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I typically use VS Code's Remote-SSH extension to connect to an AWS instance where I do my work. There's a nice section of their documentation about how to do that here. I hate just using the terminal alone because I like the debugger and the ability to open up folders and files for viewing. Until recently I had been SSH-ing from my MacBook Pro (A) to an AWS instance running Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS (B) without any issues. Now, however, I need to work on a new instance, also Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS, (C) that I can only SSH into from B, and not from A.

This part of the documentation indicates that I can SSH from A to B and then forward a port to create an SSH tunnel. However, this only allows me to open a terminal into C. However, this doesn't allow me to open folders and files in the Explorer like I want to.

I've followed Qinsheng's instructions here to set up an SSH tunnel and use the Remote-SSH extension's "ProxyJump" functionality My config file looks like this:

Host B
  HostName B.mydomain.com
  IdentityFile /Users/MyID/.ssh/B_private_key
  User me

Host C
  HostName C
  IdentityFile /Users/MyID/.ssh/C_private_key
  ProxyJump B
  User me

This works perfectly when I use the terminal on VS Code to run ssh C. Without having to input any password(s) I am taken to C and can perform my work. However, when I try to use the "Remote-SSH: Connect to Host" functionality to SSH into C, using ProxyJump through B and subsequently open a folder/view files there, I get the message "Could not establish connection to 'C'". The stack trace looks like this:

[13:59:48.537] Log Level: 2

[13:59:48.539] remote-ssh@0.51.0
[13:59:48.539] darwin x64
[13:59:48.541] SSH Resolver called for "ssh-remote+C", attempt 1
[13:59:48.541] SSH Resolver called for host: C
[13:59:48.541] Setting up SSH remote "C"
[13:59:48.546] Acquiring local install lock: /var/folders/w2/0w6jys8d34x940rj7f5r20vnh83ht7/T/vscode-remote-ssh-C-install.lock
[13:59:48.590] Looking for existing server data file at /Users/MyID/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh/vscode-ssh-host-v1-91899dcef7b8110878ea59626991a18c8a6a1b3e-0.51.0/data.json
[13:59:48.593] Using commit id "91899dcef7b8110878ea59626991a18c8a6a1b3e" and quality "stable" for server
[13:59:48.595] Install and start server if needed
[13:59:48.599] Checking ssh with "ssh -V"
[13:59:48.629] > OpenSSH_8.1p1, LibreSSL 2.7.3
[13:59:48.632] askpass server listening on /var/folders/w2/0w6jys8d34x940rj7f5r20vnh83ht7/T/vscode-ssh-askpass-c4eabfddec4ae91c1e423a3167dd184d8553da26.sock
[13:59:48.633] Spawning local server with {"ipcHandlePath":"/var/folders/w2/0w6jys8d34x940rj7f5r20vnh83ht7/T/vscode-ssh-askpass-b00842fb08dbbff49678439b1335f105364fd9d5.sock","sshCommand":"ssh","sshArgs":["-v","-T","-D","52911","-o","ConnectTimeout=15","C"],"dataFilePath":"/Users/MyID/Library/Application Support/Code/User/globalStorage/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh/vscode-ssh-host-v1-91899dcef7b8110878ea59626991a18c8a6a1b3e-0.51.0/data.json"}
[13:59:48.633] Local server env: {"DISPLAY":"1","ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE":"1","SSH_ASKPASS":"/Users/MyID/.vscode/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.51.0/out/local-server/askpass.sh","VSCODE_SSH_ASKPASS_NODE":"/Users/MyID/Desktop/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Frameworks/Code Helper (Renderer).app/Contents/MacOS/Code Helper (Renderer)","VSCODE_SSH_ASKPASS_MAIN":"/Users/MyID/.vscode/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.51.0/out/askpass-main.js","VSCODE_SSH_ASKPASS_HANDLE":"/var/folders/w2/0w6jys8d34x940rj7f5r20vnh83ht7/T/vscode-ssh-askpass-c4eabfddec4ae91c1e423a3167dd184d8553da26.sock"}
[13:59:48.635] Spawned 29414
[13:59:48.734] > local-server> Spawned ssh: 29415
[13:59:48.738] stderr> OpenSSH_8.1p1, LibreSSL 2.7.3
[13:59:48.740] stderr> /bin/false: No such file or directory
[13:59:48.740] stderr> kex_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host
[13:59:48.741] > local-server> ssh child died, shutting down
[13:59:48.745] Local server exit: 0
[13:59:48.745] Received install output: OpenSSH_8.1p1, LibreSSL 2.7.3
/bin/false: No such file or directory
kex_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host

[13:59:48.746] Stopped parsing output early. Remaining text: OpenSSH_8.1p1, LibreSSL 2.7.3/bin/false: No such file or directorykex_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host
[13:59:48.746] Failed to parse remote port from server output
[13:59:48.747] Resolver error: 
[13:59:48.750] ------

It seems clear to me that the main problem is something trying to access /bin/false as the interpreter. I assume that this is an issue with my MacBook Pro (A). I did notice that when running echo $SHELL on A that it was returning /bin/false, but I ran export SHELL=/bin/bash to change that and followed the suggestions in this post to set VS Code's integrated shell for MacOS to /bin/bash as well. I've checked echo $SHELL on B as well and it is similarly showing /bin/bash too.

My questions are these:

  1. Is what I am trying to accomplish possible?
  2. If it is, what am I doing wrong?/what can I check to help make sure that I can get to the VS Code functionalities that I want?
Chase Adams
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1 Answers1

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I figured it out. I had a bunch of /bin/false references in my /etc/passwd file, so I changed those out to /bin/bash and now it works like a charm. :)

Chase Adams
  • 11
  • 2