v1.7.0-alpha.11

Testing this Alpha

This is the first Launcher release that can update itself. You can help to test this process:

• Download this prerelease (v1.7.0-alpha.11)
• Opt in to Launcher prereleases
• Restart the Launcher
• You should be prompted to update to v1.7.0-alpha.12
• Download the update
• Restart when prompted to install the update

Since the last Alpha

• Fix a typo that broke Launcher prerelease update checking.
• Fix a number of Windows-specific issues (layout slightly off, blank windows appearing when exiting Invoke or closing dev console, xtermjs log output resetting in certain situations, what appeared to be an error message after a normal shutdown of Invoke).
• Internal changes to smooth out the release process.

Windows uses an Installer

The file Windows users download from GH releases is now an installer for the Launcher. When you first run it, the Launcher will be installed and a desktop shortcut created.

Use the desktop shortcut to run the Launcher. You can delete the EXE you downloaded..

Launcher Auto-Update

On startup, the Launcher now checks once to see if there are any updates available. If an update is available, you will be prompted to download the update.

The download happens in the background. Once it finishes, you will be prompted to restart and install the update.

There's a new setting to opt-in to Launcher prereleases, disabled by default. If the setting is enabled, the Launcher will check for prerelease versions (e.g. alphas like this one).

Enhancements

• On Windows, the Launcher is now distributed as an installer instead of a portable executable.
• On macOS, the Launcher is now signed. macOS should not tell you it is damaged, and you should not need to manually clear the quarantine flag with xattr.
• Improvements to memory management of the Launcher, resolving Invoke crashes accompanied by a message like Process exited with signal SIGTERM.
• The Install and Launch log viewers are now both xtermjs instances, improving log output (progress bars!) and reducing memory usage.
• Smaller builds thanks to an optimization of the build pipeline.
• If the UI Window crashes but the server is still running, you will be able to re-open the window and pick up where you left off.

Fixes

• Fix a minor memory leak related to xtermjs instances not being disposed properly. Would only be an issue if users repeatedly created and exited the dev console.

Internal

• Update all dependencies to latest.
• Migrate from electron-forge + electron-builder franken-pipeline to electron-vite + electron-builder. New build process.
• Move codesigning to this repo (previously was done in a private repo), sign macOS builds in CI.
• General spruce-up of CI workflows.
• Major internal refactors to reduce complexity of process management and support xtermjs as the default log viewer.

What's Changed

• chore: package updates & general maintenance by @psychedelicious in #83
• feat: suite of memory usage improvements by @psychedelicious in #84
• ci: integrate windows codesigning in repo by @psychedelicious in #85
• ci: add separate workflow to build and sign by @psychedelicious in #86
• ci: fix env vars for macos sign by @psychedelicious in #87
• experiment: use electron-vite for build & electron-builder for packaging by @psychedelicious in #89
• ci: faster workflows by @psychedelicious in #90
• chore: v1.7.0a1 by @psychedelicious in #91
• feat: virtualized log viewer by @psychedelicious in #92
• feat: xterm log viewer & v1.7.0a3 by @psychedelicious in #93
• feat: launcher auto-update by @psychedelicious in #94
• chore: bump version to v1.7.0-alpha.8 by @psychedelicious in #95
• fix: setting typo opt in to launcher prereleases by @psychedelicious in #96
• build stuff by @psychedelicious in #97
• fix: windows-specific fixes by @psychedelicious in #98
• feat: safe exiting by @psychedelicious in #99
• fix: blank windows on close on Windows by @psychedelicious in #100
• chore: spruce up release process by @psychedelicious in #101

Full Changelog: v1.6.0...v1.7.0-alpha.11