Releases
A release is a new version of one of our products. This page explains what you see on the Releases pages, and how to publish or withdraw a release.
What is a release
A release is a new version of Portolan, Trawler or Driftnet that customers can download.
Each release has:
- A product. Only customers with a license for that product can get it.
- A kind. A Program is a new version of the software itself. A Mapping bundle is a set of device settings that Trawler uses.
- A version number, such as 2.4.0.
- One or more files, one for each kind of computer. See Platforms.
- Release notes: what changed, written by the team that built it.
You don't make releases in Chandler. Each product's build system sends them in by itself. See Publishing a new version.
Finding a release
Click Releases at the top of any page. Releases are grouped by product, newest first, like a timeline. Within a product, programs come first and mapping bundles after them, each newest first.
To narrow the list, pick a product, a kind or a state, then click Show releases. Click a version number to open that release.
Versions and order
Every release has two numbers:
- The version, such as 2.4.0. This is the number customers see.
- The sequence number, such as 57. It only ever goes up. It tells installs which release is newer.
A newer release always has a higher sequence number. An install refuses a release with a lower number than one it already has. This stops anyone from quietly moving a customer back to an old version.
If a release has a problem, you can't change it. Ship a fixed release with a higher version and sequence number instead.
Compatibility
Some releases need a recent version already installed. The Works with installs from line shows the oldest installed version that can move straight to this release.
Installs older than that are not offered the release. They need an earlier update first. If it says 0.0.0, every install can take it.
Platforms
A release has one file for each kind of computer it runs on. The platform names the system and the chip, for example:
| Platform | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Linux, amd64 | Linux on most Intel or AMD servers |
| Linux, arm64 | Linux on ARM servers |
| Windows, amd64 | Windows on Intel or AMD computers |
| macOS, arm64 | Mac computers with Apple chips |
| Any | One file that works everywhere, such as a mapping bundle |
The Size column shows each file's size. Chandler checks that the stored file is exactly that size before the release can be published.
Release states
Every release moves through these states, in this order:
| State | What it means | Can customers get it? |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | The build system has sent the release. Chandler hasn't checked its files yet. | No |
| Verified | Chandler checked every file against its signed description. It is ready to publish. | No |
| Published | Someone clicked Publish. Customers with update coverage are offered it. | Yes |
| Withdrawn | Someone took it back after publishing. It is no longer offered. | No |
The check compares each stored file with the size and fingerprint the build system signed. A fingerprint is a short code worked out from the file's contents, so any change to the file shows up. If a file is missing or different, the release stays a draft.
A release can't go back to an earlier state. A withdrawn release can't be published again.
Publishing
Publishing makes a verified release available to customers. You need the Release publisher permission.
- Open the release. Check that its state is Verified.
- Read the release notes and the list of files.
- Click Publish. Chandler may ask you to sign in again first.
- Read the confirmation, then click Publish again.
The confirmation says who gets the release. For example:
Customers with update coverage on or after 23 Sep 2026 will be offered this release within minutes.
That date is the publish date. Customers whose update coverage ended before it are not offered the release. They keep the releases they could already get. See Who gets which release.
What happens next:
- Its state changes to Published, with the date and your name.
- Installs that are covered are offered it the next time they check.
- Customers without internet don't get it by themselves. Send them an offline package.
- The audit log records that you published it.
Publishing can't be undone. If something is wrong afterwards, withdraw the release.
Withdrawing
Withdraw a published release if something is wrong with it. You need the Release publisher permission.
- Open the release.
- Click Withdraw. Chandler may ask you to sign in again first.
- Type the reason, for example "Crashes on start on Windows".
- Click Withdraw again.
What happens next:
- Customers are no longer offered the release, straight away.
- Installed copies are not removed. Customers who already installed it keep it until they install a newer release.
- The reason is shown on the release page and kept in the audit log.
To fix the problem, ship a new release with a higher version and sequence number. A withdrawn release can't be published again.
Sending an offline package
Some customers run our products without internet. They can't download releases from Chandler. Instead, you send them an offline package with Download offline package. See Offline packages.