Vscode: MSI based Windows setup

[alexhass]

I need to install VS Code for our developers. They are not allowed to install software. As we are only using AD deployment this requires a proper MSI setup that installs _per machine_. In the installer I need to be able to disable automatic updates on machine level.

I have only seen a bad InnoSetup setup that cannot deployed via AD. Can you create a modern installer based on WiX toolkit, please? If you need help I may be able to help.

[ajf8729]

This would make it much easier to deploy and update via ConfigMgr.

[alexhass]

I worked on this issue the last days and I'm close to complete the migration from Inno to WiX setup, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post the WiX setup scripts and all the VSCode logos after the answers from https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/37187. That suxxx.

Is the MS setup developer available by email to exchange setup files with logos without making them public and without breaking a law/copyright?

[alexhass]

Shared the code at #38008

[tobi76]

I found this issue. During reading I'm currently not sure about the status. Will there be a MSI Installer in the near future? Any plans? That would be nice.

[alexhass]

There is no way to deploy software via AD without MSI setup. Please reopen https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/pull/38008!

[nzdudeinsydney]

At present, the only way to disable updates appears to be forcing a new settings.json into each user's profile. At the very least, can we please get VS Code to respect a HKLM registry setting that would disable updates?

[bluikko]

So very, very disappoointing that there is no MSI format installer.

How is it possible that an MS product does not support AD Software Installation?

[Hickory420]

So, I found this to be an issue for me as well. But, there is a "workaround" (hack)...

Since they offer a .zip format, you would have to script unzipping of the file and creating a shortcut on the user's desktop.

Since I'm not going to hold my breath for this feature, I will be implementing this... unfortunately. Once I have written the code, I will provide a link to it here.

I would like to also thank the VSCode team for such a great product. In the grand scheme of things, this application is hands down the best text editor, surpassing Sublime Text, Atom, Notepad++, you name it. I am not a developer, but I use this program daily. So, thank you for sharing the <3

[engcme]

@Hickory420 Hey I am working on implementing this at my work. Have you come up with that work around you were speaking of?

[alexhass]

I have already shared the installer code with vscode team... its in public github repro

[janparttimaa]

Any updates on this request?

[ThomasRunting]

i would love this for intune for my students

[Hickory420]

I am aware VBScript is old school and out dated, I could have done this in powershell, but I figured since there are different PS versions out there, this would cover most systems all the way from Windows XP. Admittedly not my cleanest vbscript.

Option Explicit

Dim objFSO, objWscriptShell, objShellApplication
Dim ZipFile, UnzipDir, FilesInZip

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objWscriptShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set objShellApplication = CreateObject("Shell.Application")

ZipFile = "\\server01\some\accessible\share\VSCode-win32-x64-1.36.1.zip"
UnzipDir = "C:\path\on\local\machine"

' Make sure the directory we are extracting to exists
If Not objFSO.FolderExists(UnzipDir) Then objFSO.CreateFolder(UnzipDir)

Set FilesInZip = objShellApplication.NameSpace(ZipFile).items

objShellApplication.NameSpace(UnzipDir).CopyHere(FilesInZip)


' Create the shortcut
Dim VSCode_ShortCutName, VSCode_DesktopShortCut, VSCode_FullExecutable, lnk

VSCode_ShortCutName    = "Visual Studio Code.lnk"
VSCode_DesktopShortCut = objWscriptShell.SpecialFolders("desktop") & "\" & VSCode_ShortCutName
VSCode_FullExecutable  = UnzipDir & "\Code.exe"

' Reset the shortcut every time this script is run.
If objFSO.FileExists(VSCode_DesktopShortCut) Then objFSO.DeleteFile VSCode_DesktopShortCut,True

If Not objFSO.FileExists(VSCode_DesktopShortCut) Then
  Set lnk = objWscriptShell.CreateShortcut(VSCode_DesktopShortCut)
  lnk.targetpath   = VSCode_FullExecutable
  lnk.IconLocation = VSCode_FullExecutable & ",0"
  lnk.Description  = "Best Text Editor Ever"
  lnk.WorkingDirectory = UnzipDir
  lnk.save
End If

I have tested this with files on my local machine and it works. You can put this script in a Logon group policy and the end user will get VSCode deployed to their machine.

Edit: One caveat with the Desktop as the destination for the shortcut is, Windows Defender Protected Folders. You will either need to allow [cw]script.exe to make changes to the desktop, or save the shortcut elsewhere.

Although, I have not tested this on the objWscriptShell.SpecialFolders("AllUsersDesktop")
I don't know if Windows Defender will complain about saving to that location.

[pyoungberg]

Any update?

[cconrado]

Would Love It!

[vscode-triage-bot]

We closed this issue because we don't plan to address it in the foreseeable future. You can find more detailed information about our decision-making process here. If you disagree and feel that this issue is crucial: We are happy to listen and to reconsider.

If you wonder what we are up to, please see our roadmap and issue reporting guidelines.

Thanks for your understanding and happy coding!

[alexhass]

We still need this.

[bluikko]

Agreed - but maybe efforts should concentrate on VSCodium which seems to understand the value of an MSI?

[shcgitpf]

Still need this. Coding is huge in education, and Microsoft actively refusing to use Microsoft's own MSI deployment mechanisms just throws barriers up in front of students and admins trying to deploy this software. This should be as simple as I upload an MSI to Intune / Endpoint and assign it to students, many of whom are forced to be at home due to the pandemic. Instead I'm now going to have to screw around trying to shoe-horn an exe installer into SCCM and somehow get this to the students at home.

Not cool Microsoft.

[janparttimaa]

Agree, we use Visual Studio Code on our Enterprise-environment and has been deployed the app via SCCM. Using MSI-installer is much better solution for Enterprise-environment instead exe-installer. MSI-installer is needed!

[bluikko]

Everyone needing MSI installer I suggest to take a look at https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/issues/106 and register your thumbsups on it.