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Auto-Updates

MouseEffects includes built-in automatic update functionality powered by Velopack. This allows the application to check for updates, download them in the background, and apply them seamlessly.

How It Works

┌─────────────────┐     ┌──────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│  MouseEffects   │────▶│  GitHub Releases │────▶│  Your App       │
│  (Check)        │     │  (Host Updates)  │     │  (Auto-Update)  │
└─────────────────┘     └──────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘
  1. On Startup: The app checks GitHub Releases for newer versions
  2. Detection: Compares current version with latest release
  3. Download: Downloads update packages (full or delta)
  4. Apply: Installs update on next restart

Update Modes

MouseEffects supports two update modes, configurable in Settings:

Silent Mode

  • Updates download automatically in the background
  • No notifications or interruptions
  • Updates apply on next restart
  • Best for users who want hands-off updates

Notify Mode (Default)

  • Shows notification when update is available
  • User can choose when to download and install
  • Progress displayed during download
  • Best for users who want control over updates

Configuration

Settings Window

Access update settings via the system tray icon → Settings → Updates section:

Option Description
Check for updates How often to check: On startup, Daily, Weekly, Never
When update available Silent (background) or Notify (ask user)
Check Now Manually check for updates immediately

Settings File

Update settings are stored in %AppData%\MouseEffects\settings.json:

{
  "UpdateCheckFrequency": "OnStartup",
  "UpdateMode": "Notify",
  "IncludePreReleases": false,
  "LastUpdateCheck": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Update Check Frequency

Setting Behavior
OnStartup Check every time the app starts
Daily Check once per day
Weekly Check once per week
Never Disable automatic checks (manual only)

Manual Updates

To manually check for updates:

  1. Open Settings (right-click tray icon → Settings)
  2. Scroll to the Updates section
  3. Click Check Now
  4. If an update is available, click Download & Install Update

Update Flow

Automatic (Silent Mode)

App Start → Check GitHub → Download in Background → Ready on Restart

Manual (Notify Mode)

App Start → Check GitHub → Notification → User Clicks → Download → Restart

Delta Updates

Velopack supports delta updates, which means:

  • Only changed files are downloaded
  • Significantly smaller download sizes
  • Faster update process
  • Automatic fallback to full update if delta fails

Troubleshooting

Updates Not Working

  1. Check network connection - The app needs internet access to check GitHub
  2. Verify frequency setting - Make sure "Never" isn't selected
  3. Check logs - Look in %AppData%\MouseEffects\debug.log for errors

Update Check Fails

Common causes:

  • GitHub API rate limiting (temporary, try again later)
  • Firewall blocking GitHub access
  • No releases published yet

Update Won't Apply

  1. Close MouseEffects completely
  2. Restart the application
  3. The update should apply automatically

Rollback

If an update causes issues:

  1. The previous version is retained
  2. Uninstall and reinstall the previous version from Releases

For Developers

Update Service Architecture

The update system consists of:

Component File Purpose
IUpdateService Services/IUpdateService.cs Interface definition
UpdateService Services/UpdateService.cs Velopack integration
Update UI UI/SettingsWindow.xaml Settings controls

GitHub Releases Integration

Updates are published to GitHub Releases with these artifacts:

File Purpose
MouseEffects-win-Setup.exe Installer for new users
MouseEffects-{version}-win-full.nupkg Full update package
MouseEffects-{version}-win-delta.nupkg Delta update package
RELEASES Velopack manifest file

Publishing Updates

To publish a new version:

  1. Update version in MouseEffects.App.csproj
  2. Commit and tag: git tag v1.0.4
  3. Push tag: git push origin v1.0.4
  4. GitHub Actions automatically builds and publishes

See Velopack Packaging for detailed instructions.

Security

  • Updates are downloaded over HTTPS
  • All releases are published through GitHub's trusted infrastructure
  • No administrator rights required for updates
  • Updates install to user profile only

Comparison with MSIX Updates

Feature Velopack MSIX
Auto-updates Built-in Via Microsoft Store
Admin required No No
Delta updates Yes Yes
Certificate required No Yes
Offline install Yes Yes
Enterprise deployment Manual Group Policy