dotnet core user-secrets executable mysteriously missing, why?

Question

Installed the most recent (I think) .NET Core, created a .NET Core web project via Visual Studio 2015, and tried to start using user secrets. The CLI claims it is missing (after claiming to have installed it...), as below:

E:\Projects\CodeServer>dotnet --version
1.0.0-preview1-002702

E:\Projects\CodeServer>dotnet restore
 <snip>
log  : Restoring packages for tool 'Microsoft.Extensions.SecretManager.Tools' in E:\Projects\CodeServer\src\CodeServer\project.json...
 <snip>
log  : Restore completed in 2345ms.

NuGet Config files used:
    C:\Users\Work User\AppData\Roaming\NuGet\NuGet.Config
    C:\ProgramData\nuget\Config\Microsoft.VisualStudio.Offline.config

Feeds used:
    https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json
    C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\NuGetPackages\

E:\Projects\CodeServer>dotnet user-secrets -h
No executable found matching command "dotnet-user-secrets"

E:\Projects\CodeServer>

Also adding the project.json file per request:

{
  "userSecretsId": "<snip>",

  "dependencies": {
    "Microsoft.NETCore.App": {
      "version": "1.0.0-rc2-3002702",
      "type": "platform"
    },
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.Cookies": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.EntityFrameworkCore": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Identity.EntityFrameworkCore": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Razor.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "type": "build"
    },
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IISIntegration": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.Kestrel": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.StaticFiles": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "type": "build"
    },
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.EnvironmentVariables": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.Json": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration.UserSecrets": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Logging": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Console": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Debug": "1.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.BrowserLink.Loader": "14.0.0-rc2-final",
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.CodeGeneration.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "type": "build"
    },
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.CodeGenerators.Mvc": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "type": "build"
    },
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authentication.Google": "1.0.0-rc2-final"
  },

  "tools": {
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Razor.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "imports": "portable-net45+win8+dnxcore50"
    },
    "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Server.IISIntegration.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "imports": "portable-net45+win8+dnxcore50"
    },
    "Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "imports": [
        "portable-net45+win8+dnxcore50",
        "portable-net45+win8"
      ]
    },
    "Microsoft.Extensions.SecretManager.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "imports": "portable-net45+win8+dnxcore50"
    },
    "Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.CodeGeneration.Tools": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview1-final",
      "imports": [
        "portable-net45+win8+dnxcore50",
        "portable-net45+win8"
      ]
    }
  },

  "frameworks": {
    "netcoreapp1.0": {
      "imports": [
        "dotnet5.6",
        "dnxcore50",
        "portable-net45+win8"
      ]
    }
  },

  "buildOptions": {
    "emitEntryPoint": true,
    "preserveCompilationContext": true
  },

  "runtimeOptions": {
    "gcServer": true
  },

  "publishOptions": {
    "include": [
      "wwwroot",
      "Views",
      "appsettings.json",
      "web.config"
    ]
  },

  "scripts": {
    "prepublish": [ "npm install", "bower install", "gulp clean", "gulp min" ],
    "postpublish": [ "dotnet publish-iis --publish-folder %publish:OutputPath% --framework %publish:FullTargetFramework%" ]
  }
}

I can't reproduce this, `dotnet user-secrets -h` works fine for me with your project.json. — svick, Jun 09 '16 at 18:03
FWIW, newer versions of .NET core, the package Microsoft.Extensions.SecretManager.Tools needs to be added to the "tools" section of project.json. Otherwise, "dotnet user-secrets" will fail with the error 'No executable found matching command "dotnet-user-secrets"'. (I also had to delete the project.lock.json file for some reason as well to get the package to add). — tifkin, Dec 31 '16 at 00:10

score 31 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 10 '16 at 01:05

31

When using any of the tools packages defined in the tools section of your project.json file, you must use them from the same directory that contains the project.json file.

For example, your project.json file is in E:\Projects\CodeServer\src\CodeServer\project.json, but you are trying to execute the command from E:\Projects\CodeServer. If you change to the E:\Projects\CodeServer\src\CodeServer\ directory before attempting to use the tools, the commands will then work.

answered Jun 10 '16 at 01:05

Daniel Grim

2,261
19
22

1

This was indeed the problem. It confused me that `dotnet restore` works from the solution level but `dotnet user-secrets` fails completely. I hope a future version can give a more descriptive error. – Fizzbuzz97 Jun 10 '16 at 15:08

score 12 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 27 '16 at 19:10

12

I have found that the package manager console is sometimes (or all the time for) is unable to use the correct directory (even if it is selected in the default project dropdown). If you first execute the command 'cd src\YourProjectName' and then e.g. 'dotnet user-secrets -h' (for help) you should be able to use the user-secrets tool.

answered Jun 27 '16 at 19:10

Indregaard

1,195
1
18
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4

Upvote for the way to change directory in Package Manager Console. Thanks – Hunter Tran Jul 14 '16 at 08:05
This worked for me in Visual Studio 2017 - 15.2. Thanks! – Andrew Quaschnick Jun 28 '17 at 04:37

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 28 '18 at 13:33

The accepted answer to this question is correct but the project.JSON file doesn't exist anymore. (Visual Studios 2017 and .Net Core 2.1) It has been replaced by a "your-app-name".csproj file. Reference: there is no project.json, global.json ... etc on .NET Core Solution with Visual Studio 2017

dotnet core user-secrets executable mysteriously missing, why?

3 Answers3