feat(desktop): add Velopack auto-update support

Lets the desktop app self-update like CncSender, but only restarts after
the user confirms via a clickable status-bar prompt -- an open, unsaved
nest must never be discarded automatically. The feed URL is a blank-by-
default, per-machine setting (File > Options), since it's operator
infrastructure that doesn't belong in source control; Deploy-OpenNest.ps1
packages releases for whatever feed host/path the operator supplies.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

AGENTS.md

@@ -62,3 +62,4 @@ Read the relevant contract before changing its behavior:
 - [Pre-post verification](docs/post-verification.md)
 - [Cincinnati CL](docs/cincinnati-post-output.md) and [CI Fiber](docs/cincinnati-ci-fiber-post-output.md)
 - [Fill verification](docs/performance/fill-verification.md): opt-in benchmarks, frozen oracles, Debug-only counters and predictor initialization. Zero Release counters do not prove work removal.
+- [Desktop auto-update](docs/auto-update.md): Velopack feed, `UpdateFeedUrl` setting and `Deploy-OpenNest.ps1`.

OpenNest/Forms/MainForm.Designer.cs

@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
             {
                 components.Dispose();
             }
+            if (disposing)
+                updater?.Dispose();
             base.Dispose(disposing);
         }
 

OpenNest/Forms/MainForm.cs

@@ -140,6 +140,57 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
 
             engineComboBox.SelectedItem = EngineSelection.EngineName;
             engineComboBox.SelectedIndexChanged += EngineComboBox_SelectedIndexChanged;
+
+            InitializeUpdater();
+        }
+
+        private global::OpenNest.UpdaterService updater;
+        private ToolStripStatusLabel updateStatusLabel;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Starts background update checks against the per-machine feed URL
+        /// (Options dialog; blank disables checks). Never restarts on its
+        /// own -- shows a clickable status item once an update is ready and
+        /// restarts only when the user clicks it.
+        /// </summary>
+        private void InitializeUpdater()
+        {
+            updateStatusLabel = new ToolStripStatusLabel
+            {
+                Visible = false,
+                ForeColor = Color.DarkGreen,
+                Font = new Font(statusLabel1.Font, FontStyle.Bold),
+            };
+            updateStatusLabel.Click += (_, _) =>
+            {
+                if (!updater.HasPendingUpdate)
+                    return;
+
+                var result = MessageBox.Show(
+                    this,
+                    "An OpenNest update has been downloaded. Restart now to apply it? Any unsaved nest will be lost.",
+                    "Update ready",
+                    MessageBoxButtons.YesNo,
+                    MessageBoxIcon.Question
+                );
+                if (result == DialogResult.Yes)
+                    updater.ApplyAndRestart();
+            };
+            statusStrip1.Items.Insert(statusStrip1.Items.IndexOf(gpuStatusLabel), updateStatusLabel);
+
+            updater = new global::OpenNest.UpdaterService();
+            updater.UpdateReady += version =>
+            {
+                if (IsHandleCreated)
+                    BeginInvoke(new System.Action(() => ShowUpdateReady(version)));
+            };
+            updater.Start();
+        }
+
+        private void ShowUpdateReady(string version)
+        {
+            updateStatusLabel.Text = $"Update {version} ready - click to restart";
+            updateStatusLabel.Visible = true;
         }
 
         private Nest CreateDefaultNest()

