Where to check latest version / update available?

[virtuali]

In my eyes, nothing more easy than that: simply make a thread on top of the forums where you announce updates

Exactly like this one ?

https://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,26826.0.html

we could simply quickly check the forums and if the corresponding thread has no new entry, no need to run FSDT Updater.

And the "Release Notes" button too. Two sources, saying the same thing, which is what you are asking.

[rogermoore]

there are many repeated questions on this forum and some irritation that customers have not read the forum or the manual or both from FSD.  I take particular issue with the updater which is a terrible piece of software in my mind.  if i didn't have other issues with GSX i wouldn't rely on it as much as i do.  it is no way intuitive and weeks after launch still doesn't work as far as i can see for whatever reason i am not interested in.

i haven't read the Windows manual but i can work the updater.

[virtuali]

I take particular issue with the updater which is a terrible piece of software in my mind. 

The updater works perfectly fine, because it does what it's supposed to do: update all products to the latest version.

Its only "problem" is that is very transparent about what it does, meaning if there's any issue with the servers not updated, it will *tell* the file should have been downloaded, but for some reason the current version didn't arrive, it will try to download it again, so you think the updater has a "problem", when in fact it's only doing his job, correctly detecting the file you downloaded is not the same we have online, so it will try to download it again on the next run.

If we "cheated", we could just remove all this extra log information, replace it with a "version number", so you would happy assuming you have the latest version ("I see a version number, so I'm fine" ), when in fact you really don't, and you wouldn't even suspect there might have been a problem and not *all* your files are fine.

Instead, with the reliable method we have here, if there's a problem with your local nodes, you KNOW, because you see the same files are downloaded over and over, so you KNOW you should use the alternative Offline installer.

But I guess being cheated on is something that makes the software more "intuitive": all these comments seems to indicate nobody is really interested in fault tolerance and reliability, you only want a software that works like all the others, with a familiar version number. Noted for future updates...

[Ankh]

Exactly like this one ?

Yup, exactly like this one for the novel GSX. Which you started on... 23rd of August 2022. How long is FSDT selling sim products? When was the release of the initial GSX? Since when do you use FSDT Updater? Where are the comparable threads for all other products?

I already asked back in 2018 if something like the GSX update thread could be established, it took you four years, good job ;-)

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,18747.msg130049.html#msg130049

I cite myself: "it would be nice to have a pinned topic where FSDT lists what they include in the live updates. Basically a changelog"

[virtuali]

Yup, exactly like this one for the novel GSX. Which you started on... 23rd of August 2022. How long is FSDT selling sim products? When was the release of the initial GSX? Since when do you use FSDT Updater? Where are the comparable threads for all other products?

In FSX/P3D we do have a "Live Update" notification system in the sim, which alerts when new updates are available, and it offered the ability to read the Release Notes, showing this page:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/couatl_liveupdate_notes.html

As you can see, that page has been kept updated since March 2012. Since February 2022, the same page is also visible from the "Release Notes" button in the FSDT Universal Installer.

It's likely we'll reinstate the Live Update notification in MSFS as well in the foreseeable future.

[disco79stu]

I mean... in the Universal Installer it says "Click here to check for Updates".
But it doesn't really check, it always shows "update all" it just downloads all files. That's more of a re-installation every time than a real update of new content if available.
It never says smth like "we checked, and yes, there is a new update available, would you like to install?" or "no update found".

Anyway, I'm just saying, as a customer feedback, I -personally- am having trouble keeping up with the latest versions, missing updates every now and then.

Thanks!

[virtuali]

I mean... in the Universal Installer it says "Click here to check for Updates".
But it doesn't really check, it always shows "update all" it just downloads all files. That's more of a re-installation every time than a real update of new content if available.

The Update button surely checks which file needs an update, and it surely doesn't download "all files", only the ones which do require an update.

"we checked, and yes, there is a new update available, would you like to install?" or "no update found".

You already manifested your desire to update by clicking the button so, why should we bothered you with another request to confirm what you just said you wanted to do ?

If nothing is downloaded, it means exactly that: "no update found".

Note that some files ARE being always downloaded, but simply because we found it's faster to always redownload them, than checking if they are outdated (because they are thousands of small files, which compress a lot as a ZIP file), this is explained in the Sticky thread of the forum that contains the Release notes.

Anyway, I'm just saying, as a customer feedback, I -personally- am having trouble keeping up with the latest versions, missing updates every now and then.

Which is why, we placed updates notes everywhere:

- On the Sticky thread of this forum

- On the "Release Notes" button in the Installer

- On the NEWS section of the Home page.

- On our Facebook page.