Launch.json inputs not expanding

Bug Reports
1

Describe the Bug

I am using the “inputs” section of launch.json to manage my build configuration matrix; e.g…

  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "config",
      "type": "pickString",
      "description": "Select Build Configuration",
      "options": [
        "debug",
        "release"
      ],
      "default": "debug"
    },
}

In vscode this works and allows me to expand ${input:config} into each launch “configurations”. This is a really old feature so I expected cursor to include it when it forked. But unfortunately it seems it doesnt, anytime I try and launch a task that uses these input variables, I get something like Could not find the task 'Build ${input:config}'., which suggests Cursor just lacks support for variable expansion in the launch.json file?

Steps to Reproduce

Example launch.json

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "config",
      "type": "pickString",
      "description": "Select Build Configuration",
      "options": [
        "debug",
        "release"
      ],
      "default": "debug"
    }
  ],
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "RunApp",
      "type": "cppdbg",
      "request": "launch",
      "stopAtEntry": false,
      "preLaunchTask": "Build ${input:config}",
      "MIMode": "lldb",
      "program": "${workspaceFolder}/MyApp",
    }
  ]
}

Expected Behavior

I expect a drop down asking me to select a build configuration, and then to run the task as usual.

Operating System

MacOS

Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)

Version: 1.1.6 (Universal)
VSCode Version: 1.96.2
Commit: 5b19bac7a947f54e4caa3eb7e4c5fbf832389850
Date: 2025-06-25T02:16:57.571Z
Electron: 34.5.1
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.0
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 24.5.0

Additional Information

This of course is an added issue on top of the already known issue of how having any sort of support for cppdbg / cppvsdbg, which is a major issue that causes me to keep vscode and alt-tab back and forth.

Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

1 Like