Idea: if mac arm64 build becomes available, download this update on ARM macs

[bartoszhernas]

macOS universal Electron build are twice as big (and more).
Because of that at FYM.fm we plan to provide separate builds for x64 and ARM64 architecture for macOS.

Currently this is problematic for our current users that are on x64 version of the app, running via Rosetta.
Even if we release the new ARM64 build, the users will be stuck on Intel version unless they download app from scratch from our website.

I checked the code and the fix seems easy, but I wanted to discuss first if this is something that electron-updater would like to do and if I should make a pull request for it.

Basically if I am on ARM Mac, using Intel version, I would like the updater to download ARM version for the update.

[mmaietta]

Would using mac: { defaultArch: 'arm64' } in your config to get the right filename for it to default updating to arm64 if process.arch === arm64?

[bartoszhernas]

Hi, sorry, I don't quite understand that.
Are you proposing that this is how it will work or asking if this is how I image it to work? Or that it works like you described?

Switching defaultArch would work for us as long as Intel macs are upgrading to Intel versions, and Intel on ARM users should upgrade to ARM version.

[mmaietta]

Actually, this functionality already exists without any electron-builder config changes.
#5524

// Allow arm64 macs to install universal or rosetta2(x64) - https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/pull/5524
const isArm64 = (file: ResolvedUpdateFileInfo) => file.url.pathname.includes("arm64")
if (files.some(isArm64)) {
  files = files.filter(file => (process.arch === "arm64") === isArm64(file))
}

[bartoszhernas]

Ah, you are right, the comment mislead me. Indeed, thank you for pointing it out.

[praneetrohida]

Actually, this functionality already exists without any electron-builder config changes.

if (files.some(isArm64)) {
  files = files.filter(file => (process.arch === "arm64") === isArm64(file))
}

@mmaietta I'm struggling to see how this will work since apps running in Rosetta will have the emulated process.arch value (x64), so they will get updated to the x64 version and not arm64. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Source

[mmaietta]

Hmm, great callout.

Hey @davej , you worked on #5524. Is your solution working for you? (Allow arm64 macs to update to x64 version if no arm64 version available)

[praneetrohida]

Can we reopen this issue?

[mmaietta]

@praneetrohida would you be willing to tackle this?
It's simple to get a local dev env setup with your local project(s):
https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#to-setup-a-local-dev-environment

[praneetrohida]

@mmaietta I can open a PR but I don't have access to an arm64 mac machine to test it

[bartoszhernas]

I will make a PR today (Tallinn time) and I have an ARM Mac :)

[davej]

Hey @davej , you worked on #5524. Is your solution working for you? (Allow arm64 macs to update to x64 version if no arm64 version available)

@mmaietta @praneetrohida I only tested for updating Intel app on M1 to another Intel app on M1. I didn't think of testing the other scenario you mentioned. It makes 100% sense to me though. I suspect that you're correct that it will not allow an emulated Intel version to update to an M1 native app.

[bartoszhernas]

Based on this: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/65346260/get-real-architecture-of-m1-mac-regardless-of-rosetta the current implementation won't work as suggested by @praneetrohida

I will post PR soon