Releases: dklasens/PackMan
Release list
PackMan 1.9.1
PackMan 1.9.1
This release includes the new macOS app and the latest Windows implementation, both versioned 1.9.1.
macOS
The Mac update brings package details, recovery, persistent history and cache previews to the native Mac app, with improvements to verification and process reliability. Version 1.9.1 supersedes both 1.8.2 and the previously published macOS 1.9 rebuild.
- Click a package name for its identity, manager, versions, warnings, evidence, links and command output. Update and verification are separate actions.
- App Store updates remain manual, with App Store/Terminal handoff and installed-version verification.
- Update history retains the latest 500 attempts, including interrupted, cancelled and not-started packages. Preview redacted diagnostics before exporting.
- Preview configured cache locations and cleanup scope; refresh before confirmation. Shared Homebrew cleanup runs once. NuGet global packages are opt-in.
- Recheck available sources, inspect their environments, filter by source/status, and retain window/table preferences. Optionally check casks that update themselves.
- Verification reads installed inventory and reports missing, ambiguous or uncomparable versions without inventing success. Search and ignored packages no longer change scan truth.
- Share Homebrew inventory, refresh stale tool capabilities, bound subprocess output, and wait for process cleanup when cancelling or quitting.
- Self-update validates and stages a complete replacement, waits for PackMan to exit, and restores the old app if swapping fails.
Windows
Includes the latest Windows v1.9 implementation, rebuilt with v1.9.1 version metadata. There are no Windows functionality changes in this patch.
- Package details with full identity, repository, versions, warnings and command output; separate retry/verification and interactive WinGet actions.
- Persistent history for 500 attempts, observed versions, mixed results, reboot requirements and redacted diagnostic export.
- Selective cache previews/cleanup, with explicit NuGet global-package scope.
- Correct Chocolatey success/reboot handling, WinGet repository identity and unknown-version policy, and fixes for standalone/renamed executable self-updates.
Updating and downloads
Use PackMan → Check for Updates… on macOS or Help → Check for Updates on Windows, then Install and Restart. Both platforms can update from v1.9 to v1.9.1.
| Platform | Downloads | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | DMG · ZIP | macOS 14+; Apple Silicon or Intel |
| Windows | ZIP · Standalone EXE | Windows 10/11 x64 and .NET 10 Desktop Runtime |
SHA-256 checksum files accompany each download. The Windows ZIP includes identical PackMan.exe and PackMan-Windows-x64.exe compatibility entries; use either for manual installation. Windows v1.8.0/v1.8.1 and older clients with user-renamed executables may need a manual update once.
The Mac app remains ad-hoc signed. First-time browser downloads may require System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway; see the installation instructions.
Validation
Local Mac validation passed 135 unit/integration tests and 11 UI tests, with one optional live App Store test skipped. Light/dark layouts were inspected. Disposable signed apps exercised the production self-update helper from both 1.8.2 and 1.9.0, including rollback and failed relaunch. Universal architectures, bundle metadata, signatures and archive checksums were verified. Release assets are built by GitHub Actions after each platform's test suite passes.
Physical Intel hardware, macOS 14 runtime compatibility and real package/App Store updates were not exercised locally. See the implementation record for the scope of validation.
PackMan 1.9
PackMan 1.9 improves Windows update reliability and adds package details, persistent history, and selective cache cleanup. This release also includes the existing macOS app, rebuilt as version 1.9 for Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The new features below apply to Windows.
Windows
- Inspect full package IDs, repositories, versions, tool paths, warnings, and command output in Package details.
- Retry an installation or verify its installed state separately; use interactive installation for WinGet packages and open publisher/release links where available.
- Keep the latest 500 update attempts across restarts, with observed versions, mixed-run results, reboot requirements, and redacted diagnostic export.
- Choose caches individually and preview their scope, locations, and estimated space before cleanup. NuGet global-package removal and shared-cache estimates are explained explicitly.
- Handle Chocolatey success and reboot exit codes correctly, report malformed scan output visibly, and keep scan warnings separate from failed updates.
- Preserve WinGet repository identity, resolve truncated IDs when possible, and make unknown-version updates an explicit preference.
- Show ignored updates accurately, wait for cancellation when closing, and avoid an elevated self-update relaunch fallback.
- Fix release version metadata and self-updates for standalone or renamed Windows executables.
macOS
- Includes the existing macOS app rebuilt as version 1.9, with a universal binary for Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
- Available as a ZIP for in-app updates and a DMG for manual installation.
- The Windows features listed above are not included in the macOS app in this release.
Updating
Existing clients discover this release through their normal daily update check. To check immediately, use Help → Check for Updates on Windows or PackMan → Check for Updates… on macOS. Choose Install and Restart to confirm installation.
The Windows ZIP includes both PackMan.exe and an identical PackMan-Windows-x64.exe compatibility copy so v1.8.2 clients using either official filename can find their update. When downloading the ZIP manually, run either copy. Older clients with a user-renamed executable may need a manual update once. Windows v1.8.0/v1.8.1 had an updater replacement issue and may also need a manual download.
Downloads and requirements
| Platform | Downloads | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | ZIP · Standalone EXE | Windows 10/11 x64 and .NET 10 Desktop Runtime |
| macOS | DMG · ZIP | macOS 14 or later; Apple silicon or Intel |
SHA-256 checksum files accompany every download. The macOS app is ad-hoc signed; first-time browser downloads may require System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway, as described in the installation instructions.
Release validation
- Windows: all 168 unit/integration tests and 7 UI tests passed against the release build.
- macOS: Swift tests and app/UI tests passed; universal binary architectures and app version were verified during packaging.
- All four published downloads were downloaded again and matched their accompanying SHA-256 checksums. Both Windows ZIP compatibility entries matched the standalone executable.
PackMan 1.8.2
What's Changed
Full Changelog: v1.8.1...v1.8.2
Contributors
Assets 10
PackMan 1.8.1
Contributors
Assets 10
PackMan 1.8.0
Full Changelog: v1.7.2...v1.8.0
v1.7.2 - Package Cache Cleanup & UI/UX Polish
PackMan v1.7.2 (macOS)
🧹 Package Cache Cleanup & Storage Metrics
- Package Manager Support: Clear cached downloads and temporary files across Homebrew (
brew cleanup), npm (npm cache clean --force), pip (python3 -m pip cache purge), pipx (pipx cache purge), and .NET Tools (dotnet nuget locals all --clear). - Flushed Storage Tracking: Automatically calculates and reports exact freed storage in MB / GB per package manager and overall total.
- Convenient Access: Clear caches from the Sources menu bar (
⌘⇧C), Sources toolbar dropdown, Sources settings sheet, or via right-click context menu on any package. - Safe App Store Handling: Avoids aggressive daemon restarts (
mas reset) to ensure smooth system stability.
✨ UI & UX Polish
- Real-Time Package Search Filter: Filter packages instantly by name, ID, source, or version.
- Package Manager Visual Branding: Color-coded badges and icons for Homebrew, App Store, npm, pip, pipx, and .NET.
- Status Pill Badges: Redesigned capsule status badges for pending, updating, verifying, and failed updates.
- Version Tag: Added subtle
v1.7.2version badge to the footer status bar and Sources header.
🛡️ Resilience & Bug Fixes
- iTunes API Timeout Resilience: Handles
mas outdatedtransient network timeouts gracefully as non-fatal scan issues without losing other App Store updates. - Test Suite Expansion: Added unit tests covering cache clearing, search filtering, and network timeout handling (68 unit tests passing).
PackMan 1.7.1
Full Changelog: v1.7...v1.7.1