Unexpected token 'eval' in expression or statement when using the PowerShell Extension in Debug Mode

[BrooksV]

Prerequisites

• I have written a descriptive issue title.
• I have searched all open and closed issues to ensure it has not already been reported.
• I have read the troubleshooting guide.
• I am sure this issue is with the extension itself and does not reproduce in a standalone PowerShell instance.
• I have verified that I am using the latest version of Visual Studio Code and the PowerShell extension.
• If this is a security issue, I have read the security issue reporting guidance.

Summary

I am running this very simple PowerShell WPF script using VS Code PowerShell Extension by executing (Run). After I close the form and check $error, It always contains the same error. If I execute using or in a pwsh Terminal, $error has not errors. It seems to be directly related to using the Debugger in VS Code.

Note: The $Error contents also show up in this log File (C:\Users\MySelf\AppData\Roaming\Code\logs\20250220T121920\window4\exthost\ms-vscode.powershell\PowerShell.log).

Here is the output and $Error:

PowerShell Extension v2025.0.0
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.

https://aka.ms/vscode-powershell
Type 'help' to get help.

PS C:\Git\SqlQueryEditor> 
PS C:\Git\SqlQueryEditor> . 'C:\Git\SqlQueryEditor\archive\Test-01.ps1'
Form is closing. Cleaning up resources.
PS C:\Git\SqlQueryEditor> $error

Errors                      : {At line:1 char:47
                              + [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
                              +                                               ~
                              Missing expression after unary operator ','., At line:1 char:47
                              + [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
                              +                                               ~~~~
                              Unexpected token 'eval' in expression or statement.}
Message                     : At line:1 char:47
                              + [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
                              +                                               ~
                              Missing expression after unary operator ','.

                              At line:1 char:47
                              + [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
                              +                                               ~~~~
                              Unexpected token 'eval' in expression or statement.
ErrorRecord                 : At line:1 char:47
                              + [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
                              +                                               ~
                              Missing expression after unary operator ','.

                              At line:1 char:47
                              + [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
                              +                                               ~~~~
                              Unexpected token 'eval' in expression or statement.
WasThrownFromThrowStatement : False
TargetSite                  : System.Collections.ObjectModel.Collection`1[System.Management.Automation.PSObject] Invoke(System.Collections.IEnumerable)
Data                        : {}
InnerException              : 
HelpLink                    : 
Source                      : System.Management.Automation
HResult                     : -2146233087
StackTrace                  :    at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.CreateRunspaceIfNeededAndDoWork(Runspace rsToUse, Boolean isSync)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
                                 at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Invoke[T](IEnumerable input, PSInvocationSettings settings)
                                 at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Utility.PowerShellExtensions.InvokeAndClear[TResult](PowerShell pwsh, PSInvocationSettings invocationSettings) in
                              C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Utility\PowerShellExtensions.cs:line 76
                                 at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Utility.PowerShellExtensions.InvokeCommand[TResult](PowerShell pwsh, PSCommand psCommand, PSInvocationSettings invocationSettings) in
                              C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Utility\PowerShellExtensions.cs:line 99
                                 at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Execution.SynchronousPowerShellTask`1.ExecuteNormally(CancellationToken cancellationToken) in
                              C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Execution\SynchronousPowerShellTask.cs:line 136

PS C:\Git\SqlQueryEditor>

# Load the required assembly
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

$Error.Clear()

# Create a simple form
$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form
$form.Text = "Simple Form"

# Handle the form's Closing event
$form.Add_Closing({
    Write-Host "Form is closing. Cleaning up resources."
})

# Show the form
$form.ShowDialog() | Out-Null

PowerShell Version

$PSVersionTable; $Host   

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.5.0
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.5.0
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.19045
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Name             : Visual Studio Code Host
Version          : 2025.0.0
InstanceId       : 82f299f5-ef04-4dbc-9caf-1b49261fa09c
UI               : System.Management.Automation.Internal.Host.InternalHostUserInterface
CurrentCulture   : en-US
CurrentUICulture : en-US
PrivateData      : Microsoft.PowerShell.ConsoleHost+ConsoleColorProxy
DebuggerEnabled  : True
IsRunspacePushed : False
Runspace         : System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.LocalRunspace

Visual Studio Code Version

code --version                                                                                                     
1.97.2
e54c774e0add60467559eb0d1e229c6452cf8447
x64

Extension Version

code --list-extensions --show-versions | Select-String powershell

[email protected]

Steps to Reproduce

Save the following script to a file:

# Load the required assembly
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

$Error.Clear()

# Create a simple form
$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form
$form.Text = "Simple Form"

# Handle the form's Closing event
$form.Add_Closing({
    Write-Host "Form is closing. Cleaning up resources."
})

# Show the form
$form.ShowDialog() | Out-Null

Using VS Code configured with the PowerShell Extension, Run the debugger by executing (Run).
After closing the form and check $error.

