Construct 3 NW.js desktop app [Deprecated]

I'll try and put this in the simplest way I can, I really don't want to waste your time!

Hi!

Today we got our first enforced update since we started using Github, and that has caused some problems. Enforced updates are great in general, but for those using the official desktop client (required for Github) we can't go to a specific version, unlike in the browser. Would adding a "don't enforce updates" setting be too much to ask? Or any equivalent of going to a specific version url, like in the web version. I've made two mockups of possible solutions, I hope they're useful in any way.

Thank you very much, I've been a loyal customer since Construct Classic and can't believe I'm using it professionally now, you guys do such an amazing job :)

When an update comes out, just tell your team to all update.

I completely understand adding this would be too much work, you guys are very busy. Thanks for taking the time to reply so much, even if it was for nothing! I really appreciate it, truly, you guys are very dedicated and I love every feature :)

I’ll now start using the unofficial launcher against my wish, as it’s my only option. Thank you very much, anyway, and have a nice day!

This was the first time I’ve ever reported an issue, and it’s probably going to be my last. I’ll just find a way around stuff.

This was a painful read.

I really don't understand the reluctance to provide a paying customer something that their TEAM would benefit from ("team" suggests this would benefit multiple paying customers). Not only is it likely an easy addition to add, but it would make your customers happier, and people obersving this thread such as myself would see a nice interaction between Scirra and a customer, rather than blatant misunderstanding and accusations against a customer (seriously, they never "told you" guys to "stop making routine updates").

If the worry was about "bug reports from older versions that are already fixed" then this would occur anyway with folks that stumble upon the older versions on the Web version, or folks that use the unofficial desktop launcher (not like you'd know what launcher they used from the bug report alone, they'd only include the version number, which would indicate that it's an old bug anyway).

I dunno, it's not exactly hopeful reading this stuff as a lurker. I got burned out from reporting bugs too.

Oh no, no anger towards anyone! I direct things towards "Scirra" as a business.

I do agree with what you're saying, passion can be lacking in the industry, and Ashley and the team at Scirra do show their passion in their craft.

I just can't fathom why there was so much pushback for a seemingly simple thing to add.

I don't know, I'm with Ashley on this one.. I cannot imagine what an enormous task it must be supporting Construct, so forcing people to use the most stable version seems like a solid idea.

I believe most C3 users are happy with auto-updates. Moreover, many people update to the latest beta the moment it's released.

OP's problem seems more like a workflow issue, this situation is not common. And there are already a few solutions available - use a launcher, or edit package.json. I tested the second one and it works fine for me, folder saving and everything.

I somewhat agree, but the main thing being: Considering the "Forced update" can be avoided by using other official means (web version) but the web version doesn't work with Github, then it does make it a bit weird that there's pushback for the official desktop version behaving the same way as the web version. Inherently not everyone is keeping up-to-date.

To be honest I'm out of the loop because I work alone and use the unofficial launcher and I keep up with latest betas, I was mainly unhappy seeing the false accusation of "It's not fair you come here to tell us to *blah*" when it was never said nor implied. But hey, miscommunications happen.

Infact, I'm so out of the loop - You mention the package.json, you can simply edit this in the official launcher to pop the /r218 link directly in? That sounds like a fine solution if so - Still using the official launcher but having a fixed URL to the version of choice! I must have missed that.

I genuinely don't understand the problem here.

You just need to update your team to the latest version all at the same time. Problem solved.

In all your posts, you haven't given any reasons why that wouldn't work. So I'm just completely mystified as to why you are still asking about this.

As I said: people who stay on old versions routinely run in to all sorts of bugs, compatibility issues, performance pitfalls and other problems that we've already fixed. This needlessly increases our support burden as people end up filing issues and contacting support about problems which were already solved. This wastes everyone's time, and is particularly painful for us as a small team with already very limited resources. We want to avoid that, so we auto-update everyone, and I think we have an extremely good track record with backwards compatibility.

You mention the package.json, you can simply edit this in the official launcher to pop the /r218 link directly in?

Yep. However, I had to use an older version of this file. I guess that launcher does something similar, but the process is automated.

There is definitely a problem here.

No matter how much testing you do it is impossible to test all configurations out there.

My experience with these forced updates.

1. Lost the ability to use desktop version

2. Lost the ability to use versions after r210 ( web ), then got it to work , only to be screwed by another auto update.

3. Changes to minifying broke a bunch of 3rd party addons ( according to other customers,) I only use my clients' addons so in my case I could not use advanced minify only.

All this takes time to fix on my side and nobody is paying me for the time it takes to fix these problems that are being forced upon me and could be avoided by a simple choice of whether to update or not.

Especially great when it autoupdates when I open it to export a final version just before a deadline.

I think they've chosen to go with the unofficial launcher now.

I don't know the guy/gal but I'm confident that Scirra will not get any redundant bug reports from gustavoChico being on r218 when they're using the unofficial launcher. Judging by their posts, they sound competent and aware of what they are doing and understand the risks of remaining on the older version. They just wanted a way to actually stay on the version of their choice, which sounds like there are 2 (unofficial) ways to do now.

dop2000 that's excellent, this gives people more choice in how they arrange their workflow! Not an "official" solution but the logic stacks up - just changing 1 URL in the official launcher sounds like it shouldn't go wrong (but then again, still not "officially" supported).

Maybe If you could keep the manifest in git as well?

newt That's genius! I'll try all of these new approaches, thanks everyone!