Hi,
can anyone tell me why it is not possible to update the Plex Media Server qpkg automatically from within Plex (or - the better - through the QTS repository)?
Thanks,
giopas
Unfortunately , It’s not possible to do either.
On QNAP , because PMS runs as root, theoretically it could update itself but we would still need integration with QTS and the Package Manager which isn’t available to us (the SDK)
Having PMS in the App Center for download would be nice. There are efforts underway to do that but the last I’ve heard, it’s not an easy thing to accomplish.
Why then is it possible for applications such as QSonarr and Radarr to update -themselves- absolutely reliably, but Plex Media Server cannot?
If not, then why can’t there be a repository that can be added to the Apps Center on Qnap, such as the same way QNAP Club EU does for all their apps, so that it can at least notify of updates the same way Qnap apps update.
If both of these things are possible with small less popular apps, why cannot this be done with Plex, a larger mainstream app with much better support?
First of all, PMS covers a lot of different platforms with their update routine, so having special solutions for individual platforms besides the greatest, is not a prime goal, in my personal opinion.
But granted, they could simply download it, and then directly execute the qpkg, which would do it.
Having a 3.Party app.store sadly can’t co-exists with the same apps on the official app-store, last time I experimented with it. (6 month ago), and Plex would rather have the PMS in the official QNAP App Store, AFAICT, which in my book also makes sense.
/T
QNAP allows third party app repository with relatively little effort (*) and it is also possible to have such repository login restricted based (so that plex pass users could receive their version).
Apps in the official QNAP repository are updated at very low pace, so a dedicated one would be preferable.
(*) check this great QNAP third party repository: https://www.qnapclub.eu/
Access to the Plex Pass builds are for Plex Pass holders only. Non-authenticated / otherwise gated access through other means negates the control mechanism Plex has implemented.
The Linux repositories only hold the Public PMS release version for this reason
As said, my test showed they can’t can’t co-exist, and QNAP did confirm that!
What exactly was your test, @dane22 ?
I created my own repo, as a test to see if Plex could host their own as well.
However, it refused to install, if a user already had PMS installed from the official store.
According to QNAP, that was “working as designed”
Thanks dane22. However this simply means that if Plex (or someone trusted by Plex) put in place a QNAP repository for PMS, nobody needs to manually install the app anymore.
As you may know, the problem of refusing to install is due to the fact that each qpkg which is installed through a repository has a given “store = (…)” value in /etc/config/qpkg.conf.
If you manually add the same store information of your repository on the PMS section of qpkg.conf you should be able to upgrade without any issue.
This is what already happens with qpkg that were published on the qnap forum(s) and which needed to be (once for all) manually adjusted when a repository was made available.
For sake of clarity, if someone installs PMS from scratch using a repository, no manual intervention on /etc/config/qpkg.conf is needed.
@giopas said:
Thanks dane22. However this simply means that if Plex (or someone trusted by Plex) put in place a QNAP repository for PMS, nobody needs to manually install the app anymore.As you may know, the problem of refusing to install is due to the fact that each qpkg which is installed through a repository has a given “store = (…)” value in /etc/config/qpkg.conf.
If you manually add the same store information of your repository on the PMS section of qpkg.conf you should be able to upgrade without any issue.
This is what already happens with qpkg that were published on the qnap forum(s) and which needed to be (once for all) manually adjusted when a repository was made available.
For sake of clarity, if someone installs PMS from scratch using a repository, no manual intervention on /etc/config/qpkg.conf is needed.
That is correct.
If using a “non-repo” version of Plex initially, it requires a manual 1x edit of the associated storeid string and then Plex would support update from the repo.
Correct, but fail to see that as an option, since I fear for the amount of additional Q’s here in the forums.
As such, decided to drop the idea, since PMS will warn you, and you can then do a manual update.
Teaching people to edit a file, that is hidden, and controlling all installed apps, is simply too dangerous IMHO
@dane22 said:
Correct, but fail to see that as an option, since I fear for the amount of additional Q’s here in the forums.As such, decided to drop the idea, since PMS will warn you, and you can then do a manual update.
Teaching people to edit a file, that is hidden, and controlling all installed apps, is simply too dangerous IMHO
Oh I agree on that point, definitely not for the “beginning” user.
@dane22 said:
Correct, but fail to see that as an option, since I fear for the amount of additional Q’s here in the forums.As such, decided to drop the idea, since PMS will warn you, and you can then do a manual update.
Teaching people to edit a file, that is hidden, and controlling all installed apps, is simply too dangerous IMHO
I also concur. If modifications cannot be ‘installed’ just as one would manually install a package, the danger level is too high. Too much risk of the user losing the entire NAS by making it unbootable and erasing the volume in the ensuing panic.
Sorry @ChuckPA but there is absolutely no risk at all of “user losing the entire NAS by making it unbootable and erasing the volume in the ensuing panic”.
As @dane22 said, if you have PMS already installed and you are not comfortable with a quick file modification over ssh/WinsSCP, you simply will keep to manually update your PMS, as the update via repository will simply fail.
If however you start with a fresh installation (i.e. all new users) or you are comfortable with such easy edit, installing PMS (the free version and the PlexPass one, as there is an authentication method possible), will be much easier.
To give you an example, as I have chosen to install beta updates, the fact of not being able to use a repository, requires me to manually download and install each qpkg every few days. With a dedicated repository, this would be done much easier.
@giopas Sorry, but what are the chances, that somebody first install from QNAP, and then try the alternative repo =>
A Q posted here => Some helpful community user tries to help => QNAP without apps
Simply too risky, and I for one will not go down that road
To be honest I have difficulties to follow your reasoning.
On the QNAP App Center (https://www.qnap.com/en/app_center/) today we have version 1.12.0.829 of PMS published, whether latest (non Plex-Pass) version is 1.12.2.4929-29f6d1796. In case of Plex-Pass, the version is even 1.12.3.4947-b9dbb6d8e.
As you can see QNAP is not as reactive as Plex could if a Plex QNAP repository is enabled. Moreover, QNAP PlexPass users would be more keen to test and report bugs of beta/PlexPass only features.
@giopas said:
As you can see QNAP is not as reactive as Plex could if a Plex QNAP repository is enabled. Moreover, QNAP PlexPass users would be more keen to test and report bugs of beta/PlexPass only features.
I do not see this as justification whatsoever
In the larger scheme of things:
- A Plex-maintained repo for the public (released), on par with Linux desktop/workstation repos, does make sense, if it does not impact normal QTS operations whatsoever.
- If available for QNAP, a repo would also need be made available for all other NAS platforms which support it (e.g. Synology) to provide uniformity to all.
The QNAP team is very easy to work with. The Synology team is considerably less accommodating.
This having been said, I will do the following:
- Discuss this further with all Ninjas to resolve requirements
- Discuss this further with remaining team members
- If all are in agreement, bring this up in my next meeting with QNAP and with Synology
- Complete design and implementation documentation
- Submit to management for approval and scheduling
Thank you ChuckPA, this seems a promising plan.
Just as a note a Plex owned repository would be extra helpful to provide smoother installation of PlexPass/beta versions, while ensuring that such versions are not “leaked” out.
There shall be no Beta/PlexPass in a repo. Management has made that decision long ago
A Plex-maintained repo for the public (released), on par with Linux desktop/workstation repos, does make sense, if it does not impact normal QTS operations whatsoever.
