Packal Updater

[lotux]

Can you try to launch the Packal "GUI"?

 

Just try that without the "packal setup" and the regular argument "packal" with no subargument. It should be the first option, and it will work as long as you're running either Mavericks or Yosemite.

 

Let me know what happens.

Thank you for the reply.

 

It's necessary to make clear that I am in China and I cannot visit Packal.org directly.(I really do not know that why my country would block this cool website without any politics topics), so I use ShadowsocksX to visit Packal for workflows(thanks for developers for making good stuff). With Shadowsocks I can use Packal search workflow as other users except Packal Updater, which annoys me.

 

Please see the picture below if anything helps:

 

 

I typed "packal" and click the force update but nothing came out except the updating notification, also I could monitor some net traffic through iStatus Menus. 

[rice.shawn]

Does China block Google?

[lotux]

Does China block Google?

I hate to say but the answer is yes.

[rice.shawn]

Actually, for this problem, that's the best possible answer.

 

The updater uses google to check if there is a live connection first. So, change `www.google.com` to `www.github.com` in two files. You'll see them below with the line numbers.

 

functions.php:117: exec( "ping -c 1 -t 1 www.google.com", $pingResponse, $pingError);
functions.php:122:    $connection = @fsockopen("www.google.com", 80, $errno, $errstr, 1);

and

report-usage-data.php:169: exec( "ping -c 1 -t 1 www.google.com", $pingResponse, $pingError);
report-usage-data.php:174:    $connection = @fsockopen("www.google.com", 80, $errno, $errstr, 1);

See if that works. If not, then let me know.

 

I'll flag this in my notes to change in the future.

[lotux]

 

Actually, for this problem, that's the best possible answer.

 

The updater uses google to check if there is a live connection first. So, change `www.google.com` to `www.github.com` in two files. You'll see them below with the line numbers.

 

functions.php:117: exec( "ping -c 1 -t 1 www.google.com", $pingResponse, $pingError);
functions.php:122:    $connection = @fsockopen("www.google.com", 80, $errno, $errstr, 1);

and

report-usage-data.php:169: exec( "ping -c 1 -t 1 www.google.com", $pingResponse, $pingError);
report-usage-data.php:174:    $connection = @fsockopen("www.google.com", 80, $errno, $errstr, 1);

See if that works. If not, then let me know.

 

I'll flag this in my notes to change in the future.

 

 

Cannot wait to tell that it works! Amazing! So many thanks for the time and debug!

 

And my remain question is that you've mentioned and GUI of Packal Updater but actually I did not know how to active it, a little prompt?

Thanks again for the help.

 

Also I think it is proper to make Github for alternative way to check live net connection. Most people may love to use Google(we do love but we cannot...).

 

And a little confuse that no relpy notification in this forum? I have to check it time by time.

[rice.shawn]

Well, mine looks like this:

 

 

I don't have the `Packal Search` workflow enabled right now, so there are fewer options. The GUI option is the highlighted one. More than likely, all of the `Packal Search` results are coming up before the others for Packal, so just scroll down, and you might see it there. If it doesn't, then you might be running a version of OS X prior to Mavericks. The GUI works only with Mavericks or Yosemite.

[lotux]

Well, mine looks like this:

 

 

I don't have the `Packal Search` workflow enabled right now, so there are fewer options. The GUI option is the highlighted one. More than likely, all of the `Packal Search` results are coming up before the others for Packal, so just scroll down, and you might see it there. If it doesn't, then you might be running a version of OS X prior to Mavericks. The GUI works only with Mavericks or Yosemite.

 

Oh I see. Too many options for Packal Search~ Thank you so much for helping me solve this problem.

[turnstyle]

Hi all,

 

Running El Capitan -- Packal Updater says: "GUI Not Available" (only for 10.9 and 10.10) -- also, fwiw, it actually says: GUI Not Available' (with a trailing apostrophe).

 

Should Packal Updater be updated to permit the GUI under 10.11?

[rice.shawn]

Hi all,

 

Running El Capitan -- Packal Updater says: "GUI Not Available" (only for 10.9 and 10.10) -- also, fwiw, it actually says: GUI Not Available' (with a trailing apostrophe).

 

Should Packal Updater be updated to permit the GUI under 10.11?

 

Theoretically, it should work, but even after I "allow" 10.11 to work on my computer... it doesn't actually work. I've narrowed the possible problems down a little bit, but I haven't isolated the problem yet.

 

So, as a larger update, I've rewritten Packal, and it's undergoing a testing phase right now. (There are still a few more kinks to work out). The Packal Updater has been completely redone in order to work with the new backend. The code for both are much more solid this time around, and the updater is now a more general update / search / install for workflows as well as themes.

 

I have yet to re-implement the GUI for the updater for the new version (although there is a very handy cli utility that's included). Generally, how many of you prefer to use the GUI? I can re-implement it, but I don't want to do so if it isn't widely used.

 

Let me know.

[cands]

I like the GUI and usually use it when interacting with Packal. It's not essential but a nice feature.

