Updates

FlatCAM Evo checks for a new version and installs it with a built-in updater. The updater replaces the program files, keeps the replaced files for a rollback, and starts the new version.

Where to find it

• Help > Check for Updates: checks now.
• Help > Revert to Previous Version: starts the rollback to the previous version.
• Preferences > General > Check for updates automatically: checks at startup.
• Preferences > General > Update source: where the updates come from.

Screenshot placeholder: images/Updates-1.png - the update dialog with the release details and its buttons.

Quick start

1. Select Help > Check for Updates.
2. Read the release details in the dialog.
3. Select Update now to install the new version. The program closes, the update runs, and the new version starts.

If the program cannot update itself in your installation, the dialog shows the reason. Download the new version by hand in that case.

Parameters

Update settings (Preferences > General)

Parameter	Description	Default
Check for updates automatically (global_version_check)	Checks for a new version at startup. Use Help > Check for Updates for a manual check.	Checked
Update source (global_update_provider)	GitHub: the GitHub Releases of the project. Digi (legacy): the former Digi public share.	GitHub
Digi share URL (global_legacy_update_url)	The address of the Digi public share. Used when the update source is Digi (legacy).	The Digi share address in services/updater/digi/transport.py
Update address (global_update_url)	The GitHub repository used for updates. Not shown in the preferences.	https://github.com/MariusAdrian88/FlatCAM_Evo
Portable app (global_portable)	Stores the preferences in the config folder of the application. See Data folders below.	Unchecked

The Prepare Update Files (Digi Legacy) button creates local upload files for a manual Digi publication. It is for the program publisher only.

Update dialog

The dialog opens when a new version is found.

Element	Text or behaviour
Title	FlatCAM update available:
Version line	A new version is available: and You have: ().
Archive size	Full archive size: , or Update size: unknown; the source archive is prepared automatically.
Release date	Published: . Shown only when the release has a date.
Release notes	The release notes. When the release has none: No release notes provided.
Manual guidance	Shown only when the update cannot be installed automatically. It names the reason (see the table below) and links to the release page.
Mandatory warning	This update is mandatory. Update now or exit FlatCAM. Shown only for a mandatory update.
Update now	Starts the update. Not shown when the update is manual.
Later	Closes the dialog. The update is offered again later. For a mandatory update, the button is Exit and closes FlatCAM.

Closing the dialog with its window button has the same effect as Later, or as Exit for a mandatory update.

Reasons for a manual update

The dialog shows one of these reasons when the program does not update itself:

Reason	Meaning
This FlatCAM copy runs from an AppImage.	An AppImage file is replaced by hand.
This is a source installation on Windows.	A source copy is updated with Git or by hand.
This build does not match the published Windows x64 archive.	The build is not the published Windows x64 archive.
The packaged Linux application is replaced by hand.	The packaged Linux program is replaced by hand.
This is a Git checkout.	A Git checkout is updated with Git.
The installation folder is read-only.	The updater cannot write to the folder.
macOS builds are replaced by hand.	macOS builds are replaced by hand.
This platform has no automatic package.	No automatic package exists for this platform.

Data folders

The data folder holds the preferences, the recent files and the updater files.

Platform or setting	Data folder
Windows (default)	%APPDATA%\FlatCAM, for example C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\FlatCAM.
Windows, Portable app checked	The config folder in the application folder.
Linux and macOS	~/.FlatCAM
Environment variable FLATCAM_DATA_PATH	The folder given in the variable. It overrides the folders above, also the portable folder.

For a portable installation, the config\configuration.txt file holds the line portable=True. The program reads this line at startup. The Portable app checkbox writes it. This applies to Windows only.

The updater uses the update subfolder of the data folder. Each update has its own job folder there. If the data folder is inside the installation folder, or if its path contains a symbolic link, the updater uses %TEMP%\FlatCAM instead.

Log file

The updater writes its messages to updater.log in its job folder. The job folder is in update inside the data folder, for example %APPDATA%\FlatCAM\update\<job>\updater.log. When the data folder is the temporary folder, the log is in %TEMP%\FlatCAM\update\<job>\updater.log.

Advanced

• What it downloads. The update is a release archive with a manifest. The manifest lists the files and their hashes. The updater checks the archive and the hashes before it changes any file.
• Staging. The new files are extracted to a staging folder first. The installed files are not changed until the staging is complete.
• Backup and restore point. The updater keeps the replaced files in a backup folder. A restore point keeps the files of the old version. If the update fails, the updater rolls back to the restore point.
• Self-update. The updater starts from a copy of itself. The new version's updater runs the update.
• Update and rollback modes. The updater program accepts two modes, as a command line: --job PATH runs an update job, and --rollback RESTORE_DIR restores a previous version. The program starts these modes. Do not use them by hand.

See also

• Preferences General: the update settings and the portable setting.
• Command Line and Headless: the startup options.
• Projects: the project settings.
• FAQ and Troubleshooting: update problems.