ggdb -v -I. -L/lib  -D_ISOC99_SOURCE -D__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_GNU_SOURCE      -DUSE_SYSLOG -DHAVE_POPT       -c testMeta.cc -o testMeta.o -MMD -MF .deps/testMeta.d
g++ -fpic  -std=gnu++11 -fno-strict-aliasing  -ggdb -v -I. -L/lib  -D_ISOC99_SOURCE -D__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_GNU_SOURCE      -DUSE_SYSLOG -DHAVE_POPT      -c testMeta.cc -o testMeta.po
 
g++ -shared -Wl,-soname,libmyproject.so -o ../lib/libmyproject.so myproject.po file1.po fileN.po     -lpopt  -L/lib -lstdc++ -lpthread
make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/libmyproject'
make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/tools'
make[1]: env: No such file or directory
make[1]: uname: No such file or directory
/bin/sh: line 1: cut: command not found
/bin/sh: line 1: pkg-config: command not found
...
[end dryrun.log]

Makefile tools output panel: 

Saving opened files before build.
The project needs to configure in order to build properly the current target.
Saving opened files before build.
Loading configurations from cache is not necessary.
Generating configuration cache with command: 'C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe debug -f c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile -j4 --dry-run --keep-going --print-directory'
Writing the dry-run output: c:\Users\path\to\project\make_logs\dryrun.log
Spawning child process with:
 process name: C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe
 process args: debug,-f,c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile,-j4,--dry-run,--keep-going,--print-directory
 working directory: c:\Users\path\to\project
 shell type: default
Generating dry-run elapsed time: 78.439
Preprocessing: "c:\Users\path\to\project\make_logs\dryrun.log"
Preprocess elapsed time: 0
Parsing for IntelliSense.
Updating the CppTools IntelliSense Configuration Provider.
Parsing dry-run output for CppTools Custom Configuration Provider.
Analyzing line: make: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/doc'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\doc
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/doc'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\doc and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/etc'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\etc
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/etc'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\etc and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/libmyproject'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject
Found compiler command: g++  -std=gnu++11 -fno-strict-aliasing  -ggdb -v -I. -L/lib  -D_ISOC99_SOURCE -D__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_GNU_SOURCE      -DUSE_SYSLOG -DHAVE_POPT       -c testMeta.cc -o testMeta.o -MMD -MF .deps/testMeta.d
Sending configuration for file c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject\testMeta.cc -----------------------------------
    Defines: _ISOC99_SOURCE;__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS;_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0;_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE;_GNU_SOURCE;USE_SYSLOG;HAVE_POPT
    Includes: c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject
    Force Includes: 
    Standard: gnu++11
    IntelliSense Mode: undefined
    Compiler Path: g++.exe
    Compiler Arguments: -fno-strict-aliasing;-ggdb;-v;-L/lib;-c;testMeta.cc;-o;testMeta.o;-MMD
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found compiler command: g++ -fpic  -std=gnu++11 -fno-strict-aliasing  -ggdb -v -I. -L/lib  -D_ISOC99_SOURCE -D__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS -D_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0 -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_GNU_SOURCE      -DUSE_SYSLOG -DHAVE_POPT      -c testMeta.cc -o testMeta.po
Sending configuration for file c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject\testMeta.cc -----------------------------------
    Defines: _ISOC99_SOURCE;__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS;_GLIBCXX_USE_CXX11_ABI=0;_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE;_GNU_SOURCE;USE_SYSLOG;HAVE_POPT
    Includes: c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject
    Force Includes: 
    Standard: gnu++11
    IntelliSense Mode: undefined
    Compiler Path: g++.exe
    Compiler Arguments: -fpic;-fno-strict-aliasing;-ggdb;-v;-L/lib;-c;testMeta.cc;-o;testMeta.po
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Found compiler command: g++ -shared -Wl,-soname,libmyproject.so -o ../lib/libmyproject.so myproject.po file1.po fileN.po   -lpopt  -L/lib -lstdc++ -lpthread
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/libmyproject'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/tools'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\tools
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/tools'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\tools and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/test'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\test
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/test'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\test and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Sending Workspace Browse Configuration: -----------------------------------
