Github Action to update winget package on release for Triplex.Triplex

[jo-chemla]

I've just submitted a PR - now merged 🚀 - microsoft/winget-pkgs#172824 so that Triplex had been listed and can be installed on windows via winget install triplex or winget install Triplex.Triplex. I've used Komac to create the manifest file, crediting your github profile, name etc.

It could be useful to add a Github Action workflow on this repo so that the winget package gets updated on every github release. Having a github action do it on every release would make sure the winget repo always has the latest version available.
Note I did the same request for github action workflow for BlenderLauncher which I also added to winget-pkgs, see Victor-IX/Blender-Launcher-V2#141.

Here are two reference articles + action yml files made to keep the winget package up-to-date on every github release, via Github Actions. Requires a winget-token to be stored in security of the repo.

• Use Winget-Releaser Github Action, simpler but relies on external github action. Also another example github action workflow based on winget-releaser
• Producing packages for Windows Package Manager for a blank github action

name: Publish to WinGet
on:
  release:
    types: [ released ]
jobs:
  publish:
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - uses: vedantmgoyal9/winget-releaser@main
        with:
          identifier: Package.Identifier
          token: ${{ secrets.WINGET_TOKEN }}
          # installers-regex: '\.exe$' # Only .exe files

name: Submit Nushell package to Windows Package Manager Community Repository 

on:
  release:
    types: [published]

jobs:

  winget:
    name: Publish winget package
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - name: Submit package to Windows Package Manager Community Repository
        run: |
          iwr https://aka.ms/wingetcreate/latest -OutFile wingetcreate.exe
          $github = Get-Content '${{ github.event_path }}' | ConvertFrom-Json
          $installerUrl = $github.release.assets | Where-Object -Property name -match 'windows.msi' | Select -ExpandProperty browser_download_url -First 1
          .\wingetcreate.exe update Nushell.Nushell -s -v $github.release.tag_name -u $installerUrl -t ${{ secrets.NUSHELL_PAT }}

Note installer might install portable app to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages and not add it to start-menu entries, see microsoft/winget-cli#2299

[itsdouges]

Oh hey mate, can you tell me more about what winget is? Is it like homebrew for macOS?

[jo-chemla]

Exactly, it's the default windows package manager, that has shipped natively with windows for a few years. Makes it easier to install a bunch of apps in one command, or also rely on apps like UnigetUI/formerly WingetUI. Helper webapps like winstall.app make it easier to package lists.

[itsdouges]

Interesting! TIL. @krispya have you used it?

Is raising a PR the canonical way of getting updates into it? Ideally the flow would be:

• Release is created on this repo
• CI action runs
• We push out metadata associated with the release

[itsdouges]

Note installer might install portable app to C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages and not add it to start-menu entries, see microsoft/winget-cli#2299

Did you cross this out because Triplex doesn't currently ship a portable install? For clarity I did that because I want to make sure folks continue getting updates.

[itsdouges]

I'd be happy to accept a contribution to this repo to set this all up. As a side have you been added to the vscode early adopters channel? What's your Discord name I'll add you.

[jo-chemla]

Thabks for the feedback.

• the PR is usually the way to publish the initial package to winget-pkgs. Then pushing updates is usually done via a github action like winget-releaser, see the second code block, which watches your github release and pushes the new version, with release notes, version bump etc to winget-pkgs. So the flow you described is exactly it.
• sure, here is my discord handle jochemla for the vscode early adopters channel!
• I crossed it out because the Triplex package manifest I designed and tested with winget uses your installer which installs at on a global level, in AppData, and that the start menu entry is actually created. I've only face that issue of no start menu creation for portable installs, so it does not concern triplex!

[itsdouges]

Come join first https://discord.gg/22fQ9acT

[itsdouges]

Want to put up a PR to add the Github action? Where do we get a WINGET_TOKEN from?

[jo-chemla]

Just submitted this as a PR https://github.com/try-triplex/triplex/pull/220
With instructions as to how to get the github classic token in the PR thread.

And also I just joined the triplex discord - although I'm not using it often!

[itsdouges]

Done! Thanks mate.

[jo-chemla]

Glad it worked!
Nice to see these auto-PRs by triplex-bot to winget-pkgs repo for every new triplex release!