VSCode installer "open with..." fails on unprivileged accounts

[lethevimlet]

VSCode Windows installer fails to add context menu on standard user accounts since it uses HKEY_ROOT

Installer reg values should use HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes instead of HKEY_ROOT, this will fix the issue and work for all kind of users.

This fixes issue #12147 which was closed prematurely.

As a meanwhile solution:

Add this to a text file and rename it to .reg, then double click on it and enjoy open with VSCode.
(Note: this will only work on default install location, you must edit paths if another install location is used)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\*\shell\VSCode]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\*\shell\VSCode\command]
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe" "%1"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\Background\shell\VSCode]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\Background\shell\VSCode\command]
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe" "%V"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\VSCode]
C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Directory\shell\VSCode\command]
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe" "%V"

[dblatner]

Your Solution works perfectly when VS Code is installed on the default location. I'm using the 64-bit version. Thank you @lethevimlet !

[lethevimlet]

The hex values are the path to the default location just change them if you need a different location, I'm glad it helps someone ^_^

[JimAmuro]

I think the installer does use HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes, because according to MSDN:

To change the default settings, store the changes under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes. If you write keys to a key under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, the system stores the information under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes.

If it writes to ROOT, the default settings should apply to non-admin too, which is not the case.
Hence it writes to CURRENT_USER of the admin who gives the priviledge for that non-admin.

[balefrost]

From looking at build/win32/code.iss, it looks like these are explicitly added to HKEY_CURRENT_USER, and this matches what I've seen in the registry itself. I actually wonder why they're not being added to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. These registry keys seem like they would apply to all users on the system.

[lethevimlet]

As this is still unresolved, I updated the question in order to change the hex values to strings so it can be easily used by people using a non default install path, didn't test it though but it should work, let me know if I doesn't.

[am11]

Based on this discussion, I was able to create file and folder context menu association with VScode portable:

:: File Name - RegisterVSCodePortable.bat
:: File Location - D:\Software\Editor\VSCodePortable.1.29.1  (roaming directory)

SET CodeExePath=D:\Software\Editor\VSCodePortable.1.29.1\Code.exe

REG ADD HKCU\Software\Classes\*\shell\VSCode\command /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "\"%CodeExePath%\" \"%%1\""
REG ADD HKCU\Software\Classes\Directory\Background\shell\VSCode\command /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "\"%CodeExePath%\" \"%%V\""
REG ADD HKCU\Software\Classes\Folder\shell\VSCode\command /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "\"%CodeExePath%\" \"%%V\""

(could also be a workaround for #57198)

[hemanth-n-govindan]

this worked for me, Awesome!!

#12147 (comment)

Thanks a lot @lethevimlet