OpenNest/Forms/OptionsForm.Designer.cs

@@ -44,10 +44,14 @@
             this.serverGroupBox = new System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox();
             this.serverUrlBox = new System.Windows.Forms.TextBox();
             this.setServerButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
+            this.updateGroupBox = new System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox();
+            this.updateFeedUrlBox = new System.Windows.Forms.TextBox();
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
             ((System.ComponentModel.ISupportInitialize)(this.numericUpDown1)).BeginInit();
             this.tableLayoutPanel1.SuspendLayout();
             this.bottomPanel1.SuspendLayout();
             this.serverGroupBox.SuspendLayout();
+            this.updateGroupBox.SuspendLayout();
             this.SuspendLayout();
             // 
             // checkBox1
@@ -139,7 +143,7 @@
             this.bottomPanel1.Controls.Add(this.cancelButton);
             this.bottomPanel1.Controls.Add(this.saveButton);
             this.bottomPanel1.Dock = System.Windows.Forms.DockStyle.Bottom;
-            this.bottomPanel1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(0, 443);
+            this.bottomPanel1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(0, 509);
             this.bottomPanel1.Name = "bottomPanel1";
             this.bottomPanel1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(708, 50);
             this.bottomPanel1.TabIndex = 1;
@@ -162,7 +166,7 @@
             // strategyGroupBox
             //
             this.strategyGroupBox.Controls.Add(this.strategyGrid);
-            this.strategyGroupBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(12, 253);
+            this.strategyGroupBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(12, 319);
             this.strategyGroupBox.Name = "strategyGroupBox";
             this.strategyGroupBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(684, 180);
             this.strategyGroupBox.TabIndex = 2;
@@ -217,13 +221,43 @@
             this.setServerButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
             this.setServerButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.SetServer_Click);
             //
+            // updateGroupBox
+            //
+            this.updateGroupBox.Controls.Add(this.updateFeedUrlBox);
+            this.updateGroupBox.Controls.Add(this.setUpdateFeedButton);
+            this.updateGroupBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(12, 253);
+            this.updateGroupBox.Name = "updateGroupBox";
+            this.updateGroupBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(684, 60);
+            this.updateGroupBox.TabIndex = 3;
+            this.updateGroupBox.TabStop = false;
+            this.updateGroupBox.Text = "Auto-update feed URL (blank disables update checks; set per machine)";
+            //
+            // updateFeedUrlBox
+            //
+            this.updateFeedUrlBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(12, 24);
+            this.updateFeedUrlBox.Name = "updateFeedUrlBox";
+            this.updateFeedUrlBox.PlaceholderText = "http://host:port";
+            this.updateFeedUrlBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(485, 22);
+            this.updateFeedUrlBox.TabIndex = 0;
+            //
+            // setUpdateFeedButton
+            //
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(504, 21);
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.Name = "setUpdateFeedButton";
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(168, 28);
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.TabIndex = 1;
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.Text = "Save Feed URL";
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
+            this.setUpdateFeedButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.SetUpdateFeed_Click);
+            //
             // OptionsForm
             //
             this.AcceptButton = this.saveButton;
             this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.None;
             this.CancelButton = this.cancelButton;
-            this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(708, 493);
+            this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(708, 559);
             this.Controls.Add(this.strategyGroupBox);
+            this.Controls.Add(this.updateGroupBox);
             this.Controls.Add(this.serverGroupBox);
             this.Controls.Add(this.tableLayoutPanel1);
             this.Controls.Add(this.bottomPanel1);
@@ -242,6 +276,8 @@
             this.bottomPanel1.ResumeLayout(false);
             this.serverGroupBox.ResumeLayout(false);
             this.serverGroupBox.PerformLayout();
+            this.updateGroupBox.ResumeLayout(false);
+            this.updateGroupBox.PerformLayout();
             this.ResumeLayout(false);
 
         }
@@ -263,5 +299,8 @@
         private System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox serverGroupBox;
         private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox serverUrlBox;
         private System.Windows.Forms.Button setServerButton;
+        private System.Windows.Forms.GroupBox updateGroupBox;
+        private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox updateFeedUrlBox;
+        private System.Windows.Forms.Button setUpdateFeedButton;
     }
 }

OpenNest/Forms/OptionsForm.cs

@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
         private void LoadSettings()
         {
             serverUrlBox.Text = NestStorage.Settings.ServerUrl;
+            updateFeedUrlBox.Text = Settings.Default.UpdateFeedUrl;
             checkBox1.Checked = Settings.Default.CreateNewNestOnOpen;
             numericUpDown1.Value = (decimal)Settings.Default.AutoSizePlateFactor;
 
