Extension fails when windows username contains parentheses

[jonmon6691]

On Windows, during cmake configuration (and possibly later steps, I am not able to test) commands are executed by passing strings to cmd.exe. When the User's username contains parentheses, the paths in the home directory to the toolchain also contain parentheses and cause the command parsing to break.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /C "cd . && C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse -Wl,--build-id=none -nostdlib  CMakeFiles/cmTC_df74f.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -o cmTC_df74f.elf   && cd ."
    'C:\Users\LastFirst' is not recognized as an internal or external command,

I understand it's a facepalm situation to have a username with parentheses but this is what the IT department has graced our organization with, and apparently Windows allows for it.

Extension Logs

2025-06-17 07:37:13.016 [error] [Window] [Extension Host] [�[31mERROR�[0m] [raspberry-pi-pico - cmakeUtil] Failed to configure CMake: Error: Command failed: "C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/cmake/v3.31.5/bin/cmake" -DPython3_EXECUTABLE="c:/Users/LastFirst(123)/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python313/python.exe" -G Ninja -B ./build "c:\code\pico_playground\blink"
PICO_SDK_PATH is C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/sdk/2.1.1
Target board (PICO_BOARD) is 'pico2_w'.
Using board configuration from C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/sdk/2.1.1/src/boards/include/boards/pico2_w.h
Auto-converting non-specific PICO_PLATFORM='rp2350' to 'rp2350-arm-s'
Defaulting platform (PICO_PLATFORM) to 'rp2350-arm-s' based on PICO_BOARD setting.
Defaulting compiler (PICO_COMPILER) to 'pico_arm_cortex_m33_gcc' since not specified.
Configuring toolchain based on PICO_COMPILER 'pico_arm_cortex_m33_gcc'
Defaulting PICO_GCC_TRIPLE to 'arm-none-eabi'
CMake Error at C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/cmake/v3.31.5/share/cmake-3.31/Modules/CMakeTestCCompiler.cmake:67 (message):
  The C compiler

    "C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/toolchain/14_2_Rel1/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe"

  is not able to compile a simple test program.

  It fails with the following output:

    Change Dir: 'C:/code/pico_playground/blink/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-sm6qwo'
    
    Run Build Command(s): C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/ninja/v1.12.1/ninja.exe -v cmTC_df74f
    [1/2] C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe   -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse  -std=gnu11 -o CMakeFiles/cmTC_df74f.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -c C:/code/pico_playground/blink/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-sm6qwo/testCCompiler.c
    [2/2] C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /C "cd . && C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse -Wl,--build-id=none -nostdlib  CMakeFiles/cmTC_df74f.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -o cmTC_df74f.elf   && cd ."
    FAILED: cmTC_df74f.elf 
    C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /C "cd . && C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse -Wl,--build-id=none -nostdlib  CMakeFiles/cmTC_df74f.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -o cmTC_df74f.elf   && cd ."
    'C:\Users\LastFirst' is not recognized as an internal or external command,

    operable program or batch file.

    ninja: build stopped: subcommand failed.
    
    

  

  CMake will not be able to correctly generate this project.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:31 (project)



	at genericNodeError (node:internal/errors:983:15)
	at wrappedFn (node:internal/errors:537:14)
	at ChildProcess.exithandler (node:child_process:415:12)
	at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:518:28)
	at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1101:16)
	at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:304:5)
2025-06-17 07:38:40.631 [error] [Window] [Extension Host] [�[31mERROR�[0m] [raspberry-pi-pico - cmakeUtil] Failed to configure CMake: Error: Command failed: "C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/cmake/v3.31.5/bin/cmake" -DPython3_EXECUTABLE="c:/Users/LastFirst(123)/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python313/python.exe" -G Ninja -B ./build "c:\code\pico_playground\blink"
PICO_SDK_PATH is C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/sdk/2.1.1
Target board (PICO_BOARD) is 'pico2_w'.
Using board configuration from C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/sdk/2.1.1/src/boards/include/boards/pico2_w.h
Pico Platform (PICO_PLATFORM) is 'rp2350-arm-s'.
CMake Error at C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/cmake/v3.31.5/share/cmake-3.31/Modules/CMakeTestCCompiler.cmake:67 (message):
  The C compiler

    "C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/toolchain/14_2_Rel1/bin/arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe"

  is not able to compile a simple test program.

