[GUI Plugin] calibre Auto-Updater

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What I'm saying it that the popup window announcing a new version of calibre is very intrusive.It needs to go unless the new version is a maintenance release such as a .1 version.

However, you could make it an option defaulting to off except for maintenance release.

Hi JSWolf, thanks for your feedback. You're right that an immediate notification upon startup can interfere with the workflow and calibre's own notifications. This is true even with stable versions of calibre.

I've taken the following steps in version 1.3.0 to address this:

Courtesy delay: The plugin now waits 15 seconds after calibre starts before checking for updates. This allows enough time for the interface to fully load and prevents it from blocking or interfering with calibre's native notifications or other processes.

New configuration option: I've added a checkbox to the plugin settings called 'Notify only of maintenance releases'.

If you enable this, the plugin will behave as you suggested: it will only launch the automatic pop-up if it's a patch version (e.g., X.X.1).

It's disabled by default so that novice users don't miss any updates, but it offers the flexibility you requested for advanced users.

I hope these changes make the plugin much more user-friendly!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by dunhill

Hi JSWolf, thanks for your feedback. You're right that an immediate notification upon startup can interfere with the workflow and calibre's own notifications. This is true even with stable versions of calibre.

I've taken the following steps in version 1.3.0 to address this:

Courtesy delay: The plugin now waits 15 seconds after calibre starts before checking for updates. This allows enough time for the interface to fully load and prevents it from blocking or interfering with calibre's native notifications or other processes.

New configuration option: I've added a checkbox to the plugin settings called 'Notify only of maintenance releases'.

If you enable this, the plugin will behave as you suggested: it will only launch the automatic pop-up if it's a patch version (e.g., X.X.1).

It's disabled by default so that novice users don't miss any updates, but it offers the flexibility you requested for advanced users.

I hope these changes make the plugin much more user-friendly!

That's brilliant! Thank you. That should satisfy everyone. Now we can get notified of a maintenance releasees which calibre doesn't do.

[fogice]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That's brilliant! Thank you. That should satisfy everyone. Now we can get notified of a maintenance releasees which calibre doesn't do.

Almost everyone. I don't need a pop-up at all, I can see the blue link at the bottom of the page telling me there's an update available.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fogice

Almost everyone. I don't need a pop-up at all, I can see the blue link at the bottom of the page telling me there's an update available.

You won't get a pop-up if you don't want for regular updates. But calibre does not notify you of maintenance updates. So you may want a pop-up for that.

[dunhill]

@JSWolf, regarding your requests to see the new features, I've been thinking about you. Give me your opinion before I release it as the final version of the plugin. It's an experimental version, so take precautions, although everything should work.

[JSWolf]

I have one more request. Could you have the auto updater check for new preview (aka beta) versions? Thanks.

Here is the link. https://download.calibre-ebook.com/preview

[JSWolf]

In the configuration, is an option that reads, Notify only of maintenance version (maintenance). Does this mean you get one or the other (non-maintenance or regular) but not both? If it's not checked do you still get maintenance releases?

The beta notification isn't working properly. I'm getting notified about the latest beta version when the release version is a higher version. Also, every time I start calibre, I'm getting notified about the beta. I should not be notified about the beta (9.11.104) when the release version is 9.12.

I do want to thank you for these options and I look forward to when they are fixed or at least the working is fixed if that's all.

[dunhill]

Version 1.10 Regarding the "Notify only of maintenance releases" option:
Does this mean you receive one or the other, but not both? Yes. By enabling this option, the plugin filters stable release notifications to alert you only of maintenance updates (for example, minor bug fixes of the type X.Y.Z where Z > 0). If a new major or minor release (of the type X.Y.0) is available, the plugin ignores it.

If it's not checked, do you still receive maintenance releases? Yes. By unchecking it, you receive all stable updates (both major/minor and maintenance releases).

Beta version bug fixed

The latest version numbers, both stable and beta, have been visually added to the arrow next to the icon.

[JSWolf]

I don't know what I get. There's been no maintenance release yet to test.

Please don't show the beta version if the release version is a higher version number. There no reason for the beta. The only reason to notify about the beta is if it's a newer version. But only notify once. I can decide if I want it or not from there.

[fogice]

I'm running on macOS 26.6.1. When I start this plugin, the DMG downloads and Calibre quits successfully. However, it no longer auto-mounts the DMG.

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by fogice

I'm running on macOS 26.6.1. When I start this plugin, the DMG downloads and Calibre quits successfully. However, it no longer auto-mounts the DMG.

Hello, fogice

I've released an update to the plugin to improve support on macOS (for both Intel and Apple Silicon/M1, M2, M3, and M4 processors).

What's been fixed?
Processor detection has been improved to ensure the correct version for your Mac is downloaded.
The process has been fixed so that the .dmg image mounts and opens automatically without being canceled when Calibre closes.

Steps to try it:
Install/replace the updated plugin version in Calibre.
Click the plugin button to start the update.
Once the download is complete, the plugin will close Calibre, and the .dmg file window should open automatically so you can drag Calibre to your Applications folder.

Note/Plan B (in case macOS requires additional permissions):
If, for any macOS security reason, the file doesn't open automatically, the image will already be downloaded and saved in your Downloads folder (with a name like calibre-arm64-x.x.x.dmg or calibre-x.x.x.dmg). Just double-click it to install.

Please try it and let me know if it worked correctly or if you encounter any error messages. Thanks!

MacOS is very protective of file installation permissions