(#1276) List command with last updated date #3775

swaran18999 · 2025-08-23T05:25:44Z

Description Of Changes

Add --show-last-updated-date option to choco list to display the last date a package was installed/updated, formatted as yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss. Falls back to “Last updated not available” when metadata is missing.
Add --order-by-last-updated-date option to choco list to order results by the package’s last installed/updated date by mapping to PackageOrder.LastPublished.
Update PowerShell tab completion (src/chocolatey.resources/helpers/ChocolateyTabExpansion.ps1) to include both new switches in the list command’s completion options.

Motivation and Context

Administrators and users often need quick visibility into when packages were last installed or updated, and to sort lists by recency for auditing and maintenance workflows. Previously, choco list did not expose this information nor allow sorting by it.
These additions improve usability by displaying last-change timestamps inline with list results.
This work addresses the needs discussed in issue Improving choco list with options to show dependencies and sort by date (and more) #1276

Testing

Flag parsing for --show-last-updated-date sets ShowLastUpdatedDate = true; defaults to false when omitted. Output includes formatted date yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss when Published exists.
Sorting places packages in the expected order by last updated date.
Correct order when --order-by-last-updated-date is used.
Behavior is consistent with --id-only/--by-id-only (date not appended, sorting still applied).

Operating Systems Testing

Windows 10

Change Types Made

Bug fix (non-breaking change).
Feature / Enhancement (non-breaking change).
Breaking change (fix or feature that could cause existing functionality to change).
Documentation changes.
PowerShell code changes.

Change Checklist

Requires a change to the documentation.
Documentation has been updated.
Tests to cover my changes, have been added.
All new and existing tests passed?
PowerShell code changes: PowerShell v3 compatibility checked?

Related Issue

Partially fixes #1276

Add `--show-last-updated-date` option to the `list` command. When enabled, this displays the last date the package was installed or updated, alongside the usual metadata fields. Previously, users had no clear indication of when a local package was last changed. This new option provides better visibility and helps with package management, especially when filtering or sorting package lists by recency. Implementation details: - Introduced new switch `show-last-updated-date`. - Logs formatted date via `package.Published` (or fallback string if unavailable). - Integrated into existing `list` command output formatting. With this change, users can more easily audit their package states and track updates over time.

vexx32

Looks pretty solid, nice self-contained change, just a couple minor comments.

You will need to rebase this branch against develop when you're done, just so the merge history is a bit tidier.

vexx32 · 2025-09-10T19:15:17Z

src/chocolatey.resources/helpers/ChocolateyTabExpansion.ps1

    install   = "--allow-downgrade --allow-empty-checksums --allow-empty-checksums-secure --apply-args-to-dependencies --apply-package-parameters-to-dependencies --cert='' --certpassword='' --disable-repository-optimizations --download-checksum='' --download-checksum-x64='' --download-checksum-type='' --download-checksum-type-x64='' --exit-when-reboot-detected --force-dependencies --forcex86 --ignore-checksum --ignore-dependencies --ignore-detected-reboot --ignore-package-exit-codes --include-configured-sources --install-arguments='' --not-silent --override-arguments --package-parameters='' --password='' --pin --prerelease --require-checksums --skip-hooks --skip-scripts --source='' --stop-on-first-failure --use-package-exit-codes --user='' --version=''"
    license   = ""
-    list      = "--by-id-only --by-tag-only --detail --exact --id-only --id-starts-with --ignore-pinned --include-programs --page='' --page-size='' --prerelease --source='' --version=''"
+    list      = "--by-id-only --by-tag-only --detail --exact --id-only --id-starts-with --ignore-pinned --include-programs --page='' --page-size='' --prerelease --order-by-last-updated-date --show-last-updated-date --source='' --version=''"


I think most of our flags are given in alphabetical order in tab completion; could we put these in before --page?

change has been made

vexx32 · 2025-09-10T19:20:50Z

src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/services/NugetService.cs

                        if (!(packageInfo != null && packageInfo.IsPinned && config.ListCommand.IgnorePinned))
                        {
-                            this.Log().Info(logger, () => "{0}{1}".FormatWith(package.Identity.Id, config.ListCommand.IdOnly ? string.Empty : " {0}{1}{2}{3}".FormatWith(
+                            this.Log().Info(logger, () => "{0}{1}".FormatWith(package.Identity.Id, config.ListCommand.IdOnly ? string.Empty : " {0}{1}{2}{3} {4}".FormatWith(


Looking at how the other information is added here, it looks like the space before each arg is added below rather than here; I'm guessing that's probably due to not wanting to add trailing space and also to keep it simple to extend later on. For consistency's sake, can we do the same here? i.e., no space in this format string, but adding the space if the user is asking to show the last updated date -- similar to how the Approved / download cache information is done.

