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meshcore-client/docs/windows-distribution-and-ve...

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Windows distribution, logs, versioning, signing — notes (2026-06-23)

Reference for shipping the Offband Meshcore Windows desktop build. Answers four questions raised before the first feat/64 Windows compile.

1. Installer / short-term distribution

A Flutter Windows release is a folder, not a single exe: build/windows/x64/runner/Release/ = meshcore_open.exe + flutter_windows.dll

  • plugin DLLs + data/ (app.so, flutter_assets/, icudtl.dat). The exe will not run on its own — it needs the whole folder.

Short-term (zero tooling): zip the entire Release/ folder → user extracts → runs the exe. This is effectively what we do now (running a copied exe).

  • Caveat: a truly clean machine may need the MSVC runtime (VC++ redistributable). Present on most Win10/11; bundle the redist or note it if a tester hits a DLL error.
  • Optional polish without an installer: a self-extracting zip (7-Zip SFX) so the user double-clicks one .exe that unpacks + can auto-launch.

Real installers, when ready (rough effort):

Option Effort Notes
MSIX (msix Dart pkg) Low dart run msix:create packages Release/ → .msix; clean install/uninstall; self-sign or CA-sign; Store-ready. Easiest path, ties in signing.
Inno Setup Low–Med Free; short .iss script → familiar setup.exe. Most control over UX/shortcuts.
MSI / WiX High Enterprise/group-policy deployment. Overkill for us now.

Recommendation: zip the folder for testing now; MSIX when we want a clean install + signing in one step (or Inno Setup if we want a traditional setup.exe).

2. Where log files go (today: nowhere)

There are no log files on disk. Logging is two in-app, in-memory ring buffers:

  • BLE/frame debug log — BleDebugLogService, 500-entry ring, Copy-to-clipboard (the "RX CODE_192 …" dumps). Captures every transport (BLE/USB/TCP).
  • App debug log — AppDebugLogService, structured app messages.

debugPrint goes to stdout, which a double-clicked release exe has no console for, and is largely stripped in release mode anyway. So on a release Windows build the only diagnostics are the in-app log viewers (copy/paste).

Gap for desktop + real users: no findable log file for support. If we want one, add a small file logger writing to getApplicationSupportDirectory() → %APPDATA%\app.offband.meshcore\logs\ on Windows (rotating, capped). Small task; worth it before non-technical users are on desktop. (Filed as a follow-up if wanted.)

3. Versioning — current state + the gap

  • pubspec: 1.1.1+18 (feat/64 == dev).
  • Tags present: v1.0.0, v1.1.0-rc.1/2/3, v1.1.2-ble-test, v1.1.2-queuediag (+ old upstream Alpha*). The observer-g2-rc8/rc9 GitHub pre-releases I made this session are remote-only tags (not semver).
  • The gap (honest): I have not been versioning per SAFELANE §Versioning.
    • This session's commits (#82, #88, #89, #90, #93) did not bump pubspec.
    • rc8/rc9 APKs shipped as +28/+29 via --build-number overrides, so the pubspec build number (+18) lags what shipped.
    • Tags already point at 1.1.2 but pubspec still says 1.1.1 — inconsistent.

Cleanup proposal:

  1. Decide the marketing version for this batch. Tags imply 1.1.2 — bump pubspec to 1.1.2+30 (next build after the +29 that shipped).
  2. Going forward: bump pubspec in the milestone commit and tag vX.Y.Z (or -rc.N) — stop relying on --build-number without a matching pubspec bump.
  3. Or wire build-time stamping (git rev-list --count HEAD) for the build number so it can't drift (CLAUDE.local notes this as preferred).

4. Windows code signing

Unsigned exe runs, but SmartScreen shows "Windows protected your PC / Unknown publisher" → user clicks More info → Run anyway. Annoying, not blocking.

Cert options (separate from our Android keystore):

Cert Cost SmartScreen
Self-signed free warns unless the user installs/trusts the cert first (OK for known testers; MSIX sideload trusts it once)
OV (Sectigo/DigiCert…) ~$100–300/yr removes "unknown publisher"; reputation builds with downloads over time
EV (+ hardware token/HSM) ~$300–600/yr instant SmartScreen trust, no warning day one

Signing mechanics are easy (signtool sign /fd SHA256 /f cert.pfx ..., or the msix package signs for you). The cost/effort is getting a trusted cert (CA identity verification + annual fee + an EV token if EV).

Do we bother?

  • Short-term (you + a few testers): No. The one-time "Run anyway" is fine.
  • Public release: Yes — at least an OV cert (or EV for zero-warning).

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