TAK Update Builder

A standalone script to generate product.inf and product.infz files for ATAK update servers. These files tell ATAK clients what plugins and apps are available for download.

What it does

This script scans a folder containing APK files and generates:

• product.inf - A CSV file containing package metadata
• product.infz - A ZIP file containing product.inf and icon PNG files

These files are required for ATAK to recognize and download updates from your TAK server.

Requirements

• Node.js (v14 or higher) - Download here
• APK files in a folder

Installation

Option 1: Download from GitHub Releases (Recommended)

1. Go to the Releases page
2. Download the latest release archive (.tar.gz for Linux, .zip for Windows)
3. Extract the archive
4. Open a terminal/command prompt in the extracted tak-update-builder folder
5. Run: npm install

Linux users: After installation, make the shell script executable:

chmod +x build-update.sh

Option 2: Clone from Repository

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/mjthree/takserverupdate.git
   cd takserverupdate/tak-update-builder

2. Run: npm install

Linux users: After installation, make the shell script executable:

chmod +x build-update.sh

Usage

Windows

Option 1: Using the batch file

1. Navigate to the tak-update-builder folder
2. Double-click build-update.bat or run it from command prompt
3. Or specify a folder: build-update.bat "C:\path\to\apk\folder"

Option 2: Using Node.js directly

cd tak-update-builder
node build-update.js [folder_path]

Linux

Option 1: Using the shell script

1. Navigate to the tak-update-builder folder

2. Important: Before first use, make the script executable:

   chmod +x build-update.sh

3. Run the script:

   ./build-update.sh [folder_path]

   Or specify a folder:

   ./build-update.sh /path/to/apk/folder

Option 2: Using Node.js directly

cd tak-update-builder
node build-update.js [folder_path]

Note: If no folder is specified, it will use the current directory.

Deploying to TAK Server

After running the script, you need to copy all files to your TAK server:

1. Copy all APK files to /opt/tak/webcontent/update/ on your TAK server
2. Copy product.infz to /opt/tak/webcontent/update/product.infz on your TAK server
3. Copy product.inf to /opt/tak/webcontent/update/product.inf on your TAK server (optional, for reference)

Example deployment commands (Linux):

# Copy APK files
scp *.apk user@tak-server:/opt/tak/webcontent/update/

# Copy generated files
scp product.infz user@tak-server:/opt/tak/webcontent/update/
scp product.inf user@tak-server:/opt/tak/webcontent/update/

Or if you have direct access to the server:

# On your local machine, after running the script:
cp *.apk /opt/tak/webcontent/update/
cp product.infz /opt/tak/webcontent/update/
cp product.inf /opt/tak/webcontent/update/

Verify file permissions:

# Ensure files are readable by the web server
chmod 644 /opt/tak/webcontent/update/*.apk
chmod 644 /opt/tak/webcontent/update/product.inf*

Configuring ATAK Client (EUD)

After deploying the files to your TAK server, configure ATAK clients to use the update server:

1. Open ATAK on your device

2. Go to Settings → Tool Preferences → Package Management → Gear Icon

3. Enable Update Server

4. Enter the update server URL:

   https://serverip:8443/update
   

   Replace serverip with your TAK server's IP address or hostname.

5. Save the settings

The ATAK client will now check this URL for available plugins and apps. It will download product.infz from this location to see what's available.

Note: The update server URL must use HTTPS. If your TAK server is set up normally, it will be accessible at https://serverip:8443/update.

How it works

1. Scans the specified folder for .apk files
2. Extracts metadata from each APK:
   • Package name (app ID)
   • Display name
   • Version information
   • Description
   • Icon
   • File hash (SHA256)
   • File size
3. Determines package type (app, plugin, or systemplugin)
4. Generates the product.inf CSV file
5. Creates a ZIP file (product.infz) with the CSV and all icons

Example Workflow

Windows Example

1. Prepare your APK files in a folder:
   C:\APKs\
     ├── ATAK-5.4.0.14-f7d8f588-civ-release.apk
     ├── ATAK-Plugin-datasync-3.5.27.apk
     └── ...

2. Navigate to tak-update-builder folder and run:
   build-update.bat C:\APKs

3. Output files are created:
   C:\APKs\
     ├── product.inf
     ├── product.infz
     └── (all your APK files)

4. Copy everything to TAK server:
   /opt/tak/webcontent/update/
     ├── product.infz
     ├── product.inf
     └── (all your APK files)

Linux Example

1. Prepare your APK files in a folder:
   /home/user/apks/
     ├── ATAK-5.4.0.14-f7d8f588-civ-release.apk
     ├── ATAK-Plugin-datasync-3.5.27.apk
     └── ...

2. Navigate to tak-update-builder folder and run:
   ./build-update.sh /home/user/apks

3. Output files are created:
   /home/user/apks/
     ├── product.inf
     ├── product.infz
     └── (all your APK files)

4. Copy everything to TAK server:
   /opt/tak/webcontent/update/
     ├── product.infz
     ├── product.inf
     └── (all your APK files)

Notes

• The script uses the APK manifest's versionCode (integer version code) for proper version comparison
• Package types are automatically detected based on app ID patterns
• Icons are extracted from APK files and included in the ZIP
• If an APK cannot be processed, it will be skipped with an error message
• The product.infz file must be accessible via HTTP/HTTPS from your TAK server's web content directory
• On Linux, ensure the shell script has execute permissions: chmod +x build-update.sh