Microsoft.DSC/Include fails in two ways: relative configurationFile resolves from DSC install dir, and valid included config fails with Object vs Array error

[victor-pogor]

Relevant area(s)

WinGet CLI, DSC Resource

Relevant command(s)

winget configure

Brief description of your issue

Microsoft.DSC/Include appears to fail under winget configure in two separate ways:

1. Relative include paths resolve incorrectly

   • configurationFile: ./sdk/node.winget is resolved relative to the installed DSC package directory, not the parent configuration file.

2. Valid included configs fail during test

   • If I use a path that does resolve to the child config, winget configure fails while testing Microsoft.DSC/Include with:
     • The requested operation requires an element of type 'Object', but the target element has type 'Array'.

The included file succeeds when run directly with winget configure, so the child config itself appears valid.

Steps to reproduce

Repro files

Parent config: configuration.sdk.winget

# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json

# The new Microsoft DSC schema is not aligned (yet) with WinGet Studio
# See https://github.com/microsoft/winget-studio/issues/193

# yaml-language-server-disable https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3/config/document.json
$schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/2023/08/config/document.json
metadata:
  winget:
    processor:
      identifier: dscv3
resources:
  - type: Microsoft.DSC/Include
    name: NodeJS
    metadata:
      description: Install Node.js LTS
    properties:
      configurationFile: "${WinGetConfigRoot}/sdk/node.winget"

Child config: sdk/node.winget

# yaml-language-server: $schema=https://aka.ms/dsc/schemas/v3/bundled/config/document.vscode.json

# The new Microsoft DSC schema is not aligned (yet) with WinGet Studio
# See https://github.com/microsoft/winget-studio/issues/193

# yaml-language-server-disable https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/v3/config/document.json
$schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/PowerShell/DSC/main/schemas/2023/08/config/document.json
metadata:
  winget:
    processor:
      identifier: dscv3
resources:
  - type: Microsoft.WinGet/Package
    name: NodeJS
    metadata:
      description: Installing Node.js LTS
    properties:
      id: OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS
      source: winget
      useLatest: true

Repro steps

Case 1: child config directly

Run the child config directly:

winget configure --accept-configuration-agreements -f .\sdk\node.winget

Case 2: parent config using Include

Run the parent config:

winget configure --accept-configuration-agreements -f .\configuration.sdk.winget

Expected behavior

Both commands should succeed.

In particular:

• Microsoft.DSC/Include should resolve relative configurationFile paths from the parent config file location.
• A child config that succeeds directly should also succeed when included.

Actual behavior

Relative path case

If I change the parent to use a relative path:

configurationFile: ./sdk/node.winget

the include fails because the path is resolved against the installed DSC package directory:

  The configuration unit failed while attempting to test the current system state.
2026-06-06T03:29:25.156426Z ERROR trace_message="PID 27884: Failed to open included file 'C:\\Program Files\\WindowsApps\\Microsoft.DesiredStateConfiguration_3.2.1.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\\./sdk/node.winget': The system cannot find the path specified. (os error 3)"
2026-06-06T03:29:25.158673Z ERROR Failed to run process 'dsc': Command: Resource 'dsc' [exit code 2] manifest description: Resource error…
<See the log file for additional details>
Some of the configuration was not applied successfully.

Expanded/absolute path case

If I use a path that does resolve to the child config, the include still fails during test:

2026-06-06 13:17:20.360 [CONF] Configuration unit Microsoft.DSC/Include[NodeJS] failed with code 0x80131509 and error message:
The requested operation requires an element of type 'Object', but the target element has type 'Array'.
System.InvalidOperationException: The requested operation requires an element of type 'Object', but the target element has type 'Array'.
   at System.Text.Json.ThrowHelper.ThrowJsonElementWrongTypeException(JsonTokenType expectedType, JsonTokenType actualType)
   at System.Text.Json.JsonDocument.TryGetNamedPropertyValue(Int32 index, ReadOnlySpan`1 propertyName, JsonElement& value)
   at System.Text.Json.JsonElement.TryGetProperty(ReadOnlySpan`1 propertyName, JsonElement& value)
   at System.Text.Json.JsonElement.TryGetProperty(String propertyName, JsonElement& value)
   at Microsoft.Management.Configuration.Processor.DSCv3.Schema_2024_04.Outputs.FullItemBase`2.CreateFrom(JsonDocument document, JsonSerializerOptions options)
   at Microsoft.Management.Configuration.Processor.DSCv3.Schema_2024_04.DSCv3.TestResource(ConfigurationUnitInternal unitInternal, ProcessorRunSettings runSettings)
   at Microsoft.Management.Configuration.Processor.DSCv3.Unit.DSCv3ConfigurationUnitProcessor.TestSettingsInternal()
   at Microsoft.Management.Configuration.Processor.Unit.ConfigurationUnitProcessorBase.TestSettings()

Notes

• The child file works when run directly, so this seems specific to the Microsoft.DSC/Include path.
• This may be either:
  • a winget configure integration issue,
  • a DSC v3 importer/result-shape issue,
  • or a version/schema mismatch in how include/test results are handled.
• If switching to relative path, and using dsc config set --file .\configuration.sdk.winget, it works perfectly fine

Environment

- WinGet: `1.29.140-preview`
- Package: `Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.29.140.0`
- OS: `Windows.Desktop v10.0.26220.8544`
- System Architecture: x64