Azure-functions-core-tools: `func host start` allows running in invalid directory

[lastcoolnameleft]

If you run func host start in a directory outside of the project, it exits with the error: Unable to find project root.. This is good behavior.

However, if you run func host start in a function subdirectory (e.g. HttpTrigger from the examples), then it will create a new host.json file and start. This is inconsistent behavior. A preferred behavior would be to exit similar to if it was outside of the directory.

[snobu]

May i also suggest amending the original error message to:

Unable to find project root.
Expecting to find one of host.json, local.settings.json in project root.
Make sure you're running from your function app's root directory.

Added last line.

[brandonh-msft]

personally I'd appreciate a way to run func host start --content <path to my function's root dir> so I don't have to cd to the dir before running func

[elliotchaim]

I agree with @brandonh-msft . Not having this feature makes it difficult to work with functions projects in VS Code when working in a large repo. For example, we have /dotnet/src/FunctionsApp, but VS Code needs to be open at /. This means we can't utilise tasks.json to run the functions app and speed up development

[unibeck]

Having a feature like @brandonh-msft mentioned would be much appreciated. Any update on if/when we could expect something like that?