Git for Windows installer doesn't detect Visual Studio Code user installation

[michael-buchner]

Existing issues matching what you're seeing

• I was not able to find an open or closed issue matching what I'm seeing

Git for Windows version

2.55.0.5

Windows version

Windows 11

Windows CPU architecture

x86_64 (64-bit)

Additional Windows version information

Options set during installation

Default settings but VS Code

Other interesting things

Was already reported in microsoft/vscode#58748

Terminal/shell

PowerShell

Commands that trigger the issue

Installation with default values

Expected behaviour

Visual Studio Code system and user installation shall be detected by installer

Actual behaviour

Only Visual Studio Code system-wide installation is detected and can be selected

Repository

No response

[michael-buchner]

When selecting Visual Studio Code, "Next" is grayed out:

[dscho]

Here is the logic that should detect the user installation: https://github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra/blob/f3c914b09332b7a16621289afd5c0897c6f93148/installer/install.iss#L1956-L1957

@michael-buchner can you figure out whether the registry setting Software\Classes\Applications\Code.exe\shell\open\command exists on your machine? And if it does not, can you find a more robust tell-tale that VS Code is installed?

[michael-buchner]

HKLM\Software\Classes\Applications\Code.exe\shell\open\command doesn't exist while HKCU\Software\Classes\Applications\Code.exe\shell\open\command does -> VS Code user installed, installer should be able to detect it according to the code but the "Next" button is disabled when selecting VS Code in the installer. Maybe user installation is properly detected but the logic to enable the "Next" button is wrong?

[dscho]

@michael-buchner sorry, the code does look at HKEY_CURRENT_USER... Maybe this has something to do with being a 64-bit installer now (and maybe not quite yet in v2.55.0(5)?) Could you try the installer of https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/tag/v2.56.0-rc1.windows.1?

[michael-buchner]

Sorry, just shortened it.
It is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\Applications\Code.exe\shell\open\command => doesn't exist
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Applications\Code.exe\shell\open\command => exists

[michael-buchner]

2.56.0 RC1 works neither

[dscho]

Hmm. You wouldn't be able to test-build a small InnoSetup installer (using https://github.com/git-for-windows/build-extra/tree/main/installer/InnoSetup) that merely looks at the very same registry key? Maybe something based on this:

[Setup]
AppName=RegistryVSCodeTest
AppVersion=0.0
WizardStyle=modern
DefaultDirName=C:\My Program
PrivilegesRequired=lowest

[Code]
procedure LogError(Msg:string);
begin
    MsgBox(Msg,mbError,MB_OK);
    Log(Msg);
end;

function InitializeSetup(): Boolean;
var
    VisualStudioCodePath: String;
begin
    if RegQueryStringValue(HKEY_CURRENT_USER,'Software\Classes\Applications\Code.exe\shell\open\command','',VisualStudioCodePath) then
        MsgBox('Got command "'+VisualStudioCodePath+'"',mbInformation,MB_OK)
    else
        MsgBox('Failed to get the registry key.',mbInformation,MB_OK);
    Result:=False;
end;

(The Result:=False at the end is merely so that the installer won't actually try to install anything.)

[Abdellox]

Thanks for opening this! I'd like to help investigate.

Could you share:

• Steps to reproduce
• Expected vs actual
• Environment details

I'll look at the code and help if I can.

[michael-buchner]

I guess I found the reason:
On our managed company clients we are installing software either via Microsoft Company Portal packages (as Local System) or manually in a Microsoft Endpoint Privilege Management elevated shell (as user_$). Since VS Code is installed in user profile user_$, the Git installer can not find the HKCU reg key when executed as Local System. It will only work when both are installed in the elevated shell in same user-context.
So, my recommendation would be to provide the possibility to manually define the VS Code installation location. What do you think?

[dscho]

@michael-buchner that explanation makes sense.

You will be delighted to learn that the possibility to manually define VS Code as your editor is already possible:

Specify code -w as command:

And then test it with the Test Custom Editor button.

[michael-buchner]

Huuuuuuu, awesome. I didn't have that on my radar at all. Thanks.