23. Update System

SPIERSedit incorporates an update-checking system (as do the other two SPIERS applications). If connected to the Internet, it will check for updates every time it is run, by comparing the current version against the latest release published on the SPIERS GitHub page. This check happens quietly in the background and does not delay or interrupt startup; if no Internet connection is available the check is simply skipped.

A check can also be triggered manually at any time using the Check for Updates… command on the Help menu. Unlike the automatic startup check, a manual check will always report its result, showing a confirmation dialog even when no update is available.

If a newer version is found, an Update Available dialog is shown, listing the files attached to that release (installers, and source code archives) along with their sizes. Selecting Download for one of these prompts for a save location, then downloads the file with a progress dialog, showing a confirmation once complete. Downloading does not automatically install the update or close SPIERSedit - the downloaded installer must be run manually afterwards, in the same way as the original installation. A link to the full release notes on GitHub is also provided in this dialog.

When an update is found by the automatic startup check, the dialog additionally offers a Skip This Version button; this silences the startup prompt for that specific version only (checked again, and reported, once a newer version is released). This option is not offered on a manual check, since in that case the user has explicitly asked to be informed.