Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content - Export don't work / SET strange behaviour

[mimachniak]

Prerequisites

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• Make sure you are able to repro it on the latest version
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Summary

Hi as I'm testing new file content I see that when I like to export I goot issue, but when I run the same file with SET is working like export

Steps to reproduce

1. I have configuration file like this when I don't have content

$schema: https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.json

resources:

- name: Test File
  type: Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content
  properties:
    path: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt

My test file content - file is created manually in local path

Hello World
Hello World 2

2. Running export - this output error

dsc -l debug config export --file .\export-dsc-file-content.yaml

3. Running SET this give outpur like this

dsc -l debug config set--file .\export-dsc-file-content.yaml

executionInformation:                                                                                                                                     
  duration: PT2.4210989S
  endDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:08.838760-07:00
  executionType: actual
  operation: set
  securityContext: elevated
  startDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:06.417661100-07:00
  version: 3.4.0-preview.1
metadata:
  Microsoft.DSC:
    duration: PT2.4210948S
    endDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:08.838755900-07:00
    executionType: actual
    operation: set
    securityContext: elevated
    startDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:06.417661100-07:00
    version: 3.4.0-preview.1
results:
- executionInformation:
    duration: PT0.0162712S
  metadata:
    Microsoft.DSC:
      duration: PT0.0162712S
  name: Test File
  type: Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content
  result:
    beforeState:
      path: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
    afterState:
      path: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
      content: "Hello World\r\nHello World 2"
      sha256: 4cb711e6d67352a139c55c3ae57a7d8a84f454479bd48f031fbcc08f254a24da
      sha512: 2ebbe8171d841341fa9c4d00414a385200ac9d1308fd53ec6b45322f9ca7f3ceb6fa6f1bf2ac578017a311c2730139718598c2c287d64f421a72e01f1217e6e6
      _exist: true
      _inDesiredState: true
    changedProperties: null
messages: []
hadErrors: false

Expected behavior

dsc -l debug config export --file .\export-dsc-file-content.yaml

executionInformation:                                                                                                                                     
  duration: PT2.4210989S
  endDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:08.838760-07:00
  executionType: actual
  operation: set
  securityContext: elevated
  startDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:06.417661100-07:00
  version: 3.4.0-preview.1
metadata:
  Microsoft.DSC:
    duration: PT2.4210948S
    endDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:08.838755900-07:00
    executionType: actual
    operation: set
    securityContext: elevated
    startDatetime: 2026-09-20T11:49:06.417661100-07:00
    version: 3.4.0-preview.1
results:
- executionInformation:
    duration: PT0.0162712S
  metadata:
    Microsoft.DSC:
      duration: PT0.0162712S
  name: Test File
  type: Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content
  result:
    beforeState:
      path: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
    afterState:
      path: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
      content: "Hello World\r\nHello World 2"
      sha256: 4cb711e6d67352a139c55c3ae57a7d8a84f454479bd48f031fbcc08f254a24da
      sha512: 2ebbe8171d841341fa9c4d00414a385200ac9d1308fd53ec6b45322f9ca7f3ceb6fa6f1bf2ac578017a311c2730139718598c2c287d64f421a72e01f1217e6e6
      _exist: true
      _inDesiredState: true
    changedProperties: null
messages: []
hadErrors: false

Actual behavior

2026-09-20T18:47:21.723149Z DEBUG dsc_lib::configure: 1390: Invoke property expressions
2026-09-20T18:47:21.723727Z DEBUG dsc_lib::parser: 48: Parsing statement: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
2026-09-20T18:47:21.724244Z DEBUG dsc_lib::parser: 82: Parsing string literal: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
2026-09-20T18:47:21.724757Z DEBUG dsc_lib::configure: 966: resource_type Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content
2026-09-20T18:47:21.725317Z  INFO dsc_lib::configure: 129: Resource 'Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content' does not support export filtering, the engine will filter the exported instances (experimental feature)
2026-09-20T18:47:21.725731Z DEBUG dsc_lib::dscresources::dscresource: 589: Invoking export for 'Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content'
2026-09-20T18:47:21.733017Z ERROR dsc_lib::dscresources::command_resource: 1313: PID 8548: Invalid JSON input: EOF while parsing a value at line 1 column 0
2026-09-20T18:47:21.733965Z DEBUG dsc_lib::dscresources::command_resource: 912: Process 'filecontent' id 8548 exited with code 2
2026-09-20T18:47:21.734519Z ERROR dsc_lib::dscresources::command_resource: 970: Failed to run process 'filecontent': Command: Resource 'filecontent' [exit code 2] manifest description: Invalid input
2026-09-20T18:47:21.735565Z ERROR dsc::subcommand: 238: Command: Resource 'filecontent' [exit code 2] manifest description: Invalid input
PS C:\dsc\config\file-content> dsc config export 
2026-09-20T18:47:38.800616Z ERROR Error: JSON: EOF while parsing a value at line 1 column 0
PS C:\dsc\config\file-content> dsc config export --help
Export the current configuration

Error details

2026-09-20T18:47:21.723149Z DEBUG dsc_lib::configure: 1390: Invoke property expressions
2026-09-20T18:47:21.723727Z DEBUG dsc_lib::parser: 48: Parsing statement: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
2026-09-20T18:47:21.724244Z DEBUG dsc_lib::parser: 82: Parsing string literal: C:\dsc\config\file-content\test.txt
2026-09-20T18:47:21.724757Z DEBUG dsc_lib::configure: 966: resource_type Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content
2026-09-20T18:47:21.725317Z  INFO dsc_lib::configure: 129: Resource 'Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content' does not support export filtering, the engine will filter the exported instances (experimental feature)
2026-09-20T18:47:21.725731Z DEBUG dsc_lib::dscresources::dscresource: 589: Invoking export for 'Microsoft.Filesystem.File/Content'
2026-09-20T18:47:21.733017Z ERROR dsc_lib::dscresources::command_resource: 1313: PID 8548: Invalid JSON input: EOF while parsing a value at line 1 column 0
2026-09-20T18:47:21.733965Z DEBUG dsc_lib::dscresources::command_resource: 912: Process 'filecontent' id 8548 exited with code 2
2026-09-20T18:47:21.734519Z ERROR dsc_lib::dscresources::command_resource: 970: Failed to run process 'filecontent': Command: Resource 'filecontent' [exit code 2] manifest description: Invalid input
2026-09-20T18:47:21.735565Z ERROR dsc::subcommand: 238: Command: Resource 'filecontent' [exit code 2] manifest description: Invalid input
PS C:\dsc\config\file-content> dsc config export 
2026-09-20T18:47:38.800616Z ERROR Error: JSON: EOF while parsing a value at line 1 column 0
PS C:\dsc\config\file-content> dsc config export --help
Export the current configuration

Environment data

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.6.1
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.6.1
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.26100
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.4
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Version

dsc 3.4.0-preview.1

Visuals

No response

[SteveL-MSFT]

Michal Machniak (@mimachniak) I think I already fixed this via #1723. Are you able to build this repo locally and verify?

[mimachniak]

I will to build