where is the ~applyUpdate~ installUpdatesIfAvailable function in v2.4.1?

[mbsanchez]

In Sparkle version 1.8.0 1.20.0 we used to use the applyUpdate function, which allowed us to ask the user to install the update when he is ready, giving him the chance to finish some work if needed. Technically, we disable automaticallyChecksForUpdates and automaticallyDownloadsUpdates, then we used checkForUpdateInformation which told us if an update is available, then we showed a floating notification in the app that the user can close or just click, "install". At that moment we used the applyUpdate installUpdatesIfAvailable function that started downloading the package, installing it, and restarting the app.

Now, in version 2.4.1 the function applyUpdate installUpdatesIfAvailable was removed we just have the function checkForUpdateInformation but I think that this function is worth nothing without applyUpdate installUpdatesIfAvailable.

I'm just wondering how I can achieve the same behavior as in version 1.8.0 on this new version 2.4.1?

[zorgiepoo]

In Sparkle version 1.8.0 we used to use the applyUpdate function, which allowed us to ask the user to install the update when he is ready, giving him the chance to finish some work if needed

I don't know what this applyUpdate is. 1.8.0 is incredibly old (2014); I find it quite unlikely you were still using it. Perhaps you were even using some fork (or you're just not describing the old API well).

Checking for updates, letting the user know they can install an update, and then checking for updates again is inefficient if that was what you were previously doing.

Gentle update reminders can be done so that the you can provide a gentle reminder like you're doing now and the user when they're ready can go to see the update's release notes and install the update.

Otherwise a more advanced use case would be to implement a custom user interface (via SPUUserDriver) instead of using Sparkle's standard UI (not as lightweight).

Let Sparkle check for updates for you (re-enable automaticallyChecksForUpdates). If this were a new app I would not recommend using automaticallyChecksForUpdates / automaticallyDownloadsUpdates (read their documentation). But you already have these properties persisted in the user defaults.

[mbsanchez]

No, I'm not able to subclass SPUStandardUserDriver it seems that this class is private I can only subclass SPUStandardUserDriverDelegate and SPUUserDriver.

[zorgiepoo]

That's not subclassing. You're confusing protocols and classes. This is obj-c fundamentals.

[mbsanchez]

you might be right, I'm not an obj-c developer, I'm a C++ developer. I'm using this obj-c code in a Qt application.

[zorgiepoo]

If you're working with objc you should pick up the fundamentals and not guess at things.

This is a short subclassing sample:

@interface SUAppUserDriver : SPUStandardUserDriver
@end

@implementation SUAppUserDriver
{
    void (^_installUpdateBlock)(SPUUserUpdateChoice);
}

- (void)showUpdateFoundWithAppcastItem:(SUAppcastItem *)appcastItem state:(SPUUserUpdateState *)state reply:(void (^)(SPUUserUpdateChoice))reply
{
    _installUpdateBlock = [reply copy];
    
    // Show floating window prompt. When user clicks install invoke _installUpdateBlock(SPUUserUpdateChoiceInstall)
    // If appcastItem.informationOnlyUpdate, reply SPUUserUpdateChoiceDismiss and show user the appcastItem.infoURL instead
}

- (void)showReadyToInstallAndRelaunch:(void (^)(SPUUserUpdateChoice))reply
{
    reply(SPUUserUpdateChoiceInstall);
}

@end

Again this is not recommended compared to fully using your own UI.

[mbsanchez]

Sorry to bother you, but I've already fixed the code, and now, the error is gone. However, I'm wondering if the doc includes a full use case of how to extend the SPUStandardUserDriver as now, I can find the setUserDriver method, it is not at the updater object or updaterDeletegate either.

[mbsanchez]

I found the way to use the custom UserDriver, but I get not notified when an update is found. My code is like this:

    self.serDriver = [[AppUserDriver alloc] initWithHostBundle:[NSBundle mainBundle] delegate:nil];
    self.updater = [[SPUUpdater alloc] initWithHostBundle:[NSBundle mainBundle] applicationBundle:[NSBundle mainBundle] userDriver:self.userDriver delegate:Nil];

    [self.updater startUpdater:(nil)];
    [self.updater checkForUpdates];

What could be happening ?

