Disable reenabling auto update check

[xerxes]

I always disable "Check automatically once a week". Because if I'm OK with the current version I want just to use it. I will check for updates manually when I wish to.
But FFS continues to reenable the auto check functionality like every week or two. And this is really frustrating! I've disabled it! Why do I see new version popup again?!

Please tell me how can I disable auto check permanently.

[rainman74]

Agree! This is probably a bug, isn't it?

[xerxes]

Agree! This is probably a bug, isn't it?

Or "Windows-style" forced autoupdate. :)

I know for sure that such a behavior exists for like 5 or more years both on Windows (7) and Debian (Ubuntu, Kubuntu starting from ~ 14.04).

[rainman74]

Agree! This is probably a bug, isn't it?

Or "Windows-style" forced autoupdate. :)

I know for sure that such a behavior exists for like 5 or more years both on Windows (7) and Debian (Ubuntu, Kubuntu starting from ~ 14.04).

But for a free, or donation supported program, I don't think this is appropriate. I'm happy to donate, but not if the program, despite the donation, informs me every start with a huge hint about a new version!

[xCSxXenon]

I'm wondering if it displays that pop-up when it knows there is an update available. So, even after disabling that setting, it may not check for updates anymore, but it already knows that one is there. Just a theory, I don't think it is trying to force anything

[xerxes]

I'm wondering if it displays that pop-up when it knows there is an update available. So, even after disabling that setting, it may not check for updates anymore, but it already knows that one is there. Just a theory, I don't think it is trying to force anything

No, it checks the update.
The tick is set again automatically and the app sees the very recent version.

[rainman74]

I have already donated 3 times, but I won't do it anymore because of this stupid popup! I'm going back to 10.xx.

[modemhead]

As far as I'm aware, this has been happening since version 9.something when I started using FreeFileSync. I was very happy to donate for this useful program until I discovered the behavior. Quite frankly I don't trust software that "phones home" when told explicitly not to. To top it off, it re-enables the "check automatically" option (which obviously is not really an option).

[woot]

FWIW, I don't see this happening with 11.0 "donation edition".

@Zenju?

[modemhead]

It most definitely happens on the Linux version.

[woot]

It most definitely happens on the Linux version.

Indeed... Looks like sinkholing the "api.freefilesync.org" would work as the temporarily solution:

--- version_check.cpp
+++ version_check.cpp
@@ -152,37 +152,11 @@

 void showUpdateAvailableDialog(wxWindow* parent, const std::string& onlineVersion)
 {
-    wxImage ffsVersionIcon = loadImage("FreeFileSync", fastFromDIP(48));
-    std::function<void()> openBrowserForDownload = [] { wxLaunchDefaultBrowser(L"https://freefilesync.org/get_latest.php"); };
-
-    std::wstring updateDetailsMsg;
-    try
-    {
-        updateDetailsMsg = utfTo<std::wstring>(sendHttpGet(utfTo<Zstring>("https://api.freefilesync.org/latest_changes?" + xWwwFormUrlEncode({ { "since", ffsVersion } })),
-        ffsUpdateCheckUserAgent, nullptr /*caCertFilePath*/, nullptr /*notifyUnbufferedIO*/).readAll()); //throw SysError
-    }
-    catch (const SysError& e) { updateDetailsMsg = _("Failed to retrieve update information.") + + L"\n\n" + e.toString(); }
-
-    switch (showConfirmationDialog(parent, DialogInfoType::info, PopupDialogCfg().
-                                   setIcon(ffsVersionIcon).
-                                   setTitle(_("Check for Program Updates")).
-                                   setMainInstructions(replaceCpy(_("FreeFileSync %x is available!"), L"%x", utfTo<std::wstring>(onlineVersion)) + L"\n\n" + _("Download now?")).
-                                   setDetailInstructions(updateDetailsMsg), _("&Download")))
-    {
-        case ConfirmationButton::accept: //download
-            openBrowserForDownload();
-            break;
-        case ConfirmationButton::cancel:
-            break;
-    }
 }


 std::string getOnlineVersion(const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& postParams) //throw SysError
 {
-    const std::string response = sendHttpPost(Zstr("https://api.freefilesync.org/latest_version"), postParams,
-                                              ffsUpdateCheckUserAgent, nullptr /*caCertFilePath*/, nullptr /*notifyUnbufferedIO*/).readAll(); //throw SysError
-    return trimCpy(response);
 }


Zenju, could you make this optional?

[leftdisconnected]

...FFS continues to reenable the auto check functionality like every week or two. And this is really frustrating! I've disabled it! Why do I see new version popup again?!

Please tell me how can I disable auto check permanently.

This setting is definitely being reset against the user's wishes, this behavior has been occurring for many years, and yet this thread has no responses that suggest that the bug will be fixed. Sinkholing an IP is not a viable solution for most users, who expect that unchecking "Check automatically once a week" will actually stop checking. If the checkbox does nothing, then remove it. Also, sinkholing the domain causes FreeFileSync to report an error each time it opens :|.

Hard to understand why this issue has not received more interest. It's either a BUG or an intentionally misleading option. Software that LIES to its users does not encourage donations!

Thanks to xerxes for reporting the issue, but I'm sure that many of us have waiting patiently for years for it to be fixed, to no avail. It's infuriating to keep unchecking a box and having it recheck itself just days later. Users feel abused by things like this, even if it seems like an unimportant issue to some. I love FreeFileSync, but I am continually angered by this behavior and I can't help but wonder if it is intentional as it has persisted for so long.

Thanks to zenju for many years of development of a very useful program. I intend this message as honest, constructive feedback, not to insult or offend anyone. Please allow users to actually disable automatic update checks.