kiota plugin generate creates an empty folder called output when the output folder is set to something else.

[darrelmiller]

What are you generating using Kiota, clients or plugins?

API Client/SDK

In what context or format are you using Kiota?

Nuget tool

Client library/SDK language

None

Describe the bug

When creating a plugin and choosing a different folder for output, the generate command causes a folder called output to still be created.

Expected behavior

No output folder.

How to reproduce

kiota plugin add --pn openaiplug  --type APIPlugin -o testplugin -d "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openai/openai-openapi/master/openapi.yaml"

kiota plugin generate --pn openaiplug 

Open API description file

No response

Kiota Version

1.18.0-preview.202408220001+9b943845ea8e90b3d5d7d4ee30b4fee0f9d36ab1

Latest Kiota version known to work for scenario above?(Not required)

No response

Known Workarounds

No response

Configuration

No response

Debug output

Click to expand log

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</details>


### Other information

_No response_

[baywet]

@darrelmiller this is expected. It's because we are operating on multiple clients/plugins and we need somewhere to place the logs.
(there are logs like parsing the workspace configuration that are not related to any given plugin/client)
We could decide to place this somewhere else, like in the .kiota directory, but then we should decide where to place it for other commands.

Also while looking into that, I noticed kiota was emitting the wrong hints afterwards. This has been addressed by #5245

[darrelmiller]

I think we need to consider putting those files in the .kiota file. I found it quite intrusive when trying to organize the project with Kiota/TypeSpec/TTK all working together.

[baywet]

And then would you expect a second log file: one for each client essentially?

[darrelmiller]

I think I would expect just one log file for kiota.
I'm not sure what the value of a client specific log is.

[baywet]

so should we say we always log under .kiota in the workspace experience? CC @maisarissi

[sebastienlevert]

I vote yes for logs. Less intrusive and easier to locate across all clients generated! Maybe a .kiota/logs folder? Are we generating a single file for all generated artifacts or a log file per artifact?

[baywet]

right now the experience is a bit inconsistent:

• any command that impacts a single client/plugin: next to the client/plugins
• any other command (including search, show, etc...): output folder

[maisarissi]

I'm ok with one log file and I don't see scenarios where having specific logs per client/plugin generation would benefit the user more than 1 log across all generation.
So, in the future we want TTK to use the .kiota as part of their app creation when creating a API plugin, so their users can benefit from Kiota features like editing existing plugins, regeneration, etc.
Should the logs be part of the .kiota too?

[baywet]

We could have a structure like this one in the workspace experience:

• commands that impact clients/plugins .kiota/logs/CLientName.log
• every other command .kiota/logs/main.log (assuming nobody names a client "main")

if that works for you, can you update the specs please?