@@ -167,5 +168,32 @@ namespace OpenNest.Forms
                     "Server URL", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
             }
         }
+
+        private void SetUpdateFeed_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
+        {
+            var text = updateFeedUrlBox.Text?.Trim() ?? "";
+            if (text.Length == 0)
+            {
+                Settings.Default.UpdateFeedUrl = "";
+                Settings.Default.Save();
+                updateFeedUrlBox.Text = "";
+                MessageBox.Show(this, "Update feed URL cleared. Update checks are disabled.",
+                    "Update Feed URL", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (!NestStorageSettings.TryNormalizeServerUrl(text, out var url))
+            {
+                MessageBox.Show(this, "Enter a valid http or https feed URL, or clear the field to disable updates.",
+                    "Update Feed URL", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Warning);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            Settings.Default.UpdateFeedUrl = url;
+            Settings.Default.Save();
+            updateFeedUrlBox.Text = url;
+            MessageBox.Show(this, "Update feed URL saved. Restart OpenNest for the new feed to take effect.",
+                "Update Feed URL", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
+        }
     }
 }

OpenNest/MainApp.cs

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Windows.Forms;
 using OpenNest.Forms;
+using Velopack;
 
 namespace OpenNest
 {
@@ -9,6 +10,11 @@ namespace OpenNest
         [STAThread]
         private static void Main()
         {
+            // Must run before anything else: on first launch after an update,
+            // Velopack re-invokes the new exe with hidden hook arguments and
+            // this call handles them and exits, so the UI below never runs.
+            VelopackApp.Build().Run();
+
             Application.EnableVisualStyles();
             Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
             Application.Run(new MainForm());

OpenNest/OpenNest.csproj

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
     <AssemblyName>OpenNest</AssemblyName>
     <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>
     <ApplicationHighDpiMode>DpiUnaware</ApplicationHighDpiMode>
+    <Version>0.4.0</Version>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Remove="Controls\LayoutViewGL.cs" />
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@
     <ProjectReference Include="..\Posts\OpenNest.Posts.Cincinnati\OpenNest.Posts.Cincinnati.csproj" ReferenceOutputAssembly="false" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\Posts\OpenNest.Posts.CincinnatiCIFiber\OpenNest.Posts.CincinnatiCIFiber.csproj" ReferenceOutputAssembly="false" />
     <PackageReference Include="System.Drawing.Common" Version="8.0.10" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Velopack" Version="1.2.0" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Update="Properties\Resources.Designer.cs">

OpenNest/Properties/Settings.Designer.cs

@@ -256,5 +256,19 @@ namespace OpenNest.Properties {
                 this["ActiveColorScheme"] = value;
             }
         }
+
+        [global::System.Configuration.UserScopedSettingAttribute()]
+        [global::System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]
+        [global::System.Configuration.DefaultSettingValueAttribute("")]
+        // Velopack update feed base URL (e.g. http://host:port). Blank disables
+        // update checks; each machine sets its own value via Options, never committed.
+        public string UpdateFeedUrl {
+            get {
+                return ((string)(this["UpdateFeedUrl"]));
+            }
+            set {
+                this["UpdateFeedUrl"] = value;
+            }
+        }
     }
 }

OpenNest/Properties/Settings.settings

@@ -62,5 +62,8 @@
     <Setting Name="ActiveColorScheme" Type="System.String" Scope="User">
       <Value Profile="(Default)">Classic</Value>
     </Setting>
+    <Setting Name="UpdateFeedUrl" Type="System.String" Scope="User">
+      <Value Profile="(Default)" />
+    </Setting>
   </Settings>
 </SettingsFile>

