Error: Missing binary Microsoft.VSCode.CPP.Extension.exe

[si-jon]

Today, I suddenly couldn't use the usual C/C++ IntelliSense features in vscode, and I notice I got this error when starting:

Unable to start the C/C++ language server. IntelliSense features will be disabled. Error: Missing binary at c:\Users\MyName\.vscode\extensions\ms-vscode.cpptools-0.23.0\bin\Microsoft.VSCode.CPP.Extension.exe

When I go to that folder, as it says the binary isn't there. I've tried to uninstall and reinstall the vscode-cpptools, but the error persist and the file is still missing.

I cannot give any more info on how to reproduce this: IntelliSense worked yesterday, but today, after a computer restart, it just doesn't any more.

[si-jon]

Was able to fix this by installing the previous version, 0.22.1, and reload visual studio code. Now the binary has been added to \ms-vscode.cpptools-0.23.0\bin\ and IntelliSense is working again.

[sean-mcmanus]

I don't know why the binary would fail to be there. Uninstall/reinstall of extensions with VS Code requires restarting VS Code after the uninstall or running the "Developer: Reinstall extension" command. I've filed a feature request on VS Code to make that command more discoverable: microsoft/vscode#73485 .

[Dellyjoe]

Hello everyone,

I have a similar issue, I have a tinkerbaord S which I have installed VSC. from Headmelt. I have extensions C/C++ and platformIO installed. I use platformIO to do my coding in, which when I build it uses c/c++ to do some of the work.

I'm not sure how to fix this, it never worked for me. Is this extension not able to work do to me being on an arm processor. ?

[sean-mcmanus]

@Dellyjoe Yes, our binary isn't built for arm yet (we have another issue tracking that...it's around our 9th most requested feature).

[crashdown0815]

Same issue here on windows. Since 0.23.0. Reinstall does also not work.
Is there another way to fetch the executables as work around?
E.g. from where is the extension fetching them?

[bobbrow]

@crashdown0815 check your %userprofile%/.vscode folder and delete the ms-vscode.cpptools-<ver> folder. Sometimes there is a .obsolete file there listing our extension that prevents reinstall. Removing the entry that points to our folder can also fix it.

If the extension is unable to fetch the executables, you can try installing our "offline" version instead. Those can be found here: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cpptools/releases

[crashdown0815]

@bobbrow thanks for the fast feedback.
Got it working. However I cannot tell which was approach was working. I tried the solution mentioned in microsoft/vscode#73485 as well before commenting here because it was not working first time either.

I'll keep it in mind next time it happens and good to know where to find the offline package. Didn't know those contain everything as I have seen some extensions fetch them during first run in VSCode.

[bobbrow]

VS Code's standard extension update route installs our "online" package which will download our dependencies after the extension loads.

The "offline" versions come pre-packaged but we can't put them in the Marketplace that way since we don't get to specify which OS our package applies to. These versions assume you are installing on a machine not connected to the Internet. In the event that you are connected, VS Code will try to install the "online" version the next time we publish an update.

[jmbox80hcl]

This is still breaking for me every time I update VSCoode