zed-industries/zed · error

No process selected with config that contains {}

Error message

No process selected with config that contains {}

What it means

Attach-to-process flow: when the resolved debug config still contains the processId placeholder, Zed opens the AttachModal with a oneshot channel to receive a PID; if the modal is dismissed (or nothing is selected) the channel yields None and the session aborts with this message before substituting the PID (running.rs:1102).

Source

Thrown at crates/debugger_ui/src/session/running.rs:1102

                let (tx, rx) = futures::channel::oneshot::channel::<Option<i32>>();

                let weak_workspace_clone = weak_workspace.clone();
                weak_workspace.update_in(cx, |workspace, window, cx| {
                    let project = workspace.project().clone();
                    workspace.toggle_modal(window, cx, |window, cx| {
                        AttachModal::new(
                            ModalIntent::ResolveProcessId(Some(tx)),
                            weak_workspace_clone,
                            project,
                            true,
                            window,
                            cx,
                        )
                    });
                }).ok();

                let Some(process_id) = rx.await.ok().flatten() else {
                    bail!("No process selected with config that contains {}", PROCESS_ID_PLACEHOLDER.as_str())
                };

                Self::substitute_process_id_in_config(&mut config, process_id);
            }

            let request_type = match dap_registry
                .adapter(&adapter)
                .with_context(|| format!("{adapter}: is not a valid adapter name")) {
                    Ok(adapter) => adapter.request_kind(&config).await,
                    Err(e) => Err(e)
                };


            let config_is_valid = request_type.is_ok();
            let mut extra_config = Value::Null;
            let build_output = if let Some(build) = build {
                let (task_template, locator_name) = match build {
                    BuildTaskDefinition::Template {

View on GitHub (pinned to f4178619ac)

Solutions

1. Re-run the attach and actually select a process in the modal.
2. Confirm the target process is still running and visible to the picker (on Linux/macOS, same-user processes or elevated permissions).
3. Skip the modal by putting a concrete `"processId": <pid>` in the config instead of the placeholder.
4. For services with fixed ports, prefer a `tcp_connection` attach instead of processId.

Example fix

// before (debug.json — triggers picker; cancel -> error)
{
  "adapter": "Python",
  "request": "attach",
  "config": { "processId": "${0}" }
}

// after (explicit pid, no modal)
{
  "adapter": "Python",
  "request": "attach",
  "config": { "processId": 41235 }
}

// only prompt for a PID when the config actually needs one
let needs_pid = config.to_string().contains(PROCESS_ID_PLACEHOLDER.as_str());
if !needs_pid {
    // skip the attach modal entirely
    return Ok(config);
}

Await the PID channel and branch: `match rx.await.ok().flatten() { Some(pid) => substitute(pid), None => return Err(UserCancelled) }` — model dismissal as a distinct cancel error rather than a generic failure, so UI can stay quiet.

When it happens

Trigger: A debug config containing the `{processId}` placeholder under an attach request, and the user cancels the process picker, or the picker's filtered list is empty so no PID is ever sent through the channel.

Common situations: Target process exits before selection; the process belongs to another user and is filtered out by permissions; users pressing Esc expecting attach to proceed; headless/automation contexts where no one answers the modal.

Related errors

• Cannot have two different hosts in debug configuration
• Cannot have two different ports in debug configuration
• debug config not found in mode: {mode}
• Could not resolve task variables within a debug scenario
• Build failed

AI-assisted analysis of zed-industries/zed@f4178619ac (2026-08-20). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6494d7070ee73980. Report an issue: GitHub.