[mbsanchez]

Thank you so much @zorgiepoo I figured out what was happening, I just forget to remove the call to checkForUpdateInformation. Now it is working correctly. But I've got another question and I don’t know if I should open another thread for that. I just wondering If my application is double-signed (Sparkle and DeveloperId), even if I rotate the Sparkle signature it should accept the update, but it is telling me that the signature is incorrect.

[mbsanchez]

The errors I'm getting are:

info 19:05:17.333976+0200 MyApp Extracting using '/usr/bin/ditto' '-x' '-k' '-' < '/Users/mbsanchez/Library/Caches/com.MyApp.UI/org.sparkle-project.Sparkle/PersistentDownloads/twygSTXSN/MyApp 2.1.10/MyApp-2.1.10.pkg.zip' '/Users/mbsanchez/Library/Caches/com.MyApp.UI/org.sparkle-project.Sparkle/PersistentDownloads/twygSTXSN/MyApp 2.1.10'
error 19:05:17.424144+0200 MyApp There is no DSA signature to check
error 19:05:17.424179+0200 MyApp DSA signature validation of the package failed. The update contains an installer package, and valid DSA signatures are mandatory for all installer packages. The update will be rejected. Sign the installer with a valid DSA key or use an .app bundle update instead.

The AppCast items are like:

    <item>
      <title>Version 2.1.10</title>
      <sparkle:version>2.1.10</sparkle:version>
      <description>
      <![CDATA[
            <ul>
              <li>Stable version 2.1.10.</li>
            </ul>
          ]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Lun 15 mai 2023 21:00:49 CEST</pubDate>
      <enclosure url="https://zesty-chaja-28857e.netlify.app/mac/MyApp-2.1.10.pkg.zip" type="application/octet-stream" sparkle:edSignature="Cm5CTAXe1R8usn/MsD4z+3kYhHtAaYdYAW3vOXJb/d7clVoWXIUhSCsn+F3IhS74ACKfstVotOOm0veAp/sZBQ==" length="51021246"/>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Version 2.1.8</title>
      <description>
      <![CDATA[
            <ul>
              <li>Stable version 2.1.8.</li>
            </ul>
          ]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Ven  5 mai 2023 18:49:40 CEST</pubDate>
      <enclosure url="https://zesty-chaja-28857e.netlify.app/mac/MyApp-2.1.8.pkg.zip" sparkle:version="2.1.8" length="51665939" type="application/octet-stream" sparkle:dsaSignature="MC0CFD1iIsICqmAbkKFOs+R5mLuzkD8CAhUAhZM+fqI2QVIol0k3iAx7X0a4swg="/>
    </item>

BTW: I'm a package installer update

[mbsanchez]

Sorry, it seems that I need to migrate in two steps. It is working perfectly now with a double signature. However why it is required to have sparkle:installationType="package" it was not required in version 1.20.0

[zorgiepoo]

Yeah Apple developer ID code signing is not checked if you're using a package installer. The installationType became required due to Sparkle 2 re-architecturing the authorization code and isolating the installer helper. Sparkle's installer helper runs as a separate process and is responsible for extracting, verifying, and installing the update. It can run privileged (as root) when needed, which is always the case for package updates. If you distribute a zip file, Sparkle needs to know if the archive contains a package or is a regular app bundle update to properly determine if the installer helper, which extracts it, should be run as root.

It is not needed if you switch to bare packages in the future because you wouldn't be putting the package inside an archive. Of course, developers should also avoid shipping pkg's for their apps unless they have a really good reason (e.g, legacy kexts)..

[mbsanchez]

Thank you so much @zorgiepoo, and yes, I have a good reason to distribute my app as a pkg installer. I hope you don't deprecate this in the future. :)