[turnstyle]

Will currently-installed workflows need to be re-installed when the new system goes live?

[rice.shawn]

Will currently-installed workflows need to be re-installed when the new system goes live?

 

Yeah, there are new pubkeys and other metadata generated for the workflows. I have a migration path to move all of your Packal workflows from the old one to the new one. It's just a single selection in the workflow, so it should be painless. You'll just have to select, press enter, and wait for a bit (depending on how many you have installed).

[MuppetGate]

Theoretically, it should work, but even after I "allow" 10.11 to work on my computer... it doesn't actually work. I've narrowed the possible problems down a little bit, but I haven't isolated the problem yet.

 

So, as a larger update, I've rewritten Packal, and it's undergoing a testing phase right now. (There are still a few more kinks to work out). The Packal Updater has been completely redone in order to work with the new backend. The code for both are much more solid this time around, and the updater is now a more general update / search / install for workflows as well as themes.

 

I have yet to re-implement the GUI for the updater for the new version (although there is a very handy cli utility that's included). Generally, how many of you prefer to use the GUI? I can re-implement it, but I don't want to do so if it isn't widely used.

 

Let me know.

I used it because the Packal updater usually didn't find workflows that needed updating. If the next version is more reliable then I can live without the GUI.

[mdorf]

Suddenly, my Packal Updater started reporting this error:

 

[iNFO: alfred.workflow.input.scriptfilter] <?xml version="1.0"?>
<items><item arg="" valid="no"><arg></arg><title>Error: Packal Updater</title><subtitle>The workflow manifest is not valid, and there is no valid Internet connection to retrieve a new one.</subtitle><icon>assets/icons/task-reject.png</icon></item></items>

 

I've tried deleting the com.packal directory from ~/Library/Application Support/Alfred 2/Workflow Data

 

...but it didn't help. Packal re-creates the directory and reports the same error when I try to run it. I do have a valid Internet connection. Thanks!

[isubasti]

Suddenly, my Packal Updater started reporting this error:

 

[iNFO: alfred.workflow.input.scriptfilter] <?xml version="1.0"?>

<items><item arg="" valid="no"><arg></arg><title>Error: Packal Updater</title><subtitle>The workflow manifest is not valid, and there is no valid Internet connection to retrieve a new one.</subtitle><icon>assets/icons/task-reject.png</icon></item></items>

 

I've tried deleting the com.packal directory from ~/Library/Application Support/Alfred 2/Workflow Data

 

...but it didn't help. Packal re-creates the directory and reports the same error when I try to run it. I do have a valid Internet connection. Thanks!

 

this happens because 'https://raw.github.com/packal/repository/master/manifest.xml'no longer exist. if you try to go to that address it will be redirected to 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/packal/repository/master/manifest.xml' and file_get_contents on line 16 of functions.php failed to follow the redirection.

[MEs]

Hi,

 

I tried to use it, but nothing is showing up after the Wait text is displayed. I am just offered the option to then search the "packal" word in google etc.

 

Is this workflow still working ?

 

Regards

[stutes]

I'm not sure piggy backing on this thread is the best approach for my question, but I'm not sure where else to post. I'm a noob to Packal Updater, and can't figure out how to use it. I've installed it, and type "Packal" into Alfred, I see a "Update your Packages, Talking to server and processing data…", and then shortly thereafter that disappears and all I see is "Search Google for Packal".

 

How do I install and configure this thing? 

[deanishe]

I don't think the Packal updater works at the moment. Not sure if it doesn't get along with El Cap/Sierra or Alfred 3.

 

You could try my Packal workflow search workflow, which is, frankly, too dumb to break…

 

It can't update your workflows for you, but packal status will show you which of your workflows are out of date, and actioning a result will take you to that workflow's page from whence you can grab the newer version.

 

Nowhere near as nice as the official Packal updater, but better than checking everything by hand…

Edited October 5, 2016 by deanishe

[matthew16]

Is it still the case that Packal updater is outdated?

Edited March 13, 2017 by matthew16

[deanishe]

Yes.

[Aesir Zoe]

Packal Search and Upater are great. but they seem not work at MacOS high Sierra with Alfred 3. 

hope we would have another workflow with similar functions.

[vitor]

9 hours ago, x7x7 said:

Packal Search and Upater are great. but they seem not work at MacOS high Sierra with Alfred 3. 

hope we would have another workflow with similar functions.

 

Packal itself is no longer under active development as is no longer a recommended source for sharing and downloading Workflows. It’s unlikely tools that interact with it will get updates, and that’s for the better. At this point, we need less emphasis on Packal.

[RyuX51]

Is there an alternative?

[vitor]

8 minutes ago, RyuX51 said:

Is there an alternative?

 

The only alternative at the moment is for Workflows to have their own update mechanisms (which several do).

[xilopaint]

On 5/26/2018 at 7:23 PM, RyuX51 said:

Is there an alternative?

 

According a comment by @Vero on Reddit there are plans for an official alternative on the road map.