Sparkle step does not work at all due to incorrect usage of `sparkle`

[F1248]

Checklist

• I have searched the issue tracker for relevant or duplicate issues.

Erroneous Behavior

The Sparkle step always fails silently and does not update any apps.

Steps to reproduce

Run the following command:

topgrade --only sparkle

The Sparkle step will fail silently and will not update any apps.

Expected Behavior

The Sparkle step should update all apps using Sparkle with updates available.

Cause

The following command is being executed to check for updates:

/path/to/sparkle --probe --application /Applications/Example.app

Which sparkle reports as incorrect usage. The correct usage is:

/path/to/sparkle /Applications/Example.app --probe

If updates to the app are available, the following command would be executed to install the update:

/path/to/sparkle bundle --check-immediately --application /Applications/Example.app

Which sparkle would again report as incorrect usage. The correct usage is:

/path/to/sparkle /Applications/Example.app --check-immediately

Problem persists without calling from Topgrade

Yes, when executing sparkle with the same, incorrect usage

Ran through Remote Execution

No

Configuration file

None

Additional Details

• macOS Tahoe 26.1 (25B78)
• Topgrade 16.2.1 installed via Homebrew
• Sparkle 2.8.1 installed via Homebrew

Verbose Output

topgrade --only sparkle --verbose
DEBUG Current system locale is en-US
DEBUG Configuration directory /Users/f1248/.config/ does not exist
DEBUG Version: 16.2.1
DEBUG OS: aarch64-apple-darwin
DEBUG Args { inner: ["topgrade", "--only", "sparkle", "--verbose"] }
DEBUG Binary path: Ok("/opt/homebrew/bin/topgrade")
DEBUG self-update Feature Enabled: false
DEBUG Configuration: Config { opt: CommandLineArgs { edit_config: false, show_config_reference: false, run_in_tmux: false, no_tmux: false, cleanup: false, dry_run: false, run_type: Wet, no_retry: false, disable: [], only: [Sparkle], custom_commands: [], env: [], verbose: true, keep_at_end: false, skip_notify: false, yes: None, disable_predefined_git_repos: false, config: None, remote_host_limit: None, show_skipped: false, allow_root: false, log_filter: "warn", gen_completion: None, gen_manpage: false, no_self_update: false }, config_file: ConfigFile { include: None, misc: None, pre_commands: None, post_commands: None, commands: None, conda: None, python: None, composer: None, brew: None, linux: None, mandb: None, git: None, containers: None, windows: None, npm: None, yarn: None, deno: None, vim: None, firmware: None, vagrant: None, flatpak: None, pixi: None, distrobox: None, lensfun: None, julia: None, zigup: None, vscode: None, doom: None, rustup: None, pkgfile: None }, allowed_steps: [Sparkle] }
DEBUG Running with euid: 501
DEBUG Cannot find "doas"
DEBUG Detected "/usr/bin/sudo" as "sudo"
DEBUG Sudo: Ok(Sudo { path: Some("/usr/bin/sudo"), kind: Sudo })
DEBUG Step "Sparkle"
DEBUG Detected "/opt/homebrew/bin/sparkle" as "sparkle"

── 15:00:16 - Sparkle ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
DEBUG Executing command `/opt/homebrew/bin/sparkle --probe --application /Applications/NetNewsWire.app`
DEBUG Command failed: Err(
   0: \x1b[91mCommand failed: `/opt/homebrew/bin/sparkle --probe --application /Applications/NetNewsWire.app`

      Stderr:
      Usage: /opt/homebrew/bin/sparkle bundle [--application app-path] [--check-immediately] [--probe] [--channels chan1,chan2,…] [--feed-url feed-url] [--user-agent-name display-name] [--grant-automatic-checks] [--send-profile] [--defer-install] [--interactive] [--allow-major-upgrades] [--verbose]
      Description:
        Check if any new updates for a Sparkle supported bundle need to be installed.

        If any new updates need to be installed, the user application
        is terminated and the update is installed immediately unless --defer-install
        is specified. If the application was alive, then it will be relaunched after.

        To check if an update is available without installing, use --probe.

        if no updates are available now, or if the last update check was recently
        (unless --check-immediately is specified) then nothing is done.

        If update permission is requested and --grant-automatic-checks is not
        specified, then checking for updates is aborted.

        Unless --interactive is specified, this tool will not request for escalated
        authorization. Alternatively, this tool can be run as root under an active user login
        session, which will not require (and disallow) interaction.

        If --defer-install is specified, this tool will exit leaving a spawned process
        for finishing the installation after the target application terminates.

