Make the built-in updater more robust and remove reliance on a specific update path - #257
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ZFordDev merged 5 commits intoSep 1, 2026
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Add a pending-update.json marker in userData so a downloaded update survives closing and reopening SnapDock. The update is written when electron-updater finishes downloading and cleared on install. The renderer can query the persisted state at startup via update:pending so a previously-downloaded update is recognized without re-downloading.
Drive the Tools->Update button and footer indicator from a single updater state (idle/available/checking/downloading/ready/installing/upToDate/ error/disabled) so they never drift out of sync. The state machine also: - Recognizes a persisted pending update at startup and surfaces the ready state immediately without re-downloading. - Adds an explicit 'available' state distinct from 'ready' (downloaded), so a newly-detected update is not incorrectly labeled as installable. - Wires the footer indicator to download (available) or install (ready) on click, giving a second apply path beyond the Tools menu. - Adds CSS modifiers for every state (header.css + footer.css) and removes dead #update styles in modal.css that targeted a nonexistent ID.
Closing SnapDock while an update is downloaded and pending now applies it, making the long-standing 'close to update' prompt truthful. finishWindowClose checks for a persisted pending update first and routes through quitAndInstall() so the update is applied after unsaved changes are resolved. setupUpdater now returns a handle exposing hasPendingUpdate()/applyPendingUpdate() so the main process can drive update application independently of the UI path. Combined with the clickable footer and Tools menu action, a downloaded update can now be applied via several equivalent exit/restart routes.
…onfig (#254) Recovery: - pendingUpdate.resolvePendingUpdate() compares the running version against the persisted pending marker on startup. If the app now runs the pending version, the update applied → marker cleared. If it is still on the old version, the update remains ready to apply. If neither matches, the install was interrupted → the stale marker is cleared and the UI surfaces a recovery message. - installUpdate no longer clears the marker before quitAndInstall() so the marker survives the install and lets us detect success/failure on next launch (previously it was cleared optimistically). Config: - Add an explicit github publish block (owner/repo) to electron-builder so the update feed is not resolved implicitly from repository.url, removing reliance on a specific/assumed update path.
Document that a downloaded update stays pending until applied and can be applied from the Tools menu, the status-bar indicator, or by closing SnapDock.
ZFordDev
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254-make-the-built-in-updater-more-robust-and-remove-reliance-on-a-specific-update-path
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September 1, 2026 02:08
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Summary
Makes the built-in updater more robust and removes reliance on a single update path (issue #254).
Previously a downloaded update was tied to the Tools → Update → "Restart to Update" sequence, and simply closing SnapDock did not reliably apply it. This PR makes a downloaded update a persistent pending update that remains until successfully applied, and provides several equivalent ways to apply it.
Changes by phase
1. Persistent pending-update state
src/modules/updater/pendingUpdate.js: writes/reads/clears apending-update.jsonmarker in the application-data directory when a download finishes.update:pendingIPC, so a previously-downloaded update is recognized without re-downloading.2. Multiple apply paths
finishWindowClose→quitAndInstall), making the long-standing "close to update" prompt truthful.setupUpdater()now returns a handle (hasPendingUpdate()/applyPendingUpdate()) so the main process can drive applies independently of the UI.3. Centralized updater state machine
ui/dropdownMenus.jsnow drives both the Tools button and footer from a single state:idle/available/checking/downloading/ready/installing/upToDate/error/disabled.header.css,footer.css); removed dead#update.*styles inmodal.cssthat targeted a nonexistent#updateID.available(detected, not downloaded) vsready(downloaded) states.4. Robustness & recovery
pendingUpdate.resolvePendingUpdate()compares the running version against the marker on startup to distinguish applied / ready / stale (interrupted install). Stale/interrupted markers are cleared and a recovery message is shown.quitAndInstall(); they survive the install so success is verifiable on next launch.publishprovider topackage.jsonso the update feed is not resolved implicitly fromrepository.url.5. Documentation
Verification
node scripts/bundle.js).npm testpasses with the same 2 pre-existing link-navigation failures already present onmain(Windows path-separator issue, unrelated to this work).Files changed
src/modules/updater/pendingUpdate.js(new)src/modules/updater/download.jssrc/modules/updater/index.jssrc/modules/ui/dropdownMenus.jssrc/preload.jssrc/styles/components/header.csssrc/styles/components/footer.csssrc/styles/components/modal.cssmain.jspackage.jsonassets/resources/docs/user_guide.mdCloses #254