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visual-studio-extensions

How do you publish for direct download in Visual Studio Marketplace

I have created a Visual Studio Extension and published it on Visual Studio Marketplace.

I have specified a link to my website, instead of uploading the file to the Microsoft Site.

The extension is visible from within Visual Studio, but when you click on download it opens a browser to download the extension, rather than downloading it directly in Visual Studio (as is common for other extensions).

Is this behavior because I specified a link, rather than uploading the installation file?

If not, what would cause this behavior? I have not found any documentation of this detail.

Solution

  • Is this behavior because I specified a link, rather than uploading the installation file?

    I think so, if you upload the extension(.vsix) with Uploaded extension option, it will behave like normal situation.(VS will download it directly.)

    But if you use Provide a link option, when you click the download button in VS, it will call browser to download the xx.vsix instead of downloading it in VS IDE.

    For the extension uploaded with installation file(most extensions are uploaded in this way), the download button in VS marketplace is Download.

    enter image description here

    And for the extensions uploaded with link, the button here is Get Started. Such as OzCode, DevExpress .Net Application Framework...

    I published two extensions with different ways(installation file and link), when I click download button in VS, the A(uploaded with xx.vsix) will be downloaded directly and B(uploaded with link) will be downloaded by browser. So I think what you experienced is expected behavior for VS extension manager.