[vcpkg] vcpkg.exe (classic mode) breaks if a manifest is found in parent directory.

[Neumann-A]

Output with error: (since directory AllProjects contains vcpkg.json; removing/renaming it solves the issue)

E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg>vcpkg.exe install zlib --debug
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'binarycaching' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'manifests' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'compilertracking' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'registries' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'versions' unset
[DEBUG] BuiltinRegistry initialized with: ""
[DEBUG] Using vcpkg-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg
[DEBUG] Using manifest-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects
[DEBUG] Using vcpkg_installed-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg_installed
[DEBUG] BuiltinRegistry initialized with: ""
[DEBUG] Using buildtrees-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg\buildtrees
[DEBUG] Using downloads-root: E:\vcpkg_cache\downloads
[DEBUG] Using packages-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg\packages
[DEBUG] Using scripts-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg\scripts
[DEBUG] Using ports-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg\ports
[DEBUG] Using versions-root: E:\Repos\AllProjects\vcpkg\versions
Error: 'install' requires 0 arguments, but 1 were provided.
Example:
  vcpkg install --triplet x64-windows

Expected Output:

$ ./vcpkg.exe install zlib --debug
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'binarycaching' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'manifests' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'compilertracking' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'registries' unset
[DEBUG] Feature flag 'versions' unset
[DEBUG] BuiltinRegistry initialized with: ""
[DEBUG] Using vcpkg-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master
[DEBUG] Using installed-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master\installed
[DEBUG] BuiltinRegistry initialized with: ""
[DEBUG] Using buildtrees-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master\buildtrees
[DEBUG] Using downloads-root: E:\vcpkg_cache\downloads
[DEBUG] Using packages-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master\packages
[DEBUG] Using scripts-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master\scripts
[DEBUG] Using ports-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master\ports
[DEBUG] Using versions-root: E:\vcpkg_folders\master\versions
[DEBUG] Default binary cache path is: E:\vcpkg_cache\binaries
Computing installation plan...
The following packages are already installed:
    zlib[core]:x64-windows-static -> 1.2.11#10
Package zlib:x64-windows-static is already installed

vcpkg should NEVER search parent directories for vcpkg.json in such a way that it breaks classic mode.

cc @strega-nil

[cenit]

is it related to #18283?

[Neumann-A]

the error is totally different and i was on latest commit so I don't think so? It also never gets to that part of the code?

[BillyONeal]

I believe this behavior is by design.