Updates and channels

To update a Linux server, run this command.

sudo /usr/local/bin/nifty update

The command downloads the new version, checks its signature, replaces the program and restarts the nifty service. It finds the service's data folder and channel by itself. Open windows then show Nifty has been updated. Choose Reload to use the new version.

If part of Nifty doesn't load, for example because your connection dropped, Nifty shows Part of Nifty didn’t load once it's connected again. Choose Reload to try again.

If you'd stopped Nifty, it stays stopped. Start it with sudo systemctl start nifty when you're ready.

Use the full path, because sudo often leaves /usr/local/bin out. The Mac and Windows apps update themselves. See Install on a Mac and Install on Windows.

Know when there's one

Nifty checks once a day. When there's an update, the Nifty menu shows a dot and About Nifty says Update. Choose Nifty → About Nifty to see the new version, the command and its Release notes. Check now checks straight away. The Release notes link beside the version says what's new in the version you have.

A check is a plain request for the newest version. It sends nothing about you or your notes.

To check from a script, add --check. The command then only says whether there's an update, and it exits with status 3 when there is one.

Your licence and updates

Your licence covers every version released until its Updates until date. A newer version appears in About Nifty with Renew your licence, but it isn't installed. nifty update says why and exits with status 4. To get it, renew your licence, replace your key and then update. See Your licence.

During the free trial, and while Nifty is read-only, every version is offered. Every version is also offered for a revoked key, but a version released after the key was revoked refuses it, so Nifty works as if it had no licence (Your licence).

Channels

• The stable channel is the default.
• The beta channel gives you new features before they're stable, and every stable release newer than the latest beta.

To use the beta channel, turn on Beta releases in Nifty → About Nifty. Turning it off never takes you back a version. You move to the stable channel once its release is newer than yours. From the command line, --channel saves your choice.

sudo /usr/local/bin/nifty update --check --channel beta

Turn checks off

Turn off Check for updates in Nifty → About Nifty. Check now still works.

If something else updates Nifty, such as a package manager, set NIFTY_UPDATE_CHECKS=off in /etc/nifty.env. About Nifty then says that updates come from elsewhere.

Error reports

Nifty → About Nifty also has Send error reports, which is off unless you turn it on. A beta release always sends them. See Error reports and privacy.

Roll back

sudo /usr/local/bin/nifty update --rollback
sudo systemctl restart nifty

This puts back the previous program, which is kept as /usr/local/bin/nifty.previous. Unlike an update, it doesn't restart Nifty for you.