    Browse Path: c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject;c:\Users\path\to\project\test;c:\Users\path\to\project\tools
    Standard: gnu++11
    Compiler Path: g++.exe
    Compiler Arguments: -fno-strict-aliasing;-ggdb;-v;-L/lib;-c;test_xml.cc;-o;test_xml.o;-MMD;-fpic;-fno-strict-aliasing;-ggdb;-v;-L/lib;-c;testMeta.cc;-o;testMeta.po;-fpic;-fno-strict-aliasing;-ggdb;-v;-L/lib;-c;testMeta.cc;-o;testMeta.po
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parsing for IntelliSense elapsed time: 0.908
Parsing for launch targets.
Analyzing line: make: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/doc'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\doc
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/doc'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\doc and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/etc'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\etc
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/etc'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\etc and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/libmyproject'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/libmyproject'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\libmyproject and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/tools'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\tools
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/tools'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\tools and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make[1]: Entering directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/test'
MAKE -C: entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project\test
Analyzing line: make[1]: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project/test'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project\test and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
Analyzing line: make: Leaving directory '/cygdrive/c/Users/path/to/project'
POPD command or end of MAKE -C: leaving directory c:\Users\path\to\project and entering directory c:\Users\path\to\project
No new launch configurations have been detected.
Complete list of launch targets: c:\Users\path\to\project\test>test_...()
Parsing for launch targets elapsed time: 0.016
Generating parse content for build targets.
Generating targets information with command: 'C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe all -f c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile -j4 --print-data-base --no-builtin-variables --no-builtin-rules --question'
Writing the dry-run output: c:\Users\path\to\project\make_logs\targets.log
Spawning child process with:
 process name: C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe
 process args: all,-f,c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile,-j4,--print-data-base,--no-builtin-variables,--no-builtin-rules,--question
 working directory: c:\Users\path\to\project
 shell type: default
Generating dry-run elapsed time: 13.618
Parsing for build targets from: "c:\Users\path\to\project\make_logs\targets.log"
Found the following 29 new build targets defined in the makefile: all;all-recursive;check;checkconfig;clean;clean-cmake;clean-deps;clean-deps-dir;clean-gcov;clean-lib;clean-objs;clean-recursive;coverage;coverage-recursive;debug;dist;dist-clean;doc;install;install-check;install-dirs;install-extra;install-recursive;package;printconfig;release;tag;test;test-recursive
Complete list of build targets: all;all-recursive;check;checkconfig;clean;clean-cmake;clean-deps;clean-deps-dir;clean-gcov;clean-lib;clean-objs;clean-recursive;coverage;coverage-recursive;debug;dist;dist-clean;doc;install;install-check;install-dirs;install-extra;install-recursive;package;printconfig;release;tag;test;test-recursive
Parsing build targets elapsed time: 0.002
Configure finished. The status for all the subphases that ran:
generateParseContent: return code = 0, elapsed time = 78.439
preprocessParseContent: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0
parseIntelliSense: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0.908
parseLaunch: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0.016
dryrunTargets: return code = 1, elapsed time = 13.618
parseTargets: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0.002
Configure succeeded.
Configure elapsed time: 93.006
Building target "debug" with command: 'C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe debug -f c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile -j4'
Executing task: "Makefile Tools Build Task" with quoting style "Strong"
 command name: C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe
 command args debug,-f,c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile,-j4
Target "debug" failed to build.

Additional Information

No response

[yanghhhhhhh]

Hi @jakehedlund, we tried to check this in a sample makefile project, but we can't reproduce this issue. When we set the "makefile.makePath" to "C:\cygwin64\bin\\make.exe", we can configure and build the target. We did not encounter this error ‘bash: C:\cygwin64\bin\make.exe: command not found’. Could you help check this issue? Please refer to this video: . If we misseding something, please let us know. Thanks.

