Automatic firmware update notification?!

[waxhead]

I have to do system->firmware->status->check for updates or via the system info widget in the lobby click the check or updates link.

Is there really anything that problematic with having OPNsense by itself, (perhaps once a day) check an URL to see if it's firmware version match or if there is a update available? I would much rather prefer to see in the system widget when an update is available instead of mindlessly having to click and hope there is something exciting waiting for me.

Would this be possible to add in a future update/release?

[Greelan]

Set up a cron job for automatic firmware update?

[waxhead]

I would much rather prefer an automatic check so I can decide myself when I wish to update.

[franco]

As most people do not appreciate phoning home there will only be a chance to use an optional cron job indeed.

The system widget could then pick up the probable update notice, but would run the cron job check again to make sure the information is not out of sync.

I am not a fan of open "notification" solutions as you will get as many ideas as users who precisely want "it".

Lucky for us the firmware rework of 21.1.3 made sure update information can be cached (until the next reboot).

So the system widget could say "There are updates available. Click here to install them." and it would be 96% correct in that assumption unless we make sure we also flush cached information in edge cases where this data is being invalidated.

So for the simplest solution we already have:

1. Add a cron job for background firmare update check
2. Read cached update data from the widget and display a different text when updates are available
3. Clear cached update data when it is being invalidated by other firmware operations

Is that something that makes sense to you? Because I cannot see a lot of leeway here for "notification" beyond your practical assertion of avoiding a click.


Cheers,
Franco

[waxhead]

Well all I am asking for is essentially to have an optional cronjob that can be enabled/disabled making the "phone home" totally optional. If an update is available just changing the link text "check for updates" to "update available" on the widget is more than enough for me.

Notifications like in a certain other sense does not make sense (!) too me as it is just messy and difficult to keep track of.

And while avoiding one click may not seem as much it is (in my opinion) little things like this that makes a huge difference in how the product is perceived.

[Steven]

Hi Waxhead, another solution, which is outside the system, is to turn on notifications when new posts are put into the "Announcement" section of the forums. New firmware are posted in that forum section, along with other important news.

[amichel]

Hi all,
another not too technical solution that I personally use.
I simply added the RSS widget to the Dashboard. This also shows in case new updates are available.

[franco]

Ok, so I made a ticket as discussed https://github.com/opnsense/core/issues/5013


Cheers,
Franco

[franco]

So how about this then... https://github.com/opnsense/core/commit/ddfd1cb5

# opnsense-patch ddfd1cb5

Cron job is "Firmware update check", but it also works when you check for updates manually.

(it probably needs a restart of configd to see the cron job)


Cheers,
Franco