I think you can do that just by adding a space to the ToString() format string on line 284 and the "Last updated not available" string..

change has been made

Update `ChocolateyTabExpansion.ps1` to include the new `--show-last-updated-date` and `--order-by-last-updated-date` switches in the `list` command's tab completion options.

Add `--show-last-updated-date` option to the `list` command. When enabled, this displays the last date the package was installed or updated, alongside the usual metadata fields. Previously, users had no clear indication of when a local package was last changed. This new option provides better visibility and helps with package management, especially when filtering or sorting package lists by recency. Implementation details: - Introduced new switch `show-last-updated-date`. - Logs formatted date via `package.Published` (or fallback string if unavailable). - Integrated into existing `list` command output formatting. With this change, users can more easily audit their package states and track updates over time.

Update `ChocolateyTabExpansion.ps1` to include the new `--show-last-updated-date` and `--order-by-last-updated-date` switches in the `list` command's tab completion options.

vexx32 · 2025-10-30T21:29:04Z

Alright, I've given it a run through and I do have some comments/concerns with this current implementation. It looks like the Published date is not the correct thing to use here, primarily because it only looks at the file's LastModifiedTime as a UTC time. This isn't a sufficiently reliable metric for this purpose; there are cases where choco may modify the nupkg file, so this date isn't guaranteed to be the same as the date the package was actually installed or updated.

What we're going to need to do is a bit more involved if we want to do this. Probably the simplest approach is going to be taking notes from how the .deploymentLocation file works.

First, we have a static property that just stores the filename as a constant. You'll need to add another, call it .lastUpdated

choco/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/services/ChocolateyPackageInformationService.cs

Line 47 in 97bc0d4

private const string DeploymentLocationFile = ".deploymentLocation";

Second, it will need to have read/write logic in this file to save and load this data (the install/upgrade/etc methods in NugetService call into here, so you can just add logic into here in order to save/load this data), similar to this and around the same areas of the file:

choco/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/services/ChocolateyPackageInformationService.cs

Lines 184 to 196 in 97bc0d4

    
           var locationFile = _fileSystem.CombinePaths(pkgStorePath, DeploymentLocationFile); 
        
           if (_fileSystem.FileExists(locationFile)) 
        
           { 
        
               FaultTolerance.TryCatchWithLoggingException( 
        
                   () => 
        
                   { 
        
                       packageInformation.DeploymentLocation = _fileSystem.ReadFile(locationFile); 
        
                   }, 
        
                   "Unable to read deployment location file", 
        
                   throwError: false, 
        
                   logWarningInsteadOfError: true 
        
               ); 
        
           }

choco/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/services/ChocolateyPackageInformationService.cs

Lines 299 to 308 in 97bc0d4

    
               _fileSystem.WriteFile(_fileSystem.CombinePaths(pkgStorePath, SilentUninstallerFile), string.Empty, Encoding.ASCII); 
        
           } 
        
           // Legacy side-by-side installation data cleanup 
        
           _fileSystem.DeleteFile(_fileSystem.CombinePaths(pkgStorePath, SideBySideFile)); 
        
           if (packageInformation.IsPinned) 
        
           { 
        
               _fileSystem.WriteFile(_fileSystem.CombinePaths(pkgStorePath, PinFile), string.Empty, Encoding.ASCII); 
        
           }

When saving this information I think it would make the most sense to grab the value of DateTime.Now and just store that.

And then, once you have those two pieces in place, the current place you've added the logic to display it into will need to be amended. Specifically you'll need to copy what's done for deploymentLocation here and do similar to retrieve the last updated date:

https://github.com/chocolatey/choco/blob/97bc0d4b06864ec17788c892c7cbbdbf1f0befeb/src/chocolatey/infrastructure.app/services/NugetService.cs#L220C24-L241

This can then be displayed in the list output if needed.