        If update installation fails due to not having permission (e.g. from Gatekeeper) to replace the old bundle, an exit status of 8 is returned.
        Please specify --user-agent-name if you intend to use this tool in an automated way.
      Options:
       --application
          Path to the application to watch for termination and to relaunch.
          If not provided, this is assumed to be the same as the bundle.
       --check-immediately
          Immediately checks for updates to install.
          Without this, updates are checked only when needed on a scheduled basis.
       --probe
          Probe for updates. Check if any updates are available but do not install.
          An exit status of 0 is returned if a new update is available.
       --allow-major-upgrades
          Allows probing and installing major upgrades. Without passing this, an exit
          status of 2 is returned if a major upgrade is found.
       --channels
          List of allowed Sparkle channels to look for updates in. By default,
          only the default channel is used.
       --feed-url
          URL for appcast feed. This URL will be used for the feed instead of the one
          in the bundle's Info.plist or in the bundle's user defaults.
       --user-agent-name
          Display name that will be included as a part of the User-Agent string.
          We encourage setting this so developers know what is querying their feed.
          Otherwise, this value may be set and inferred automatically.
       --interactive
          Allows prompting the user for an authorization dialog prompt if the
          installer needs elevated privileges, or allows performing an interactive
          installer package. Without passing this, an exit status of 3 is returned
          if an update requires user interaction. An exit status of 5 is returned
          if the user cancels the authorization prompt.
       --grant-automatic-checks
          If update permission is requested, this enables automatic update checks.
          Note that this behavior may overwrite the user's defaults for the bundle.
          This option has no effect if --check-immediately is passed, or if the
          user has replied to this request already, or if the developer configured
          to skip it. Without passing this, an exit status of 6 is returned
          if permission is needed.
       --send-profile
          Choose to send system profile information if update permission is requested.
          This option can only take effect if --grant-automatic-checks is passed.
       --defer-install
          Defer installation until after the application terminates on its own. The
          application will not be relaunched unless the installation is resumed later.
       --verbose
          Enable verbose logging.\x1b[0m
   1: \x1b[91m`/opt/homebrew/bin/sparkle` failed: exit status: 1 with Usage: /opt/homebrew/bin/sparkle bundle [--application app-path] [--check-immediately] [--probe] [--channels chan1,chan2,…] [--feed-url feed-url] [--user-agent-name display-name] [--grant-automatic-checks] [--send-profile] [--defer-install] [--interactive] [--allow-major-upgrades] [--verbose]
      Description:
        Check if any new updates for a Sparkle supported bundle need to be installed.

        If any new updates need to be installed, the user application
        is terminated and the update is installed immediately unless --defer-install
        is specified. If the application was alive, then it will be relaunched after.

        To check if an update is available without installing, use --probe.

        if no updates are available now, or if the last update check was recently
        (unless --check-immediately is specified) then nothing is done.

        If update permission is requested and --grant-automatic-checks is not
        specified, then checking for updates is aborted.

        Unless --interactive is specified, this tool will not request for escalated
        authorization. Alternatively, this tool can be run as root under an active user login
        session, which will not require (and disallow) interaction.

        If --defer-install is specified, this tool will exit leaving a spawned process
        for finishing the installation after the target application terminates.

        If update installation fails due to not having permission (e.g. from Gatekeeper) to replace the old bundle, an exit status of 8 is returned.
        Please specify --user-agent-name if you intend to use this tool in an automated way.
      Options:
       --application
          Path to the application to watch for termination and to relaunch.
          If not provided, this is assumed to be the same as the bundle.
       --check-immediately
          Immediately checks for updates to install.
          Without this, updates are checked only when needed on a scheduled basis.
       --probe
          Probe for updates. Check if any updates are available but do not install.
          An exit status of 0 is returned if a new update is available.
       --allow-major-upgrades
          Allows probing and installing major upgrades. Without passing this, an exit
          status of 2 is returned if a major upgrade is found.
       --channels
          List of allowed Sparkle channels to look for updates in. By default,
          only the default channel is used.
       --feed-url
          URL for appcast feed. This URL will be used for the feed instead of the one
          in the bundle's Info.plist or in the bundle's user defaults.
       --user-agent-name
          Display name that will be included as a part of the User-Agent string.
          We encourage setting this so developers know what is querying their feed.
          Otherwise, this value may be set and inferred automatically.
       --interactive
          Allows prompting the user for an authorization dialog prompt if the
          installer needs elevated privileges, or allows performing an interactive
          installer package. Without passing this, an exit status of 3 is returned
          if an update requires user interaction. An exit status of 5 is returned
          if the user cancels the authorization prompt.
       --grant-automatic-checks
          If update permission is requested, this enables automatic update checks.
          Note that this behavior may overwrite the user's defaults for the bundle.
          This option has no effect if --check-immediately is passed, or if the
          user has replied to this request already, or if the developer configured
          to skip it. Without passing this, an exit status of 6 is returned
          if permission is needed.
       --send-profile
          Choose to send system profile information if update permission is requested.
          This option can only take effect if --grant-automatic-checks is passed.
       --defer-install
          Defer installation until after the application terminates on its own. The
          application will not be relaunched unless the installation is resumed later.
       --verbose
          Enable verbose logging.
   1: \x1b[0m

Location:
   \x1b[35msrc/steps/os/macos.rs\x1b[0m:\x1b[35m83\x1b[0m)
── 15:00:16 - Summary ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Sparkle: OK
DEBUG Desktop notification: Topgrade finished successfully

[GideonBear]

Given the documentation, the command should succeed. Any clue why the usage is incorrect?

In any case, failing silently is bad here.

Is there even a need to do --probe at all? The documentation seems to suggest that sparkle bundle --aplication /Application/Example.app --check-immediately should do the job.

(note to self, documentation says Please specify --user-agent-name if you intend to use this tool in an automated way. so we should add --user-agent-name topgrade)

Introduced in r-darwish/topgrade#950, issue r-darwish/topgrade#657, have more information about why it was implemented the way it was, haven't read those fully yet.
Docs: https://sparkle-project.org/documentation/sparkle-cli/

[F1248]

Given the documentation, the command should succeed. Any clue why the usage is incorrect?

I believe bundle is meant to be replaced with the path to the bundle (meaning the application). --application is optional and “If not provided, this is assumed to be the same as the bundle.”.

Is there even a need to do --probe at all? The documentation seems to suggest that sparkle bundle --aplication /Application/Example.app --check-immediately should do the job.

Yes, probably this will work.

PS: It would be nice to have an option to add the --allow-major-upgrades and --interactive flags to sparkle.