@gcampbell-msft FYI

[jakehedlund]

Hi @yanghhhhhhh,

Thanks for looking into this. Two things I think you missed:

1. You did not attempt to change the "build target" option. C:/Cygwin64/bin/make.exe populates correctly; Cygwin bash default make.exe does not.
2. You did not set the terminal.integrate.profiles.windows terminal to Cygwin's bash.exe. This is required for us due to dependency collection in the Makefile - it runs several shell scripts as part of the build, namely pkg-config and perl. These are not installed in the Powershell or cmd.exe environment, so bash.exe must be used as the shell (Cygwin does have these installed). See the debug log above (xxx: command not found or xxx: no such file or directory).
3. A concrete example of a pkg-config line:
   CURL:=$(shell if pkg-config libcurl --exists; then echo curl; else echo false; fi) -s -f -o -
CURL_CXXFLAGS:=$(shell pkg-config libcurl --cflags 2>/dev/null && echo -DHAVE_CURL)
   ....
   CXXFLAGS += ... $(CURL_CXXFLAGS) ...

For background, this project is usually built for Linux (RHEL7/8/9), but I am coercing it to run on Windows under Cygwin.

1:

2:

[yanghhhhhhh]

@jakehedlund Thank you for the information. When we set the terminal terminal.integrate.profiles.windows to Cygwin's bash.exe, It will show up as grey, could you help look at it? In order for us to investigate this issue further, could you provide us with a sample project and detailed repro steps (repro video)? Thanks.

[jakehedlund]

@yanghhhhhhh I'm not sure why you're greyed out - maybe try activating via the settings GUI?

You may also need to add:

• ... "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "Cygwin64", ... to settings.json
• Run "Select Intellisense configuration" and choose linux-gcc (under Cygwin64 folder).

[yanghhhhhhh]

@jakehedlund Thank you for your reply. We rechecked the issue, but we are still unable to reproduce it. Please refer to this video. Please let us know if we missed something. Could you provide us with a sample project and detailed repro steps (repro video)? Thanks.

[jakehedlund]

Hi @yanghhhhhhh ,

I've uploaded a demo project here: https://github.com/jakehedlund/vscode-make-minimal

It's not exactly "minimal" but it mimics the actual project layout I am having trouble with. The README has repro instructions.

The key for this project is the sub-processes that are executed by this build: both pkg-config and perl are called to gather dependencies. If it weren't for this requirement, I don't think there would be an issue.

[jakehedlund]

I believe the actual issue is here:

Saving opened files before build.
Loading configurations from cache is not necessary.
Generating configuration cache with command: 'make.exe debug -f c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile -j4 --dry-run --keep-going --print-directory'
Writing the dry-run output: c:\Users\path\to\project\make_logs\dryrun.log
Spawning child process with:
 process name: make.exe
 process args: debug,-f,c:\Users\path\to\project\Makefile,-j4,--dry-run,--keep-going,--print-directory
 working directory: c:\Users\path\to\project
 shell type: default
Generating dry-run elapsed time: 0.186
The make dry-run command failed.
IntelliSense may work only partially or not at all.
'make.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

(Run configure with "makefile.makepath": "make.exe")

The line shell type: default is suspicious - I believe it should be taking my Cygwin bash terminal setting, but it is trying to use Powershell instead.

When running the build command, it works - it uses the bash terminal as expected.

[yanghhhhhhh]

@jakehedlund Thank you for the detailed information. We tried to check this issue in this sample project. In step 5 and 7 we show the expected results. But Step 8 and 10 we have the same result as yours and we can reproduce the error "bash: C:\Cygwin64\bin\make.exe: command not found". Our step 13 also shows the correct result. Could you help check it? Thanks.

[jakehedlund]

@yanghhhhhhh

I see three differences:

1. Your default make.exe is pointing to C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\bin... which is why it is working in your environment.
2. You didn't restart VSCode (or the extension) between tests. This clears the targets cache, and will reset it to only show all.
3. In mkversion.sh, Windows-style line endings (\r\n) were automatically inserted by Git. You must change these to be Unix-style (\n) in order for bash to run it successfully.

