Added ability to see changelog from the add-on store and Updatable add-ons dialog #18816

nvdaes · 2025-08-26T15:26:11Z

Link to issue number:

Summary of the issue:

Users may want to see changes included in the current version of add-ons, especially to decide if they want to update them, and to get an idea of new features, bug fixes and so on.

Description of user facing changes:

In the add-on store, a new action allows to see changes for the current version of add-ons which specify this information.
In the Updatable add-ons dialog, the virtual list used in other tabs of the store is presented, instead of the old small list, so that the changelog, if available, can be opened from the context menu to decide if add-ons should be updated to the available version.
List of changes will be shown in browse mode. If changes are writen in markdown, they will be rendered in formatted HTML. The title of that message will show the add-on version name, and buttons will be available to copy the info and close the browseable message.

Description of developer facing changes:

Add-on models have a new changelog property.

Description of development approach:

Created a new action to show the changelog, when available, similar to other actions.
Added changelog to add-on models.
In the Updatable add-ons dialog, the same list used in the store dialog is presented, so that changelog can be opened from the context menu.

Testing strategy:

Add list of changes to manifest.ini and json file corresponding to the urlShortener add-on. Check that changes can be shown from the context menu of the store, and that this action is not available for other add-ons.
Downgrade version of urlShortener to make an updatable add-on. In source/addonStore/models/addon.py, in the _createStoreCollectionFromJson function, add the following code just for testing:


	for addon in data:
		if addon["addonId"] == "urlShortener":
			addon["changelog"] = "changes"

Check that changelog can be shown just for this add-on.

Also, changelog in markdown has been created in the manifest and in the store collection, to check that markdown is properly rendered in HTML in the store and in the Updatable add-ons dialog.

	changelog = """
* A.
* b
"""
	addonCollection = _createAddonGUICollection()

	for addon in data:
		addon["changelog"] = changelog

Tests have been done with the resourceMonitor add-on to check that the context menu can be used from the Updatable add-ons dialog.

Known issues with pull request:

Sometimes, NVDA says thw word "panel" when the changelog is opened.

Code Review Checklist:

Documentation:
- Change log entry
- User Documentation
- Developer / Technical Documentation
- Context sensitive help for GUI changes
Testing:
- Unit tests
- System (end to end) tests
- Manual testing
UX of all users considered:
- Speech
- Braille
- Low Vision
- Different web browsers
- Localization in other languages / culture than English
API is compatible with existing add-ons.
Security precautions taken.

nvdaes · 2025-08-26T20:06:20Z

I'm also working locally modifying files of the addon-datastore-validation repo. Also this would need to be added to the documentation (metadata) of the addon-datastore repo. I'll work on this if the direction of this PR is right.

seanbudd · 2025-08-27T02:31:27Z

I think the most useful place to read the change log would be from the add-on update dialog. I think from the add-on store lists, it should be a button like Help or Homepage that opens a dialog, with the changelog rendered from markdown to HTML

nvdaes · 2025-08-27T05:40:09Z

@seanbudd, I'm trying to convert markdown to HTML with the markdown.markdown function, but the manifest model doesn't support the strip method, and the conversion is not performed. I have displayed the browseable message with a button from the context menu, but seems that markdown conversion is difficult to achieve with the manifest.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for this. I have though about creating a named temporary file to write the manifest changelog. Anyway, the changelog should be translatable, and markdown may need to have a document to be managed by translators, instead of using gettext, which is used to translate add-on summary and descriptions included in manifests.

seanbudd · 2025-08-27T05:42:02Z

@nvdaes wouldn't calling str() on the change log entry convert it to a string that can be used in markdown converter?

nvdaes · 2025-08-27T06:13:33Z

Sean wrote:

wouldn't calling str() on the change log entry convert it to a string that can be used in markdown converter?

Thanks! It works now.

…ndicate that this will open a dialog

…addonChangelog

nvdaes · 2025-08-27T14:22:13Z

Now we can see the changelog from the installed add-ons list using Actions or the context menu, and when updatable add-ons are found, from the Update add-ons dialog.
But I'm struggling with two issues:

I've writen a changelog in urlShortener.json, but instead of the changelog, the add-on description is displayed.
I would like to press enter to display the changelog without tabbing to the button, but using an event associated to keycode return, it doesn't work.

nvdaes · 2025-08-29T06:29:07Z

Descriptions were presented instead of changelogs in the updatable add-ons dialog, since I used the description key for testing. @seanbudd , when I try to use the changelog key, errors are raised since changelog is not available from data. Perhaps would be better to add changelog to addon-datastore-validation before finishing this PR?

nvdaes · 2025-08-29T11:59:48Z

I think that we can finish this PR before working in addon-datastore-validation. Now I don't get errors.

…ose button

nvdaes · 2025-09-12T19:15:40Z

Now we use the virtual list available in the store dialog. Unfortunately, for now it's difficult to test this since I get the following error when trying to install an add-on. I think that this is not related to this PR:

ERROR - unhandled exception (21:13:46.401) - MainThread (6012):
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "gui\addonStoreGui\controls\storeDialog.py", line 268, in onClose
self._storeVM.installPending()
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
File "gui\addonStoreGui\viewModels\store.py", line 595, in installPending
cls._doInstall(listItemVM, fileDownloaded)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "gui\addonStoreGui\viewModels\store.py", line 606, in _doInstall
installAddon(fileDownloaded)
~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "addonStore\install.py", line 85, in installAddon
addonObj = systemUtils.ExecAndPump[addonHandler.Addon](addonHandler.installAddonBundle, bundle).funcRes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Usuariopc\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313-32\Lib\typing.py", line 1317, in call
result = self.origin(*args, **kwargs)
File "systemUtils.py", line 237, in init
while user32.MsgWaitForMultipleObjects(1, ctypes.byref(threadHandle), False, -1, 255) == 1:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
ctypes.ArgumentError: argument 2: TypeError: expected LP_c_void_p instance instead of pointer to c_long

nvdaes · 2025-09-17T03:56:31Z

nvda.log
After mergin last changes, I'm getting a lot of errors.
Mick created a PR to fix ExecAndPump, and I merged changes thinking that, in this way, an error where add-ons cannot be installed would be fixed. But now testing this is not possible since I hear a lot of sounds reporting errors.
cc: @seanbudd

seanbudd · 2025-09-19T04:35:35Z

@nvdaes - are you still encountering this issue?

nvdaes · 2025-09-19T04:48:20Z

@seanbudd , in fact I find this issue and also in a different PR which I opened to show spelling errors in braille.

Please let me know if I should remove and clone NVDA from scratch or something.

seanbudd · 2025-09-19T04:50:38Z

Have you merged in the latest nvaccess/master? Is the issue occurring with both alpha and the installer built from the PR by GitHub action? Can you share the log with us?

nvdaes · 2025-09-19T04:53:27Z

I've merged the master branch and I get this error running from source. I'll test the snapshot and alpha and will share the log, and if I still get the error.

nvdaes · 2025-09-21T18:57:26Z

@seanbud, I've tested nvda_snapshot_alpha-52681,c75b2de9.exe, getting a lot of errors. Here's the log.
nvda.log

SaschaCowley · 2025-09-22T00:37:25Z

@nvdaes most of those issues should be resolved by #18952. Let us know if they aren't.

nvdaes · 2025-09-22T01:11:12Z

Thanks @SaschaCowley

Most issues are fixed by PR #18952

There is still an issue, but I don't know if this should be fixed by this PR. I find it also in NVDA 2025.3rc1

This happens when the option to update add-ons automatically is checked.
Exception in thread AutomaticAddonUpdate:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\Usuariopc\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313-32\Lib\threading.py", line 1043, in _bootstrap_inner
self.run()
~~~~~~~~^^
File "C:\Users\Usuariopc\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313-32\Lib\threading.py", line 994, in run
self._target(*self._args, **self._kwargs)
~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "gui\message.py", line 64, in funcWrapper
return func(*args, **kwargs)
File "gui\addonStoreGui\controls\messageDialogs.py", line 653, in _updateAddons
ui.message(pgettext("addonStore", "Updating add-ons..."), SpeechPriority.NEXT)
~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "ui.py", line 251, in message
braille.handler.message(brailleText if brailleText is not None else text)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "braille.py", line 2962, in message
self._resetMessageTimer()
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
File "braille.py", line 2976, in _resetMessageTimer
self._messageCallLater = wx.CallLater(timeout, self._dismissMessage)
~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Usuariopc\Documents\repos\nvda.venv\Lib\site-packages\wx\core.py", line 3471, in init
self.Start()
~~~~~~~~~~^^
File "C:\Users\Usuariopc\Documents\repos\nvda.venv\Lib\site-packages\wx\core.py", line 3492, in Start
self.timer.Start(self.millis, wx.TIMER_ONE_SHOT)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
wx._core.wxAssertionError: C++ assertion "wxThread::IsMain()" failed at ....\src\common\timerimpl.cpp(57) in wxTimerImpl::Start(): timer can only be started from the main thread

nvdaes · 2025-09-22T18:07:13Z

I think that this is ready for review, though some system tests failed.

seanbudd · 2025-09-23T01:41:16Z

source/gui/addonStoreGui/controls/messageDialogs.py

+		from .actions import _MonoActionsContextMenu
+		from .addonList import AddonVirtualList
+		from gui.addonStoreGui.viewModels.store import AddonStoreVM


can any of these imports be moved to top of file?

user_docs/en/changes.md

user_docs/en/userGuide.md

seanbudd · 2025-09-23T03:18:42Z

source/gui/addonStoreGui/controls/messageDialogs.py

 		closeButton = bHelper.addButton(self, wx.ID_CLOSE, label=pgettext("addonStore", "&Close"))
 		closeButton.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.onCloseButton)

 	def _createAddonsPanel(self, sHelper: BoxSizerHelper):


there are several issues with this new design:

the buttons to open the store, update all and close are not visible

the table is clipped and doesn't contain the full information. Instead the table should fit the dialog, and the dialog should be wider.

Co-authored-by: Sean Budd <[email protected]>

nvdaes and others added 2 commits August 26, 2025 17:16

Add ability to see changelog from the add-on store

9f4564b

Pre-commit auto-fix

4beae59

nvdaes and others added 2 commits August 27, 2025 08:12

Convert changelog from markdown to HTML

c1a885e

Pre-commit auto-fix

5a20238

nvdaes and others added 11 commits August 27, 2025 08:16

Improve valid check for showing changelog

8354b1e

Show version name in the browseable message for the changelog

5838200

Pre-commit auto-fix

ab1acb5

Add copy and close buttons to dialog, and three dots in menuitem to i…

f4182f5

…ndicate that this will open a dialog

Merge branch 'addonChangelog' of https://github.com/nvdaes/nvda into …

e37680b

…addonChangelog

Pre-commit auto-fix

46bdcc9

Remove add-on changelog info from details

12039a3

Merge branch 'addonChangelog' of https://github.com/nvdaes/nvda into …

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…addonChangelog

Use _addonStoreModel to show changelog

328b40e

Show changelog from Update add-ons dialog

d3c6fd7

Pre-commit auto-fix

db92132

nvdaes and others added 4 commits August 27, 2025 19:37

Merge remote-tracking branch 'nvaccess/master' into addonChangelog

86942e6

Pre-commit auto-fix

65b7dc2

Cast changelog to _AddonStoreModel

0434bf0

Use changelog, not description

6a698ba

nvdaes added 2 commits August 29, 2025 13:44

Improve models

1f777e5

Add shortcut key for show changelog button

43692e8

Change shortcut for show changelog button, to about conflicts with cl…

4e85e35

…ose button

nvdaes and others added 2 commits September 12, 2025 17:48

Use virtual list for the Updatable Addons Dialog

af26d0d

Pre-commit auto-fix

693578d

nvdaes added 4 commits September 13, 2025 11:04

Fix submodule

5d19654

Merge branch 'master' into addonChangelog

1c99141

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/master' into addonChangelog

64dfc6c

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/master' into addonChangelog

4ba9d6d

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/master' into addonChangelog

34f01c7

LeonarddeR added 3 commits September 19, 2025 18:17

Fix waitable timer

9681ee5

Fixes

2071180

Keep None default in order not to break the API

a5e0a49

SaschaCowley and others added 2 commits September 22, 2025 09:35

Fix up docstring

a3ca360

Pre-commit auto-fix

3375c79

Merge branch 'fixWaitableTimer' into addonChangelog

5e58f50

nvdaes and others added 3 commits September 22, 2025 03:49

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/master' into addonChangelog

75a4132

Cleanup

78d3bcd

Pre-commit auto-fix

d5fb824

nvdaes marked this pull request as ready for review September 22, 2025 18:07

seanbudd reviewed Sep 23, 2025

View reviewed changes

seanbudd marked this pull request as draft September 23, 2025 03:18

Apply suggestions from code review

fff7737

Co-authored-by: Sean Budd <[email protected]>

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Added ability to see changelog from the add-on store and Updatable add-ons dialog #18816

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Added ability to see changelog from the add-on store and Updatable add-ons dialog #18816

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nvdaes commented Aug 26, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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Link to issue number:

Summary of the issue:

Description of user facing changes:

Description of developer facing changes:

Description of development approach:

Testing strategy:

Known issues with pull request:

Code Review Checklist:

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