Visuals

No response

Logs

Log File (C:\Users\MySelf\AppData\Roaming\Code\logs\20250220T121920\window4\exthost\ms-vscode.powershell\PowerShell.log) Contents:

2025-02-23 17:40:19.525 [info] [PSES] [Warn  - 5:40:19 PM] <Warning>Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Host.PsesInternalHost: Runtime exception occurred while executing command:

System.Management.Automation.ParseException: At line:1 char:47
+ [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
+                                               ~
Missing expression after unary operator ','.

At line:1 char:47
+ [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
+                                               ~~~~
Unexpected token 'eval' in expression or statement.
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.CreateRunspaceIfNeededAndDoWork(Runspace rsToUse, Boolean isSync)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Utility.PowerShellExtensions.InvokeAndClear[TResult](PowerShell pwsh, PSInvocationSettings invocationSettings) in C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Utility\PowerShellExtensions.cs:line 76
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Execution.SynchronousPowerShellTask`1.ExecuteNormally(CancellationToken cancellationToken) in C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Execution\SynchronousPowerShellTask.cs:line 108 | 
2025-02-23 17:59:32.882 [warning] PowerShell process terminated or Extension Terminal was closed, PID: 30660
2025-02-23 17:59:32.882 [error] The PowerShell Extension Terminal has stopped, would you like to restart it? IntelliSense and other features will not work without it!
2025-02-23 17:59:33.413 [info] Language service connection closed.
2025-02-23 17:59:33.415 [info] [PSES] [Error - 5:59:33 PM] Connection to PowerShell Editor Services (the Extension Terminal) was closed. See below prompt to restart!
2025-02-23 17:59:35.138 [info] Restarting session...
2025-02-23 17:59:35.147 [info] Starting 'PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.exe
2025-02-23 17:59:35.361 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 31932
2025-02-23 17:59:38.627 [info] Started PowerShell v7.5.0.
2025-02-23 17:59:39.023 [info] PowerShell is up-to-date.
2025-02-23 17:59:52.665 [info] [PSES] [Warn  - 5:59:52 PM] <Warning>Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Host.PsesInternalHost: Runtime exception occurred while executing command:

System.Management.Automation.ParseException: At line:1 char:47
+ [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
+                                               ~
Missing expression after unary operator ','.

At line:1 char:47
+ [System.Diagnostics.DebuggerHidden()]param() ,eval $stdout.sync=true
+                                               ~~~~
Unexpected token 'eval' in expression or statement.
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.ConstructPipelineAndDoWork(Runspace rs, Boolean performSyncInvoke)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Worker.CreateRunspaceIfNeededAndDoWork(Runspace rsToUse, Boolean isSync)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvokeHelper[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.CoreInvoke[TInput,TOutput](PSDataCollection`1 input, PSDataCollection`1 output, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at System.Management.Automation.PowerShell.Invoke[T](IEnumerable input, PSInvocationSettings settings)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Utility.PowerShellExtensions.InvokeAndClear[TResult](PowerShell pwsh, PSInvocationSettings invocationSettings) in C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Utility\PowerShellExtensions.cs:line 76
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Utility.PowerShellExtensions.InvokeCommand[TResult](PowerShell pwsh, PSCommand psCommand, PSInvocationSettings invocationSettings) in C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Utility\PowerShellExtensions.cs:line 99
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.EditorServices.Services.PowerShell.Execution.SynchronousPowerShellTask`1.ExecuteNormally(CancellationToken cancellationToken) in C:\__w\1\s\src\PowerShellEditorServices\Services\PowerShell\Execution\SynchronousPowerShellTask.cs:line 136 | 

[JustinGrote]

I can't reproduce, works fine for me.

20250223-2317-39.2989412.mp4

[andyleejordan]

Hi, do you have something in your "Watch" pane, perhaps for a different language you were using in your workspace? It's still going to run, and it does not look like PowerShell code. You'll need to remove other watch expressions.

[github-actions]

This issue has been labeled as needing feedback and has not had any activity a week. It has been closed for housekeeping purposes.