Updating apps in repo

[Candyman1]

I have a basic question about updating an app (from source) on my repo. What do I need to change in my app, and which files need to be updated? Thanks a lot !

[Licaon_Kter]

Metadata has an “AutoUpdate” field, when you run on your repo server “fdroid checkupdate” it will check the app source code, if you’ve published a new Tag it will pick it up, then when you run “build” the new version is build, when you “publish”, “update”…refresh repos in F-Droid will pick up the updated version…

You can’t use “AutoUpdate” ? Edit metadata yourself…add a new build block for the new version…etc

[Candyman1]

Thank you for your quick reply. I’m a little confused ,I don’t see an AutoUpdate field in the metadata file - does that mean I need to edit the metadata myself? If so what needs to be added ? (Sorry I’m still a bit of a newbie )

[Licaon_Kter]

It’s your metadata, if you didn’t add it… you don’t have it

See: Build Metadata Reference | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

Also see how an autoupdatable app has it (last 4 lines): Files · master · F-Droid / Data · GitLab

[Candyman1]

That example that you sent me looks very helpful. I was wondering where to add that information. Should it go in the index.xml file, or the metadata yml files or somewhere else? Have a good night.

[Licaon_Kter]

Look at the file path ../metadata/appid.yml
Then you need to rebuild the app:

fdroid readmeta
fdroid rewritemeta -v appid
fdroid build -v appid
fdroid publish
fdroid update

Not sure how you managed to have a repo until now without knowing these things

[Ildar]

@Candyman1, what’s your app? Can give a link?

[Candyman1]

The repo is at thesafecell.com/try/fdroid/repo

[Candyman1]

Did you want the repo or an apk?

[Ildar]

You need to start from the beginning. “Update” is a very misguiding word in this case. 1st read what’s required to publish your app in the F-Droid repo.

[Candyman1]

Thank you for your advice. It looks like things are starting to work😀

[Candyman1]

Sorry for bothering you again. I just wanted to clarify something . You wondered how I could have a repo without knowing how to rebuild the apps. Is that only for changing the apps or for a plain repo of pre-built apps? Is fdroid update --interactive enough? I mentioned on a different post that I’ve been having issues with the rotation that the icons disappear, and they don’t work anymore - could that have to do with not rebuilding the apps? Thank you so much!

[hans]

This is the right place to ask questions, so you’re not bothering --interactive was removed a while ago, so it does nothing. Sounds like you are making a repo from APKs that you downloaded from somewhere rather than building the APKs from source. Both are valid ways to make a repo. There are docs about both, like Setup an F-Droid App Repo | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository