Doesn't flatpak allow extension updates to switch branch when the extension point changes version?

[Jehan]

@hfiguiere From our discussions on #98 (comment), I got that:

• When we update the runtime, we should increment the plug-in extension point with the scheme you made: https://github.com/flathub/org.gimp.GIMP/blob/master/org.gimp.GIMP.json#L45
• Then all plug-in extensions will have to bump the "sdk" version to the same as our runtime and increment their "branch". For instance G'MIC: https://github.com/flathub/org.gimp.GIMP.Plugin.GMic/blob/master/org.gimp.GIMP.Plugin.GMic.json#L3

Then if I understood correctly, GIMP can only see the plug-in extensions in the set branch (i.e. only "2-40"). Right?

The problem

Apparently several people are complaining that they "lost" their plug-ins, but actually they have to manually reinstall them on the new branch. So they have to specifically reinstall org.gimp.GIMP.Plugin.GMic//2-40 for instance. That implies they have to understand the technicalities or the fact that we updated the runtime (the kind of details most people don't need to know).

Also this means the old org.gimp.GIMP.Plugin.GMic//2-3.36 is still there even if it is technically unusable (because the old GIMP using this branch is not anymore available since it was on the same stable branch). So we would slowly fill up space with outdated plug-ins too.

Solution

Is there currently a solution for these issues?

In other words: flatpak should recognize that the extension point version changed, hence check currently installed plug-ins, check if the same plug-in (same id) exist in the new branch and propose this new plug-in//branch package. Also it should propose to remove the old one as it became unreachable.

Did I understand all correctly? Is there a solution (i.e. we don't do it right, currently)? If not, shouldn't we make a report at flatpak and ask for this to work like proposed? Thanks. 🙂

[hfiguiere]

I filed this flatpak bug
flatpak/flatpak#4208

[hfiguiere]

Also filed https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-software/-/issues/1216