# Snapshot release updates and user notification

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [March 3, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341 "2021-03-03T18:09:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![muratmaga](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/muratmaga/32/3622_2.png) [@muratmaga](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/muratmaga)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/1 "2021-03-03T18:09:38Z")

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Quick question about what happens to the previous snapshot release after a new one is released? For example would the extensions to the previous one (202009) will continue to be updated?

If not, we might have to consider letting the people know that there is a newer stable release (as oppose to they pro-actively do so by clicking on Help-\>About Slicer-\>Download a newer version. I bet most people is not even aware of that.). Perhaps auto check Slicer stable releases monthly at the startup and just let users know.

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**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/2 "2021-03-03T18:56:04Z")

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Extensions are only built/updated for the latest stable and preview (not for Slicer-4.11.20200930).

> [@muratmaga](#):
>
> Perhaps auto check Slicer stable releases monthly at the startup and just let users know.

It would be nice to implement automatic update checks. It could also give us a better idea who uses Slicer, which version, and how often. I’ve added a feature request to track this task:

> <https://github.com/Slicer/Slicer/issues/5502>
>
> \## Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
> 
> We are tryi…ng to move towards releasing a new stable version quarterly. However, users may not be aware that a new Slicer core is available. Users also stop getting extension updates if they are not using the latest stable release.
> 
> \## Describe the solution you'd like
> 
> Implement a mechanism that checks if a new version of Slicer is available. The server that queries for new Slicer versions could also collect some statistics about which Slicer versions are used and how often.
> 
> \## Additional context
> 
> https://discourse.slicer.org/t/updated-slicer-binary-automatic-notification/766
> https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341

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**Author:** ![muratmaga](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/muratmaga/32/3622_2.png) [@muratmaga](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/muratmaga)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/3 "2021-03-03T19:13:03Z")

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As a user, I am not fond of extensive telemetry (particularly if we are not going to act on that data). But some automated way of comparing release numbers, and popping up an informative message that says something like:

“A new stable version is available. Your version is no longer kept up to date for extensions. Would you like download and install this version?”

would be good for user experience. We still occasionally met people on forum who are using version 4.8.

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**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/4 "2021-03-03T19:19:47Z")

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As a user I’m not fond of (mostly I don’t care about) telemetry, but as a developer you know how useful it is. I think this is very little to ask, but of course users could opt out of update checks.

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**Author:** ![jamesobutler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/jamesobutler/32/7511_2.png) [@jamesobutler](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/jamesobutler)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/5 "2021-03-03T20:47:49Z")

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I’m sure there are users on both ends of the spectrum of whether they think the telemetry provides helpful benefits or think it is spying.

My impression is most users want Slicer to “just work” so alerting of the latest version of the application or extension with bug fixes would be appreciated. I would be fine if it is transparent what type of data is being collected and having some form of auto-check being the default enabled so they have to opt-out instead of opt-in. The option to opt-out should be clear and easy to find. If it is really desired to be opt-in I would suggest on first startup after install of Slicer to pop-up warning on start to force them to explicitly define the setting of whether they want to turn on automatic checking or to have it off (with the ability to turn on/off later supported in settings).

For reference here are setting options for Visual Studio Code as it relates to update checks for the application and its extensions.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/3/f/3f4e4f71bef26f35867e82b6de8e0e9c494be753.png)  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/0/e/0efc9a27340841b401df63035e985fc39c6a9ceb.png)

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**Author:** ![pieper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pieper/32/8_2.png) [@pieper](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pieper)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 8:52pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/6 "2021-03-03T20:52:47Z")

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I agree that most users are probably fine with update checks and fine with it being turned on by default (with a warning dialog on first install).

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**Author:** ![muratmaga](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/muratmaga/32/3622_2.png) [@muratmaga](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/muratmaga)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 12:21am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/7 "2021-03-04T00:21:51Z")

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I agree, this is very acceptable… Particularly you get the benefit of getting notifications.

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**Author:** ![fedorov](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/fedorov/32/14_2.png) [@fedorov](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/fedorov)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/8 "2021-03-04T14:02:03Z")

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Related discussion from a while ago: [Updated Slicer binary automatic notification](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/updated-slicer-binary-automatic-notification/766)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 4:42am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/snapshot-release-updates-and-user-notification/16341/9 "2022-09-18T04:42:53Z")

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A pull request has just been submitted that implements this feature. Feedback is welcome (by commenting on the pull request).

> <https://github.com/Slicer/Slicer/pull/6537>
>
> Now that a new Slicer Stable Releases is planned to be created in every quarter,… but extensions are only updated for the latest stable, it is important to keep moving users to the latest Slicer version.
> 
> This commit adds an application update check to make users aware that a more recent Slicer Stable Release is available that the currently running Slicer.
> 
> Automatic update check is enabled by default. It can be enabled/disabled in the Welcome module and in Application Settings.
> Update check can be initiated manually in the Welcome module.
> 
> Application updates can be completely disabled using Slicer\_BUILD\_APPLICATIONUPDATE\_SUPPORT CMake variable, or can be temporarily disabled in Slicer.ini (ApplicationUpdates/Enabled=false).
> 
> fixes #5502
> 
> !\[image\](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/307929/190885899-7fec7678-66d5-4fee-ae3d-076e624068b5.png)
> 
> !\[image\](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/307929/190886013-6cfe43d7-a671-4614-88f7-c11a6f7055da.png)