Bug: VS Build Tools detection loops forever on Windows — glob() returns empty arrays for paths with spaces

[fghfhtrhf-tech]

Bug description

On Windows, the VS Build Tools installation step loops forever (keeps reinstalling in a cycle).

Root cause

In kernel/bin/vs.js, the getpaths() method uses glob() to find VS installation paths inside C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio. However, glob returns empty arrays on Windows when the cwd contains spaces (like Program Files (x86)), even though the folders exist.

From Pinokio logs:

exists C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio { vcpaths: [] } { buildpaths: [] } { cmakepaths: [] }

So installed() always returns false → installer runs again → infinite loop.

Fix

Replace glob() with direct fs.existsSync() checks:

async getpaths() {
  let MSVC_PATH = []
  let BUILD_PATH = []
  let CMAKE_PATH = []
  let CL_PATH = []
  const program_file_paths = [process.env["ProgramFiles(x86)"], process.env["ProgramFiles"]]
  const years = ["2019", "2022", "2017"]
  const editions = ["BuildTools", "Community", "Professional", "Enterprise"]
  for(let rp of program_file_paths) {
    if (!rp) continue
    for(let year of years) {
      for(let edition of editions) {
        const base = path.join(rp, "Microsoft Visual Studio", year, edition)
        if (!fs.existsSync(base)) continue
        const msvc = path.join(base, "VC", "Tools", "MSVC")
        if (fs.existsSync(msvc)) MSVC_PATH.push(msvc)
        const build = path.join(base, "VC", "Auxiliary", "Build")
        if (fs.existsSync(build)) BUILD_PATH.push(build)
        const cmake = path.join(base, "Common7", "IDE", "CommonExtensions", "Microsoft", "CMake", "CMake", "bin")
        if (fs.existsSync(cmake)) CMAKE_PATH.push(cmake)
        const clbase = path.join(base, "VC", "Tools", "MSVC")
        if (fs.existsSync(clbase)) {
          const versions = fs.readdirSync(clbase)
          for(let v of versions) {
            const cl = path.join(clbase, v, "bin", "Hostx64", "x64")
            if (fs.existsSync(cl)) CL_PATH.push(cl)
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
  return { MSVC_PATH, BUILD_PATH, CMAKE_PATH, CL_PATH }
}


This fix was tested and confirmed working on Windows 10

Environment
Windows 10
Pinokio 6.0.10
VS Build Tools 2019 installed