[question] vs-code version compatibility - install github copilot chat extension error

[cleancoda]

Describe the bug Copilot chat extension .vsix seems to be unsupported on vs-code versions 1.84.xx. However, base Copilot extension installs and runs perfectly fine.

Please confirm that this problem is VSCodium-specific

• [x] This bug doesn't happen if I use Microsoft's Visual Studio Code 1.84.2 It only happens in VSCodium 1.84.2

Please confirm that the issue/resolution isn't already documented

• [x] I checked the Docs page and the Troubleshooting page and my issue is not mentioned there.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. search extensions or download .vsix from https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=GitHub.copilot-chat
2. install .vsix file manually from vs-code
3. error occurs on install: Unable to install extension 'github.copilot-chat' as it is not compatible with VSCodium '1.84.2'.

Expected behavior Copilot chat extension install - successfully

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• Version: 1.84.2
• Release: 23319
• Commit: 1fc52b725b3f76b97eadfd988cea42a739ae923f
• Date: 2023-11-15T21:57:44.436Z
• Electron: 25.9.2
• ElectronBuildId: undefined
• Chromium: 114.0.5735.289
• Node.js: 18.15.0
• V8: 11.4.183.29-electron.0
• OS: Linux x64 6.1.0-13-amd64

Additional context I also tried using the VS Codium Insider version 1.85.0-insider but that reported the same error: Unable to install extension 'github.copilot-chat' as it is not compatible with VSCodium '1.85.0-insider'.

[daiyam]

When installing an extension, there is an engine verification, here the dependencies of the extension:

"engines": {
    "vscode": "^1.86.0",
    "npm": ">=9.0.0",
    "node": ">=18.0.0"
},

I'm not sure about the ^1.86.0 so I wonder if there is something else occuring.

Anyways, most MS extensions are proprietaries and wont work on VSCodium (https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md). They might work up to chance (sometimes the extension can check the editor name)

[21e8]

Having the same issue, would be dope to have a working release

[RedBed24]

I tried installing it from the microsoft marketplace directly from inside codium. Change the extension gallery from open vsx, theres a tutorial in the docs. It has worked for me, however, the extension doesn't work, it seems that it can't connect to github...

Edit: There's more info in #1546

[melroy89]

I also have the same issue, would be nice if the vsix install would just work somehow.

[jlahtela]

Got the same erron on 1.85.2 with GitHub.copilot-chat-0.12.2024012502.vsix (updated 25.1.2024) "Unable to install extension 'github.copilot-chat' as it is not compatible with VSCodium '1.85.2'."

[cleancoda]

When installing an extension, there is an engine verification, here the dependencies of the extension:

"engines": {
  "vscode": "^1.86.0",
  "npm": ">=9.0.0",
  "node": ">=18.0.0"
},

I'm not sure about the ^1.86.0 so I wonder if there is something else occuring.

Anyways, most MS extensions are proprietaries and wont work on VSCodium (https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md). They might work up to chance (sometimes the extension can check the editor name)

is there anyway to mess with the .vsix file to change the dependencies and rename it to vscodium? would that stupid hack work?

[daiyam]

is there anyway to mess with the .vsix file to change the dependencies and rename it to vscodium? would that stupid hack work?

Theoretically, yes but this is against the terms of Visual Studio Marketplace...

[bitscoper]

Facing the same issue, Unable to install extension 'github.copilot-chat' as it is not compatible with VSCodium '1.85.2'.

[tadghh]

When installing an extension, there is an engine verification, here the dependencies of the extension:

"engines": {
    "vscode": "^1.86.0",
    "npm": ">=9.0.0",
    "node": ">=18.0.0"
},

I'm not sure about the ^1.86.0 so I wonder if there is something else occuring. Anyways, most MS extensions are proprietaries and wont work on VSCodium (https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/blob/master/docs/extensions-compatibility.md). They might work up to chance (sometimes the extension can check the editor name)

is there anyway to mess with the .vsix file to change the dependencies and rename it to vscodium? would that stupid hack work?

try intsalling an older version of copilot, along with using the insiders edition of vscodium

[melroy89]

is there anyway to mess with the .vsix file to change the dependencies and rename it to vscodium? would that stupid hack work?

Sure, its very easy. I don't care about "against the terms of \<Insert microsoft>". What you do is:

1. Simply opening the .vsfix file with an archive manager under Linux. I'm actually using the application called "Archive Manager" by the Gnome team (a.k.a. File Roller).
2. Then I go to extensions directory within the archive -> package.json
3. Double click on package.json should hopefully open this file inside an editor (like VSCodium)
4. Search for "engines". And find "vscode" inside the engine JSON object. Then decrease the number you see, let's say it's mentioning: ^1.89.0-202440407 I changed that to: ^1.88.0-20240407, since I have VSCodium version 1.88.1 (latest version at this moment of typing), meaning 1.88.0 is lower than 1.88.1, so you should be able to install it now without this message.
5. After I save this file (which was put in a tmp folder somewhere), the Archive Manager notice the change and ask me to save the archive again. Press "Save" or "OK" to comply
6. Now you have updated your vsix file. And ready to install it in VSCodium.

No guarantees this always work (or it might not work at all), since newer VSCode(ium) version might be required for a very good reason, so manually lowering the required VScode(ium) version might cause more problems then it might solve.

Be sure to apply the changes to production.json file, mentioned here: https://github.com/VSCodium/vscodium/issues/1852 In my case this file was located here: /usr/share/codium/resources/app/product.json

Also note to myself: This file might gets overridden when you update VSCodium, so be aware of that!

---

Also if you face any issues, maybe Copilot chat isn't working for example. Try to go to the "Output" tab and select "GitHub Copilot Chat" from the drop-down menu on the right. In my case, despite Copilot extension (no chat) itself was working, I still got an error that GitHub login failed for the Copilot chat extension:

Executing Ctrl+Shift+P shotcut gives you command prompt within Vscodium. Searching on "Sign in to Chat" will give you the right call to trigger a sign-in request towards GitHub.