octopus completion powershell returns root help/banner instead of PowerShell completion script (exit code 3)

[WillParry]

The bug

The PowerShell autocomplete generation command appears to be broken in Octopus CLI 2.21.3 and 2.21.2.

The CLI advertises a completion command:

completion: Generate the autocompletion script for the specified shell

The following help command succeeds and shows the expected usage:

octopus help completion powershell

Output:

Generate the autocompletion script for powershell.

To load completions in your current shell session:

        octopus completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

However, running the documented command:

octopus completion powershell

does not generate a PowerShell completion script.

Instead, it outputs the top-level Octopus CLI banner/help beginning with:

Work seamlessly with Octopus Deploy from the command line.

and exits with code:

3

No output is written to STDERR.

Because the command emits the root help text rather than a PowerShell script, the documented installation command also fails:

octopus completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

Result:

Invoke-Expression : The term 'Work' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet,
function, script file, or operable program.

Command to reproduce

octopus --version

octopus help completion powershell

octopus completion powershell

$LASTEXITCODE

Also:

octopus completion powershell | Out-String | Invoke-Expression

$LASTEXITCODE

Outcome

Actual:

Work seamlessly with Octopus Deploy from the command line.

                ####
            ############
         ##################
         ...

Exit code:

3

STDERR:

<empty>

Expected:

A PowerShell completion script is written to STDOUT.

Versions

cli:

2.21.3

Also reproduced on:

2.21.2

Octopus Server:

Not applicable

The completion script generation command should not require an Octopus Server connection to function.

Links

None.

[WillParry]

Update

Following investigation by Octopus Support, the issue appears to be related to authentication state.

Octopus Support were able to reproduce the behaviour and found that it occurs when the CLI is not authenticated. After logging out:

octopus logout
octopus completion powershell

the command returns the top-level CLI banner/help output and exits with code 3 instead of generating a PowerShell completion script.

After authenticating with:

octopus login

the same command:

octopus completion powershell

generates the expected PowerShell completion script.

The remaining concern is that this dependency on authentication is not currently obvious from the command help. The help text for:

octopus help completion powershell

does not indicate that a login is required, and when the user is not authenticated the command:

• Returns the root help/banner text.
• Exits with code 3.
• Produces no output on STDERR.
• Does not display an error explaining that authentication is required.

This makes the issue appear to be a broken completion command rather than an authentication requirement.

If authentication is required by design, it would be helpful for the CLI to both:

1. Document the prerequisite in the command help, or
2. Display a clear error message indicating that the user must authenticate before generating completion scripts.