What causes "{} --install-extension {} exited with {status}" in BoundaryML/baml?

Inspect the exit status in the message and run the shown command manually for stderr details

{} --install-extension {} exited with {status}

Error message

{} --install-extension {} exited with {status}

What it means

After launching the IDE's CLI (`code` or `cursor`) with `--install-extension <vsix>`, `IdeCommand::run` checks the exit status and bails if it was not successful. The message embeds the editor binary, the vsix path, and the raw exit status.

Source

Thrown at baml_language/crates/baml_cli/src/ide_command.rs:93

            fs::copy(&vsix, &dest).with_context(|| {
                format!("failed to copy {} to {}", vsix.display(), dest.display())
            })?;
            #[allow(clippy::print_stdout)]
            {
                println!("extracted BAML IDE extension to {}", dest.display());
            }
            return Ok(ExitCode::Success);
        }

        let editor = self.resolve_editor()?;
        let status = Command::new(&editor)
            .arg("--install-extension")
            .arg(&vsix)
            .status()
            .with_context(|| format!("failed to run {}", editor.to_string_lossy()))?;

        if !status.success() {
            anyhow::bail!(
                "{} --install-extension {} exited with {status}",
                editor.to_string_lossy(),
                vsix.display()
            );
        }

        #[allow(clippy::print_stdout)]
        {
            println!("installed BAML IDE extension from {}", vsix.display());
        }
        Ok(ExitCode::Success)
    }

    fn resolve_editor(&self) -> Result<OsString> {
        if self.cursor {
            return command_on_path("cursor")
                .ok_or_else(|| missing_ide_cli_error("Cursor", "cursor", HostOs::CURRENT));
        }

View on GitHub (pinned to bd85ce9dee)

Solutions

Inspect the exit status in the message and run the shown command manually for stderr details
Verify the vsix exists and is intact at the printed path
Update the editor to a version compatible with the extension
Install the extension manually via the editor's Extensions UI

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

// pre-check the vsix and editor version
assert!(Path::new(vsix_path).exists(), "vsix missing");
std::process::Command::new(editor).arg("--version").status()?;

Try / catch

match result {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("--install-extension") => {
        eprintln!("Auto-install failed; install the vsix manually via the editor's Extensions UI.");
    }
    other => other?,
}

Prevention

Run the --install-extension command manually once to see the editor's stderr
Keep the editor updated to match the extension's engine requirements
Verify toolchain assets are not truncated/corrupted after download

When it happens

Trigger: Running `baml ide install` where the editor CLI exists but the extension installation fails: the VSIX file is corrupt or incompatible, the editor version rejects it, or the editor requires elevation.

Common situations: Stale/corrupt vsix in the toolchain assets, extension built for a newer editor API version, or managed-machine policies blocking extension installs.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of BoundaryML/baml@bd85ce9dee (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/99ca34d17dee1842. Report an issue: GitHub.