Try this:

1. Set "makefile.makePath": "make.exe" in settings.json.
2. Restart VSCode.
3. Run Configure. The output claims it completed successfully:

   Complete list of launch targets: 
   Parsing for launch targets elapsed time: 0.001
   Generating parse content for build targets.
   Generating targets information with command: 'make.exe all -f c:\Users\<user>\git\vscode-make-minimal\Makefile --print-data-base --no-builtin-variables --no-builtin-rules --question'
   Writing the dry-run output: c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\workspaceStorage\1f8e92c0f0034649c7a500d361acd99c\ms-vscode.makefile-tools\targets.log
   Generating dry-run elapsed time: 0.142
   Parsing for build targets from: "c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\workspaceStorage\1f8e92c0f0034649c7a500d361acd99c\ms-vscode.makefile-tools\targets.log"
   No new build targets have been detected.
   Complete list of build targets: all
   Parsing build targets elapsed time: 0
   Configure finished. The status for all the subphases that ran:
   generateParseContent: return code = 1, elapsed time = 0.15
   preprocessParseContent: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0
   parseIntelliSense: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0.003
   parseLaunch: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0.001
   dryrunTargets: return code = 1, elapsed time = 0.142
   parseTargets: return code = 0, elapsed time = 0
   Configure succeeded.
   Configure elapsed time: 0.305
   

4. Open the targets.log file mentioned in the output. (The line No new build targets have been detected. is also telling...)
5. Configure actually fails to run make, but claims success anyway. targets.log:

   make.exe all -f c:\Users\<user>\git\vscode-make-minimal\Makefile --print-data-base --no-builtin-variables --no-builtin-rules --question
   'make.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
   operable program or batch file.
   

This is supposed to be running in the Cygwin bash.exe terminal - however, since make.exe is not found, it is clear it is not. This is the root cause - the makefile extension is not loading and running the default/selected terminal as it should.

[jakehedlund]

The rest of the log output also shows the error:

Generating configuration cache with command: 'make.exe all -f c:\Users\<user>\git\vscode-make-minimal\Makefile -C c:\Users\<user>\git\vscode-make-minimal/minimal-make --dry-run --keep-going --print-directory'
Writing the dry-run output: c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\workspaceStorage\1f8e92c0f0034649c7a500d361acd99c\ms-vscode.makefile-tools\dryrun.log
Generating dry-run elapsed time: 0.15
The make dry-run command failed.
IntelliSense may work only partially or not at all.
'make.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.


You can see the detailed dry-run output at c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\workspaceStorage\1f8e92c0f0034649c7a500d361acd99c\ms-vscode.makefile-tools\dryrun.log
Make sure that the extension is invoking the same make command as in your development prompt environment.
You may need to define or tweak a custom makefile configuration in settings via 'makefile.configurations' like described here: [link]
Also make sure your code base does not have any known issues with the dry-run switches used by this extension (makefile.dryrunSwitches).
If you are not able to fix the dry-run, open a GitHub issue in Makefile Tools repo: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-makefile-tools/issues
Preprocessing: "c:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\workspaceStorage\1f8e92c0f0034649c7a500d361acd99c\ms-vscode.makefile-tools\dryrun.log"
Preprocess elapsed time: 0
Parsing for IntelliSense.

Notes:

1. Again, this indicates the Cygwin shell is not being properly loaded (as configured) before running make.exe.
2. You may need to ... like described here: [link] - no actual link is given!!
3. This also breaks intellisense - if the dryrun fails, the configurationProvider setting (in c_cpp_properties.json) needs to be commented out:

   "intelliSenseMode": "linux-gcc-x64",
   // "configurationProvider": "ms-vscode.makefile-tools", // can't enable - broken extension
   

4. If you are not able to fix the dry-run, open a GitHub issue... I'm just following instructions ;)

[yanghhhhhhh]

@jakehedlund Thanks for the info. We changed the mkversion.sh file to Unix-style, but still reported the error "make: Nothing to be done for '. ." . We tried deleting "C:\ProgramData\chocolatey", setting ‘makefile.makePath’: ‘make.exe’ in settings.json. but make still points to ‘C:\msys64\usr\bin\make.exe’ by default. Please refer to this video. Thanks.