  It fails with the following output:

    Change Dir: 'C:/code/pico_playground/blink/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-vr9a8o'
    
    Run Build Command(s): C:/Users/LastFirst(123)/.pico-sdk/ninja/v1.12.1/ninja.exe -v cmTC_71b1b
    [1/2] C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe   -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse  -std=gnu11 -o CMakeFiles/cmTC_71b1b.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -c C:/code/pico_playground/blink/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch/TryCompile-vr9a8o/testCCompiler.c
    [2/2] C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /C "cd . && C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse -Wl,--build-id=none -nostdlib  CMakeFiles/cmTC_71b1b.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -o cmTC_71b1b.elf   && cd ."
    FAILED: cmTC_71b1b.elf 
    C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /C "cd . && C:\Users\LastFirst(123)\.pico-sdk\toolchain\14_2_Rel1\bin\arm-none-eabi-gcc.exe -mcpu=cortex-m33 -mthumb -march=armv8-m.main+fp+dsp -mfloat-abi=softfp -mcmse -Wl,--build-id=none -nostdlib  CMakeFiles/cmTC_71b1b.dir/testCCompiler.c.obj -o cmTC_71b1b.elf   && cd ."
    'C:\Users\LastFirst' is not recognized as an internal or external command,

    operable program or batch file.

    ninja: build stopped: subcommand failed.
    
    

  

  CMake will not be able to correctly generate this project.
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  CMakeLists.txt:31 (project)



	at genericNodeError (node:internal/errors:983:15)
	at wrappedFn (node:internal/errors:537:14)
	at ChildProcess.exithandler (node:child_process:415:12)
	at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:518:28)
	at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1101:16)
	at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:304:5)

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Using an account with parentheses in the name ie. "LastFirst(123)"
2. Install the latest extension vsix
3. Create a blink example
4. See error after the sdk is downloaded and the CMake configuration is automatically triggered
5. To trigger the error again, click "Configure CMake" in the Project quick access toolbar

Expected behavior
Expected CMake configuration to succeed on a basic example project on Windows

Screenshots

Platform (please complete the following information):

• OS: Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.5335] - Windows 11
• Architecture: 64bit Intel

Additional context
I noticed that in the extensions settings, the instructions specifically say to use no spaces in the toolchain path options. This makes me think that the way the extension is set up that somehow quoting the strings inside the already quoted call to cmd.exe is an known problem. I wanted to create this bug to raise the issue that this affects users with certain constraints on their username. Perhaps an option to configure the extension to locate the .pico-sdk folder somewhere custom could be a way to side-step this issue. Manually moving this toolchain folder seems fraught since I can't find all the path references to fix.

[will-v-pi]

This looks to be a CMake issue, as you can see the path is being passed to CMake correctly from those logs, but the CMake compilation is failing due to the brackets in the path. Given the error is at the TryCompile stage, I think you should raise this issue with CMake (make sure to mention you're using the Ninja generator, as it's possible this is a Ninja issue), as this is not something we'd be able to fix ourselves.

Perhaps an option to configure the extension to locate the .pico-sdk folder somewhere custom could be a way to side-step this issue.

See #170 for why this is not currently possible

[jonmon6691]

I found a couple issues that seem relevant but their resolution was to add a VERBATIM option at the site where the path is used, which doesn't seem feasible as this is occurring deep in the cmake system for probing the toolchain capabilities and will be used many many times this way.

https://cmake.org/Bug/view.php?id=15792

https://cmake.org/Bug/view.php?id=15919

I'm having a hard time tracing the error back, is there a way to get cmake to print a stacktrace of some kind showing how it got into /cmake-3.31/Modules/CMakeTestCCompiler.cmake:67 where the error occurs.

[will-v-pi]

You can run cmake .\build\ -G Ninja --fresh --debug-trycompile from the command line to run with trycompile in debug mode, which will keep the trycompile files in the build directory (under build/CMakeFiles/CMakeScratch), so you can check the contents of the build.ninja file - but I think the issue here is the compiler path isn't being escaped correctly by the CMake internals.

Interestingly, if I add a space anywhere in the path, this issue no longer occurs for me - so could you try adding some spaces in the toolchainVersion in CMakeLists.txt (eg replace set(toolchainVersion 14_2_Rel1 with set(toolchainVersion "14 2 Rel1")), and then moving the toolchain directory (eg move ~/.pico-sdk/toolchain/14_2_Rel1 to ~/.pico-sdk/toolchain/14 2 Rel1, and see if that works for you?

[jonmon6691]

Putting a space in the path... That's a good catch, wherever that logic is in cmake/ninja, that seems to me to be the best place to also check the string for other characters that require quoting.

To get all the way through I had to rename the .pico-sdk folder to ".pico sdk" and make the s/\.pico-sdk/.pico sdk/g substitution in the .pico sdk\cmake\pico-vscode.cmake file as well as several places in the project's .vscode folder. BUT it does work from configuration to compilation on my machine now. A dirty workaround to be sure, but I will see if I can pinpoint the issue in cmake or ninja as well.