Invalid command line argument: -–import

[johnwspirent]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.3085]

WSL Version

2.0.14.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.15.133.1-1

Distro Version

n/a

Other Software

none

Repro Steps

I am trying to import a .tar based on Debian. The "--import" doesn't work at all for me, although it does for a colleague. Entering "wsl --import" with or without additional arguments returns "Invalid command line argument: -–import" error.

Expected Behavior

Enter "wsl -–import" in a PowerShell with admin rights. I would expect to see the "--help" text because the command arguments are missing.

Enter "wsl --import" with correct arguments and I would expect the .tar file to be import.

Enter "wsl --help" and I would to see help text.

Actual Behavior

I see an "Invalid command line argument" error for import:

PS C:\svn\wsl_images> wsl -–import
Invalid command line argument: -–import
Please use 'wsl.exe --help' to get a list of supported arguments.

"wsl --help" is working for me now, but even this stopped working for some time. I have no idea why it stopped working or why it started working again:

PS C:\svn\wsl_images> wsl -–help
Invalid command line argument: -–help
Please use 'wsl.exe --help' to get a list of supported arguments.

Diagnostic Logs

No response

[0xbadfca11]

You are mixing a hyphen(-) and an EN DASH(–).

[johnwspirent]

Many thanks, that was the issue. In my defence PowerShell displays the two hyphen characters identically. I had cut and pasted the text into PowerShell and from then on command recall made the issue persistent.