Cordova Plugin Add: TypeError: version is longer than 256 characters

Hi,
I have another laptop where i was trying to install ionic. I installed JAVA, ANDROID etc. I am unable to add platform.
Error message is: TypeError: version is longer than 256 characters

ionic cordova build android

   Adding android project...
        Creating Cordova project for the Android platform:
                Path: platforms\android
                Package: io.ionic.starter
                Name: MyApp
                Activity: MainActivity
                Android target: android-25
        Subproject Path: CordovaLib
        Android project created with cordova-android@6.2.3
        Discovered plugin "cordova-plugin-console" in config.xml. Adding it to the project
        Installing "cordova-plugin-console" for android
        Failed to install 'cordova-plugin-console': TypeError: version is longer than 256 characters
             at new SemVer (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\node_modules\semver\semver.js:283:11)
             at compare (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\node_modules\semver\semver.js:566:10)
             at Function.gte (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\node_modules\semver\semver.js:615:10)
             at C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\src\plugman\install.js:629:24
             at _fulfilled (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:854:54)
             at self.promiseDispatch.done (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:883:30)
             at Promise.promise.promiseDispatch (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:816:13)
             at C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:624:44
             at runSingle (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:137:13)
             at flush (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:125:13)
        Failed to restore plugin "cordova-plugin-console" from config.xml. You might need to try adding it again. Error: TypeError: version is longer than 256 characters
        Discovered plugin "cordova-plugin-device" in config.xml. Adding it to the project
        Installing "cordova-plugin-device" for android
        Failed to install 'cordova-plugin-device': TypeError: version is longer than 256 characters
             at new SemVer (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\node_modules\semver\semver.js:283:11)
             at compare (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\node_modules\semver\semver.js:566:10)
             at Function.gte (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\node_modules\semver\semver.js:615:10)
             at C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\cordova\node_modules\cordova-lib\src\plugman\install.js:629:24
             at _fulfilled (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:854:54)
             at self.promiseDispatch.done (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:883:30)
             at Promise.promise.promiseDispatch (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:816:13)
             at C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:624:44
             at runSingle (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:137:13)
             at flush (C:\app3\todo\platforms\android\cordova\node_modules\q\q.js:125:13)


$ionic info output:

cli packages: (C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules)

@ionic/cli-utils  : 1.9.2
ionic (Ionic CLI) : 3.9.2

global packages:

Cordova CLI : 7.0.1

local packages:

Cordova Platforms : android C:\app3\todo>set cihdrive=c: C:\app3\todo>set cihdir=c:\cih C:\app3\todo>set servdir=c:\cih\service C:\app3\todo>path C:\Users\hillesc\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\usr\local\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\bin;C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin;C:\Users\hillesc\bin;C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\xTools;C:\windows\SYSTEM32;C:\windows;C:\windows\SYSTEM32\WBEM;C:\windows\SYSTEM32\WINDOWSPOWERSHELL\V1.0;C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\INTEL\SERVICES\IPT;C:\PROGRAM FILES (X86)\COMMON FILES\ULEAD SYSTEMS\MPEG;C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software;C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Bluetooth Software\syswow64;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\100\DTS\Binn;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\Tools\Binn\VSShell\Common7\IDE;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\100\DTS\Binn;C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft ASP.NET\ASP.NET Web Pages\v1.0;C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\Windows Performance Toolkit;C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\Tools\Binn;C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Intuit\QBPOSSDKRuntime;C:\Program Files (x86)\Hyland\Web ActiveX;C:\Program Files\Microsoft System Center 2012 R2\Service Manager;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_111\bin;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\bin;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\WirelessCommon;C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_111\bin;C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Local\Android\sdk\tools;C:\Users\hillesc\AppData\Local\Android\sdk\platform-tools;C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin\vendor_perl;C:\Program Files\Git\usr\bin\core_perl;c:\cih\util 6.2.3
Ionic Framework   : ionic1 1.3.3

System:

Android SDK Tools : 26.0.2
Node              : v6.11.2
npm               : 3.10.10
OS                : Windows 7

That “Cordova Platforms” list looks insane. Is your ANDROID_HOME set to something bizarre? Something looks broken about your environment setup.

Thank you! That comment led me to the problem. I had a registry entry in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor that automatically runs a job (a.bat) which has those exact SET commands in it.

Once I took that out, everything works fine now. The “ionic info” command looks normal now.

I doubt there are many other people out there that may have done this, but maybe it will help someone.