OpenNest/UpdaterService.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+using System;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using OpenNest.Properties;
+using Velopack;
+using Velopack.Sources;
+
+namespace OpenNest
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Periodically checks a Velopack release feed for updates and downloads
+    /// them in the background. Never restarts the app on its own -- an open,
+    /// unsaved nest must not be discarded out from under the user -- so
+    /// callers must observe <see cref="UpdateReady"/> and call
+    /// <see cref="ApplyAndRestart"/> once the user agrees to restart.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// The feed URL is never hard-coded: it is read from the per-machine
+    /// <see cref="Settings.UpdateFeedUrl"/> setting (Options dialog), which is
+    /// user-scoped and lives outside source control. A blank URL disables
+    /// update checks entirely, which is the default for every install.
+    /// </remarks>
+    public sealed class UpdaterService : IDisposable
+    {
+        private static readonly TimeSpan CheckInterval = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(30);
+
+        private readonly UpdateManager _manager;
+        private Timer _timer;
+        private UpdateInfo _pendingUpdate;
+
+        /// <summary>Raised on the thread pool once an update has finished downloading.</summary>
+        public event Action<string> UpdateReady;
+
+        public UpdaterService()
+            : this(Settings.Default.UpdateFeedUrl) { }
+
+        public UpdaterService(string feedUrl)
+        {
+            if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(feedUrl))
+                return;
+
+            _manager = new UpdateManager(new SimpleWebSource(feedUrl));
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>True once a downloaded update is waiting for <see cref="ApplyAndRestart"/>.</summary>
+        public bool HasPendingUpdate => _pendingUpdate != null;
+
+        public void Start()
+        {
+            if (_manager is null || !_manager.IsInstalled)
+                return;
+
+            _timer = new Timer(_ => _ = TickAsync(), null, CheckInterval, CheckInterval);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>Applies the downloaded update and restarts the process. Call only after the user agrees.</summary>
+        public void ApplyAndRestart()
+        {
+            if (_manager != null && _pendingUpdate != null)
+                _manager.ApplyUpdatesAndRestart(_pendingUpdate);
+        }
+
+        public void Dispose() => _timer?.Dispose();
+
+        private async Task TickAsync()
+        {
+            if (_manager is null || _pendingUpdate != null)
+                return;
+
+            try
+            {
+                var newVersion = await _manager.CheckForUpdatesAsync();
+                if (newVersion == null)
+                    return;
+
+                await _manager.DownloadUpdatesAsync(newVersion);
+                _pendingUpdate = newVersion;
+                UpdateReady?.Invoke(newVersion.TargetFullRelease.Version.ToString());
+            }
+            catch
+            {
+                // Network hiccup or feed unreachable -- retry next tick.
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}

docs/auto-update.md

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# Desktop auto-update
+
+The Windows desktop app (`OpenNest.exe`) can self-update via
+[Velopack](https://velopack.io): `OpenNest.UpdaterService` polls a static
+file feed every 30 minutes, downloads a newer release in the background, and
+only restarts to apply it after the user confirms (a clickable status-bar
+item appears once a download finishes). It never force-restarts; an open,
+unsaved nest is never discarded automatically.
+
+## Configuring the feed
+
+The feed URL is a per-machine setting
+(`OpenNest.Properties.Settings.UpdateFeedUrl`), set from **File > Options >
+Auto-update feed URL**. It is blank by default, which disables update checks
+entirely — this is intentional: the feed URL is operator infrastructure, not
+something that belongs in source control, so no default ships in the repo.
+Enter a feed's base URL (`http://host:port`) and restart the app to pick it
+up.
+
+Velopack only applies updates to an installed copy (`UpdateManager.IsInstalled`);
+running from a build output directory never attempts an update.
+
+## Hosting a feed
+
+Any static file server that can serve a `vpk pack` output directory works.
+`scripts/Deploy-OpenNest.ps1` builds a self-contained `win-x64` publish,
+packs it with the `vpk` CLI (`dotnet tool install -g vpk`), and `scp`s the
+result to a directory you provide:
+
+```powershell
+./scripts/Deploy-OpenNest.ps1 -FeedHost <host> -FeedUser <user> -RemoteDataDir <path>
+```
+
+Bump `<Version>` in `OpenNest/OpenNest.csproj` before each run. This is
+independent of [the GitHub release process](releasing.md) and of
+`Publish-Windows.ps1` — the latter always overrides `<Version>` via
+`-p:Version`, so the two don't conflict.

