VS Code not reporting update error in macOS

[doroncy]

Issue Type: Bug

VS Code is not updating, it is always stuck on 'Downloading update..."
The extensions are updating fine.

VS Code version: Code 1.25.1 (1dfc5e5, 2018-07-11T15:33:29.235Z)
OS version: Darwin x64 17.6.0

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770HQ CPU @ 2.20GHz (8 x 2200)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled flash_3d: enabled flash_stage3d: enabled flash_stage3d_baseline: enabled gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on native_gpu_memory_buffers: enabled rasterization: enabled video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled vpx_decode: enabled webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled
Load (avg)	2, 2, 3
Memory (System)	16.00GB (3.08GB free)
Process Argv	/Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/MacOS/Electron .
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Extensions (45)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
json2ts	Gre	0.0.6
vscode-paste-and-indent	Rub	0.0.8
jsx	Twe	0.0.1
html-css-class-completion	Zig	1.17.1
better-comments	aar	1.2.6
Bookmarks	ale	9.0.3
npm-intellisense	chr	1.3.0
path-intellisense	chr	1.4.2
vscode-eslint	dba	1.4.12
vscode-instant-markdown	dba	1.4.2
githistory	don	0.4.2
vscode-babel-coloring	dza	0.0.4
gitlens	eam	8.5.6
vscode-html-css	ecm	0.2.0
tslint	eg2	1.0.35
vscode-npm-script	eg2	0.3.5
copy-relative-path	eno	0.1.1
auto-close-tag	for	0.5.6
auto-rename-tag	for	0.0.15
html-tag-wrapper	hwe	0.2.3
search-node-modules	jas	1.3.0
react-vscode-extension-pack	jaw	0.3.0
Angular2	joh	6.1.5
presentationmode	jsp	1.1.5
intellij-idea-keybindings	k--	0.2.24
ts-extension-pack	loi	0.0.1
vscode-autoprefixer	mrm	2.1.2
vscode-scss	mrm	0.6.2
vsliveshare	ms-	0.3.623
debugger-for-chrome	msj	4.9.0
rxjs-snippets	pko	0.0.2
tsimporter	pmn	1.2.14
polacode	pnp	0.2.2
vscode-icons	rob	7.25.0
sass-indented	rob	1.4.9
angular-follow-selector	san	1.2.0
git-merger	sha	0.4.1
code-settings-sync	Sha	3.1.1
vscode-multiclip	sle	0.1.4
code-spell-checker	str	1.6.10
move-ts	str	1.11.3
quokka-vscode	Wal	1.0.143
change-case	wma	1.0.0
JavaScriptSnippets	xab	1.7.0
ReactSnippets	xab	2.2.0

(2 theme extensions excluded)

[vscodebot]

(Experimental duplicate detection)
Thanks for submitting this issue. Please also check if it is already covered by an existing one, like:

• Updating VS Code should check for updates first. (#44685)
• Restart To Update should use the latest version and not the first downloaded version (#46312)
• OSX VS Code fails to update (#13604)
• Inline Update Feature Request (#47220)
• VS Code Will Not Update (#23176)

[joaomoreno]

Can you run with code --verbose and see what errors come up in the console, as you check for updates?

[DAddYE]

Same for me, I get:

[63928:0831/120912.523828:INFO:CONSOLE(1403)] "%cTRACE", source: file:///Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js (1403)
[63928:0831/120912.619777:INFO:CONSOLE(1403)] "%cTRACE", source: file:///Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js (1403)
[main 12:09:14 PM] update#checkForUpdates, state =  idle
[main 12:09:14 PM] update#setState checking for updates
[main 12:09:15 PM] update#setState downloading
[main 12:09:15 PM] UpdateService error:  Could not create temporary directory: Permission denied
[main 12:09:15 PM] update#setState idle

[doroncy]

[main 10:45:26 PM] update#checkForUpdates, state =  idle
[main 10:45:26 PM] update#setState checking for updates
[9032:0901/224526.320462:INFO:CONSOLE(1375)] "%cTRACE", source: file:///Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js (1375)
[9032:0901/224526.320619:INFO:CONSOLE(1375)] "%cTRACE", source: file:///Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js (1375)
[9032:0901/224526.320743:INFO:CONSOLE(1375)] "%cTRACE", source: file:///Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js (1375)
[9032:0901/224526.320819:INFO:CONSOLE(1375)] "%cTRACE", source: file:///Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents/Resources/app/out/vs/workbench/workbench.main.js (1375)
[main 10:45:27 PM] update#setState downloading
[main 10:45:39 PM] update#checkForUpdates, state =  downloading
2018-09-01 22:47:56.085 Electron[9032:109556] Download completed to: file:///Users/doroncy/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.VSCode.ShipIt/update.rCyQ399/VSCode-darwin-stable.zip
[main 10:48:16 PM] UpdateService error:  ditto: /Users/doroncy/Library/Caches/com.microsoft.VSCode.ShipIt/update.rCyQ399/VSCode-darwin-stable.zip: Permission denied
[main 10:48:16 PM] update#setState idle

[joaomoreno]

Please read #7426 (comment)

I'll leave the issue open since it appears Code isn't showing the error message in the UI: it should.

[joaomoreno]

Verification:

1. Download Code
2. Double click Code to open it, straight from the Downloads folder. Optionally verify with htop that the process command line runs in a tmp location and not its real path
3. Attempt to get an update

You should get a nice error message in the workbench.

[isidorn]

I got this nice error message

Cannot update while running on a read-only volume. The application is on a read-only volume. Please move the application and try again. If you're on macOS Sierra or later, you'll need to move the application out of the Downloads directory. See this link for more information.