CmdPal not finding a extension (winget)

Mike Griese (@zadjii-msft)

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.90.0

Installation method

PowerToys auto-update

Area(s) with issue?

Command Palette

Steps to reproduce

Open Install Command Palette extensions

✔️ Expected Behavior

see ECP listed
https://github.com/microsoft/winget-pkgs/blob/master/manifests/l/lin-ycv/EverythingCmdPal/0.1.0.0/lin-ycv.EverythingCmdPal.locale.en-US.yaml

❌ Actual Behavior

ECP is missing

Based on the logs, CmdPal only found 9 packages with windows-commandpalette-extension tag

Log

[14:42:01.7584277] [Debug] ListPage.xaml.cs::OnViewModelChanged::241
    cleared viewmodel
[14:42:01.7630276] [Debug] WinGetExtensionPage.cs::DoSearchAsync::179
    Starting search for '+windows-commandpalette-extension'
[14:42:01.9948097] [Debug] WinGetExtensionPage.cs::DoSearchAsync::222
      Searching  ()
[14:42:02.1955146] [Debug] WinGetExtensionPage.cs::DoSearchAsync::239
        got results for ()
[14:42:02.2093448] [Debug] WinGetExtensionPage.cs::DoSearchAsync::250
        (+windows-commandpalette-extension): count: 9
[14:42:02.2094312] [Debug] WinGetExtensionPage.cs::DoSearchAsync::255
    Search "+windows-commandpalette-extension" took 446ms
[14:42:02.2096762] [Debug] WinGetExtensionPage.cs::UpdateWithResults::155
    Completed search for ''

but ECP also have this tag among other tags
https://github.com/microsoft/winget-pkgs/blob/4df61bf3fb413eb468fba9c2de824df933a993d0/manifests/l/lin-ycv/EverythingCmdPal/0.1.0.0/lin-ycv.EverythingCmdPal.locale.en-US.yaml#L17-L27

Mike Griese (@zadjii-msft)
Looking at the packages that shows up against ECP, windows-commandpalette-extension has to be the only tag? or is there something else that's wrong?

Additional Information

No response

Other Software

No response

You know what, I think I know what's wrong here. I bet it's this line of code:

PowerToys/src/modules/cmdpal/exts/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.WinGet/WinGetStatics.cs

Lines 57 to 60 in 94e8559

    
           foreach (var catalogReference in AvailableCatalogs) 
        
           { 
        
               catalogReference.PackageCatalogBackgroundUpdateInterval = new(0); 
        
           }

That (I believe) prevents CmdPal from refreshing the package index. I put that in originally because it was taking ages to start the winget extension, but I think after some additional refactoring, that might not be necessary anymore? we can probably just drop that and see if it's much slower on the first query.

(congrats on getting it onto winget - this is already my favorite extension)

Mike Griese (@zadjii-msft)

Hi Mike Griese (@zadjii-msft) I looked into this on my Powertoy v0.101.2362.

what i have noticed

CmdPal: Extension Gallery #46636 removed the the "Find the Extension from Winget " commandand replaced it . The gallery reads a curtaed list from microsoft/CmdPal-Extension instead of searching Winget by the tag . EverythingCmdPal shows up there now

The code you pointed to earlier is still there . It is now in WingetPackageManagerService.cs which is used by general Winget search page and by the gallery for install/update

PowerToys/src/modules/cmdpal/Microsoft.CmdPal.Common/WinGet/Services/WinGetPackageManagerService.cs

Lines 471 to 477 in 7e73900

    
           if (ApiInformation.IsApiContractPresent("Microsoft.Management.Deployment.WindowsPackageManagerContract", 8)) 
        
           { 
        
               foreach (var catalogReference in availableCatalogs) 
        
               { 
        
                   catalogReference.PackageCatalogBackgroundUpdateInterval = new(0); 
        
               } 
        
           }

in #39128 , running " winget search --tage "windows-commandpalette-extension" once in a terminal fixed the list for one user , which also fits the idea that CmdPal does not refresh the catalog on its own

Question

Since the original page no longer exists , should this issue be closed ? or would still like that removed ( or changed to a non-zero interval )? if so i am happy to open a PR and measure the first search time before and after , as you have suggested .

I will wait for your reply before making any chnages .

Sure, the original context of this post was specifically looking for a cmdpal extension. But theoretically, the package catalog refresh is still an issue with the winget search in general. Like, I'm guessing that this bug still applies to other apps that might get added to winget.

Definitely hard-to-impossible to repro, to validate that you've actually fixed this bug. But if you find a consistent way to reproduce this bug with the generic winget search, then by all means, please try to fix it.

Is there a particular reason you're investigating this bug? Seems like there's lots of other bugs that are probably more impactful and/or easier to solve.

Mike Griese (@zadjii-msft)

15. Sure, the original context of this post was specifically looking for a cmdpal extension. But theoretically, the package catalog refresh is still an issue with the winget search in general. Like, I'm guessing that this bug still applies to other apps that might get added to winget.
Definitely hard-to-impossible to repro, to validate that you've actually fixed this bug. But if you find a consistent way to reproduce this bug with the generic winget search, then by all means, please try to fix it.
Is there a particular reason you're investigating this bug? Seems like there's lots of other bugs that are probably more impactful and/or easier to solve.

Thanks for quick reply , Mike Griese (@zadjii-msft)

I am new to contributing to PowerToys and i picked this issue because it had the help wanted label and you had already pointed to a likely cause , so i looked like a good first issue .

I will try to investigate whether the genric Winget search behavior can be reproduced consistently . If i cant establish reliable repro , i will move on rather than make a unverified change .

Would you recommend another issue that would be a good fit fora first contribution ? I have PowerToys building locally and i am happy to pick whatever is most useful .

Navigation Menu

Repository navigation

CmdPal not finding a extension (winget) #38718

Microsoft PowerToys version

Installation method

Area(s) with issue?

Steps to reproduce

✔️ Expected Behavior

❌ Actual Behavior

Additional Information

Other Software

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Type

Projects

Milestone

Relationships

Development

	foreach (var catalogReference in AvailableCatalogs)
	{
	catalogReference.PackageCatalogBackgroundUpdateInterval = new(0);
	}

	if (ApiInformation.IsApiContractPresent("Microsoft.Management.Deployment.WindowsPackageManagerContract", 8))
	{
	foreach (var catalogReference in availableCatalogs)
	{
	catalogReference.PackageCatalogBackgroundUpdateInterval = new(0);
	}
	}

CmdPal not finding a extension (winget) #38718

Description

Microsoft PowerToys version

Installation method

Area(s) with issue?

Steps to reproduce

✔️ Expected Behavior

❌ Actual Behavior

Additional Information

Other Software

Activity

zadjii-msft commented on Apr 10, 2025

Dubey404aasutosh commented on Oct 29, 2026

zadjii-msft commented on Oct 29, 2026

Dubey404aasutosh commented on Oct 29, 2026

Metadata

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Type

Projects

Milestone

Relationships

Development

Issue actions