scripts/Deploy-OpenNest.ps1

@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+<#
+Package a Velopack release of the desktop app and push it to a self-hosted
+update feed (a static file server serving the `vpk pack` output). Installed
+clients configured with that feed URL (Options > Auto-update feed URL) pull
+and apply updates themselves.
+
+This is separate from scripts/Publish-Windows.ps1 and the GitHub release
+process (docs/releasing.md): it targets a privately hosted feed, not a
+public GitHub Release, and never embeds that feed's host or path in source.
+
+Bump <Version> in OpenNest/OpenNest.csproj before running this for a new
+release.
+
+Examples:
+  powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File scripts/Deploy-OpenNest.ps1 `
+      -FeedHost myhost -FeedUser me -RemoteDataDir ~/docker/opennest-releases/data
+#>
+
+Param(
+    [string]$PublishConfiguration = "Release",
+    [Parameter(Mandatory)]
+    [string]$FeedHost,
+    [string]$FeedUser = "aj",
+    [Parameter(Mandatory)]
+    [string]$RemoteDataDir
+)
+
+Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
+$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+
+$ScriptDir = Split-Path -Parent $PSCommandPath
+$RepoRoot = if ((Split-Path -Leaf $ScriptDir) -eq 'scripts') { Split-Path -Parent $ScriptDir } else { $ScriptDir }
+Write-Host "Repository root: $RepoRoot"
+
+$ProjectPath = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'OpenNest\OpenNest.csproj'
+if (-not (Test-Path -LiteralPath $ProjectPath)) { throw "Project not found at: $ProjectPath" }
+
+$csprojContent = Get-Content -LiteralPath $ProjectPath -Raw
+if ($csprojContent -notmatch '<Version>(?<v>[\d.]+)</Version>') { throw "Could not find <Version> in $ProjectPath" }
+$Version = $Matches.v
+Write-Host "Packaging OpenNest v$Version"
+
+# Ensure the vpk (Velopack) CLI is available
+if (-not (Get-Command vpk -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
+    Write-Host "Installing vpk CLI (dotnet tool)..."
+    dotnet tool install -g vpk
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "dotnet tool install vpk failed" }
+}
+
+$PublishDir = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'OpenNest\bin\publish-tmp'
+$ReleasesDir = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'OpenNest\bin\releases'
+if (Test-Path $PublishDir) { Remove-Item $PublishDir -Recurse -Force }
+
+Write-Host "Publishing self-contained build..."
+& dotnet publish $ProjectPath -c $PublishConfiguration -r win-x64 --self-contained true -o $PublishDir
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "dotnet publish failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
+
+Write-Host "Packing Velopack release v$Version..."
+& vpk pack -u OpenNest -v $Version -p $PublishDir -e OpenNest.exe -o $ReleasesDir
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "vpk pack failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
+
+Write-Host "Pushing release feed to $FeedHost..."
+& scp -r "$ReleasesDir\*" "${FeedUser}@${FeedHost}:${RemoteDataDir}/"
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "scp failed" }
+
+Write-Host "Deployment complete. Machines already configured with this feed URL will pick up v$Version within 30 minutes."
+Write-Host ""
+Write-Host "First-time setup on a machine (one-time per machine):"
+Write-Host "  1. Copy $ReleasesDir\OpenNest-win-Setup.exe to the machine and run it."
+Write-Host "  2. In OpenNest, open File > Options and set 'Auto-update feed URL' to"
+Write-Host "     your feed's base URL (e.g. http://${FeedHost}:<port>), then restart OpenNest."
+Write-Host "     This value is per-machine and never stored in source control."