…99/choco into list-command-with-date

Add `--order-by-last-updated-date` option to the `list` command. When used, the command output is ordered by the date each package was last installed or updated. Previously, package listings were only ordered by name or version. This limited users who wanted to quickly identify the most recently changed packages. With this new option, users gain more control over list output and can better manage their environments based on package activity. Implementation details: - Introduced new switch `order-by-last-updated-date`. - Maps user input to `PackageOrder.LastPublished`. - Integrates naturally into existing sort logic of `list`.

Add support for reading and writing the .lastUpdated file for package information to track when packages were last modified. Add LastUpdated property to ChocolateyPackageInformation domain to store the timestamp. Update ChocolateyPackageInformationService.Get to read .lastUpdated files. Modify ChocolateyPackageInformationService.Save to persist or remove .lastUpdated files, fetching the current timestamp from NugetService via DateTime.Now.

Add support for ordering packages by last updated date in the list command, providing users with a new sorting option to view packages by their most recent updates.

swaran18999 changed the title ~~List command with date~~ List command with last updated date Aug 23, 2025

swaran18999 changed the title ~~List command with last updated date~~ (#1276) List command with last updated date Aug 29, 2025

vexx32 self-assigned this Sep 10, 2025

vexx32 requested changes Sep 10, 2025

View reviewed changes

vexx32 removed their assignment Sep 10, 2025

swaran18999 force-pushed the list-command-with-date branch from 0b53340 to 7a04017 Compare September 23, 2025 00:58

swaran18999 added 5 commits September 22, 2025 20:03

(chocolatey#1276) Add tab completion support for new list options

424b9f7

Update `ChocolateyTabExpansion.ps1` to include the new `--show-last-updated-date` and `--order-by-last-updated-date` switches in the `list` command's tab completion options.

(chocolatey#1276) Refactor space changes and added last update dated

60dcb8a

(chocolatey#1276) Add tab completion support for new list options

0d400dc

Update `ChocolateyTabExpansion.ps1` to include the new `--show-last-updated-date` and `--order-by-last-updated-date` switches in the `list` command's tab completion options.

(chocolatey#1276) Refactor space changes and added last update dated

9537707

swaran18999 force-pushed the list-command-with-date branch from 60dcb8a to 9537707 Compare September 23, 2025 01:08

swaran18999 requested a review from vexx32 September 23, 2025 01:08

swaran18999 and others added 3 commits November 1, 2025 18:59

Merge branch 'list-command-with-date' of https://github.com/swaran189…

4005b2b

…99/choco into list-command-with-date

Merge branch 'chocolatey:develop' into list-command-with-date

0772bfc

Merge branch 'list-command-with-date' of https://github.com/swaran189…

ee85b50

…99/choco into list-command-with-date

swaran18999 force-pushed the list-command-with-date branch from 6833723 to ee85b50 Compare November 4, 2025 04:10

swaran18999 added 3 commits November 3, 2025 20:10

(chocolatey#1276]) Add LastUpdated ordering option for list command

0c9bfb5

Add support for ordering packages by last updated date in the list command, providing users with a new sorting option to view packages by their most recent updates.

Provide feedback

Saved searches

Use saved searches to filter your results more quickly

Uh oh!

(#1276) List command with last updated date #3775

(#1276) List command with last updated date #3775

swaran18999 commented Aug 23, 2025 •

edited

Loading

Uh oh!

vexx32 left a comment

Uh oh!

vexx32 Sep 10, 2025

Uh oh!

swaran18999 Sep 22, 2025

Uh oh!

vexx32 Sep 10, 2025

Uh oh!

swaran18999 Sep 22, 2025

Uh oh!

vexx32 commented Oct 30, 2025

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

2 participants

(#1276) List command with last updated date #3775

Are you sure you want to change the base?

(#1276) List command with last updated date #3775

Conversation

swaran18999 commented Aug 23, 2025 • edited Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

Uh oh!

Description Of Changes

Motivation and Context

Testing

Operating Systems Testing

Change Types Made

Change Checklist

Related Issue

Uh oh!

vexx32 left a comment

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

vexx32 Sep 10, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

swaran18999 Sep 22, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

vexx32 Sep 10, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

swaran18999 Sep 22, 2025

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

Uh oh!

vexx32 commented Oct 30, 2025

Uh oh!

Reviewers

Assignees

Labels

Projects

Milestone

Development

Uh oh!

2 participants

swaran18999 commented Aug 23, 2025 •

edited

Loading