Copilot inline completion ignores instructions

[CobusKruger]

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: No

• VS Code Version: 1.95.2
• OS Version: Windows 10 Enterprise, 19045.5011
• Version: 1.95.2 (system setup)
  Commit: e865366
  Date: 2024-11-07T11:07:22.054Z
  Electron: 32.2.1
  ElectronBuildId: 10427718
  Chromium: 128.0.6613.186
  Node.js: 20.18.0
  V8: 12.8.374.38-electron.0
  OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19045

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Add Copilot instructions to the workspace settings:

    "github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.useInstructionFiles": true,
    "github.copilot.chat.codeGeneration.instructions": [
        {
            "file": "./copilot instructions/copilot-instructions-ts.md",
            "title": "Instructions for TypeScript code generation",
            "language": "typescript"
        }
    ]

2. Create an instruction file with the correct name. I have this instruction in there:

When generating code iterating an array, always prefer the for-of loop over the forEach method and the normal for loop.

3. Find a sensible place in the code and invoke the chat interface with Ctrl+I. Provide this prompt:

Declare an array of test data containing (among other things) an amount field. Then create a loop that sums the amounts and assign it to a local variable.

Resulting code (as expected):

const testData = [
  { amount: 100 },
  { amount: 200 },
  { amount: 300 },
  { amount: 400 },
  { amount: 500 },
];
let total = 0;
for (const item of testData) {
  total += item.amount;
}

4. In another, equally sensible place, place a comment containing the same prompt:

// Declare an array of test data containing (among other things) an amount field. Then create a loop that sums the amounts and assign it to a local variable.

Resulting code (wrong looping structure):

const testData = [
  { amount: 10 },
  { amount: 20 },
  { amount: 30 }
];
let total = 0;
for (let i = 0; i < testData.length; i++) {
  total += testData[i].amount;
}

Notes:

1. I expect both use case 3 and 4 to generate code using the for-of construct, as was the case for point 3.
2. I can see that my instructions are being considered when using Ctrl+I, because it actually lists my instructions file as a reference. The same cannot be determined (due to the nature of the inline usage), but it definitely doesn't appear to do the same.