microsoft / microsoft/edit

[Installation] Winget package path includes version number, causing PATH conflicts and update breakage

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#829 11 comments 16 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

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C-task E-help-wanted P-medium
Dominant language
Rust
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Description

### Description:

Currently, when installing Microsoft.Edit via Winget, the package is installed into a version-specific directory:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages\Microsoft.Edit_..._8wekyb3d8bbwe\edit-2.0.0-x86_64-windows\

### Issues caused by this implementation:

- PATH Priority: On Windows 11 systems where edit.exe (v1.2.1) is already present in C:\Windows\System32, the system continues to default to the older version because the Winget path is dynamic and often ranked lower in priority.

- Broken PATH on Updates: Every time the tool updates (e.g., from 2.0.0 to 2.1.0), the folder name changes. This requires the user to manually update their Environment Variables every single time, which defeats the purpose of a package manager.
- Command Conflict: Users are forced to manually "Move Up" the user Path over System32, which is reset or ignored when the directory name changes due to a version bump.

### Suggested Solution:

Implement a static "link" or "shim" directory (similar to how Scoop or Chocolatey work) where a symlink or an alias points to the current executable. This would allow a single, static entry in the PATH (e.g., ...\Microsoft\WinGet\bin) that remains valid across updates.

### Environment:

- OS: Windows 11 25H2
- Microsoft Edit version: 2.0.0 (via Winget)
- System Edit version: 1.2.1 (in System32)

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

No repository file or test is named. Start by reproducing the Microsoft.Edit Winget installation and an update on Windows 11, then locate the repository's Winget packaging configuration and installation entry points. Done means a stable PATH entry continues to resolve the current edit.exe after version updates without manual environment-variable changes.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
rust
Domain
cli, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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