dotnet core user-secrets executable mysteriously missing, why? - .net-core

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%" ]
}
}

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

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