Attach process picker still hangs without WMIC because windows-process-tree loader misses node_modules.asar

[museova]

Environment

• Python Debugger: 2026.7.12401012 (pre-release)
• VS Code: 1.135.0 (08d4889f9ec4a1685d257b9b95de036c8e1ce1e5, x64)
• OS: Windows 11 Pro x64, 10.0.26200
• WMIC: not installed

Reproduction

Use the generated attach configuration:

{
    "name": "Python Debugger: Attach using Process Id",
    "type": "debugpy",
    "request": "attach",
    "processId": "${command:pickProcess}"
}

Start debugging and wait for the process picker.

Expected behavior

A Quick Pick containing the running processes is displayed.

Actual behavior

The progress indicator keeps running, but the process picker never appears. The extension host log contains:

Error: spawn wmic ENOENT
    at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:287:19)
    at onErrorNT (node:internal/child_process:508:16)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:90:21)

Using a literal PID works.

Cause found locally

The current implementation added in #1030 loads the native module from this path:

const wpcPath = path.join(env.appRoot, 'node_modules', '@vscode', 'windows-process-tree');
const nodeRequire = eval('require') as NodeJS.Require;
return nodeRequire(wpcPath);

In the packaged VS Code 1.135.0 installation, @vscode/windows-process-tree is not present under the physical node_modules directory. It is packaged at:

<env.appRoot>/node_modules.asar/@vscode/windows-process-tree

with its native files under node_modules.asar.unpacked.

Loading both paths with VS Code's Electron/Node runtime produces:

<env.appRoot>/node_modules/@vscode/windows-process-tree
  -> MODULE_NOT_FOUND

<env.appRoot>/node_modules.asar/@vscode/windows-process-tree
  -> loads successfully
  -> exports ProcessDataFlag, getAllProcesses, getProcessList, etc.

The native loader exception is swallowed by the broad catch, so the provider silently falls back to WMIC. WMIC is no longer installed by default on current Windows builds, and that second failure leaves the picker waiting indefinitely.

Suggested direction

• Resolve the packaged ASAR location as well as development/older layouts.
• Avoid falling back exclusively to deprecated WMIC; PowerShell/CIM could provide a non-native fallback.
• Log the original windows-process-tree loading exception so this failure mode is visible.

Related: #744, #867, #899, #991, #1030.

[rchiodo]

Thanks for the detailed analysis. Should be able to implement your fix shortly.