Just Effing Update

Here's a script for Fedora and Ubuntu that runs an update, but also tries to detect if any Mozilla (Firefox, Thunderbird) products are to be updated. If they are, this script will kill them, run the update, and then restart them.

This half-solves the unwelcome "Restart Required" feature:

Here you go. Might get updated from time to time. Don't just run this, take the time to read the help message at least. Running scripts that come from strangers as root is not a hygienic way to operate a computer.

#!/bin/bash
#set -x

if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ] ; then
  echo -e "\nThis script must be run as root.\n" 1>&2
  exit 1
fi

FF_USERS=""
TB_USERS=""
CMD=""
ECHO=0
YES=""
DRY_RUN=0
PWD=$(pwd);
SCRIPT=$(basename "$0")
CRON=""
CRON_DEFAULT="20 0 * * *"
TIMER=""
TIMER_DEFAULT="*-*-* 00:20:00"
HELP_AND_EXIT=0
VERBOSE_HELP_AND_EXIT=0
INSTALL_AND_EXIT=0
CHANGELOG_AND_EXIT=0

while getopts 'hinvyctl' ARG; do
  case "$ARG" in
    h|\?) HELP_AND_EXIT=1 ;;
    i) VERBOSE_HELP_AND_EXIT=1 ;;
    n) DRY_RUN=1 ;;
    v) ECHO=1 ;;
    y) YES=" -y" ;;
    c)
       eval nextopt=\${$OPTIND}
       # existing or starting with dash?
       if [[ -n $nextopt && $nextopt != -* ]] ; then
         OPTIND=$((OPTIND + 1))
         CRON=$nextopt
       else
         CRON=$CRON_DEFAULT
       fi
       ;;
    t)
       eval nextopt=\${$OPTIND}
       # existing or starting with dash?
       if [[ -n $nextopt && $nextopt != -* ]] ; then
         OPTIND=$((OPTIND + 1))
         TIMER=$nextopt
       else
         TIMER=$TIMER_DEFAULT
       fi
       ;;
    l) CHANGELOG_AND_EXIT=1
       ;;
    *)
      echo "Unrecognized option \"-$ARG\", skipping."
  esac
done

if [ "x$YES$DRY_RUN" = "x -y1" ] ; then
  echo "Error: Only specify one of '-y' or '-n'." 1>&2
  exit 1
fi
if [ "x$CRON" != "x" ] && [ "x$TIMER" != "x" ] ; then
  echo "Error: Only specify one of '-c' or '-t'." 1>&2
  exit 1
fi

SET_TIMER_OR_CRON=$( [ "x$CRON" != "x" ] || [ "x$TIMER" != "x" ] )

if [ -n "$SET_TIMER_OR_CHRON" ] ; then
  if [ "x$YES$ECHO" != "x0" ] ; then
    echo "Error: options -y and -v are not to be used with -c or -t."
  fi
fi

if [ "$HELP_AND_EXIT" = 1 ] ; then
  cat <<_HELP_MSG

Usage: $0 -h
  or:  $0 -i
  or:  $0 -[c|s] {-n}
  or:  $0 -[v] -[y|n]

-h,?              This help message.
  -i                In-depth description and suggested setup.
  -n                No changes (dry run). Checks for installed FF/TB but does not
                    stop/start them or update any packages. Incompatible with "-y".
                    When used with -c or -t, shows crontab/timer changes without
                    implementing them.
  -v                Verbose output.
  -y                Answer "yes" to any yum/dnf/apt subprocesses. Incompatible with "-n".
  -c "[CRONSPEC]"   Attempt to configure crontab to run this script periodically.
                    Default is "$CRON" (12:20AM / 00:20 daily).
  -t "[TIMESPEC]"   Attempt to configure a systemd timer to run this script periodically.
                    Default is "$TIMER" (12:20AM / 00:20 daily).
  -l                Show changelog

_HELP_MSG
  exit 0
fi

if [ $VERBOSE_HELP_AND_EXIT -eq 1 ]; then
  cat << _VERBOSE_HELP_MSG

Mozilla-Aware OS Updater for RPM- and APT-Based Distributions
-------------------------------------------------------------

Updates system via 'yum -y update'+'flatpak -y update' or 'apt-get -y upgrade', depending
on what's there. Handles the (as jwz would say) braindead Mozilla behaviour where Firefox
or Thunderbird suddenly says you have to restart, right in the middle of your work -- work
which they say will not be lost, but quite often is. Private browsing windows will NOT
survive; this is Firefox as designed. By morons.

This script must be run as the root user. If you would like to see output from the script
itself (it will always output what apt/yum/flatpak says), invoke it as '$0 -v'.

If you decide to run this as a cron/timer job, you should disable any existing automatic
update scheme that might be already on your system. Fedora has 'dnf-automatic', see
<https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/autoupdates/> for info. Ubuntu has
'unattended-upgrades', read all about it at
<https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/package-management#heading--automatic-updates>. To run
updates automatically, this script can try to set that up. Choose from crontab
(traditional) or systemd timers (new hotness) with the -c or -t options.

If you have both yum/dnf and apt installed on your system, may God have pity on your soul.
This script will only use apt in that case.

The author accepts no responsibility or liability for damage that this script may cause
on your system. Use at your own risk.

_VERBOSE_HELP_MSG
  exit 0
fi

if [ $CHANGELOG_AND_EXIT -eq 1 ] ; then
  cat << _CHANGELOG

2024-Sep-08    First version
2024-Sep-20    Released on Mozilla Connect forum
2024-Sep-25    Fixed switch for -t in help message (was erroneously -s)
               Update help for crontab/systemd timer setup
               Dry run for systemd timer
               Add changelog

_CHANGELOG
  exit 0
fi

if [ "x$CRON" != "x" ] ; then
  echo "CRONTAB INSTALLATION"
  if [ -z "$(which crontab)" ] ; then
    echo "Error: crontab executable not found."
    exit 1
  fi
  CRONTAB=$(crontab -l | sed -E "s@^([^\#].*$SCRIPT.*)\$@#\1@g" );
  CRONTAB="$CRONTAB
$CRON $PWD/$SCRIPT
"
  if [ $DRY_RUN -eq 0 ] ; then
    echo "$CRONTAB" | crontab -
    if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
      cat << _CRONTAB_ERR_MSG

Error installing new crontab. Please add this line manually, using "crontab -e":

$CRON $PWD/$SCRIPT

Also ensure that the cronspec is valid (see https://crontab.guru for a tool to help
with cronspecs).

_CRONTAB_ERR_MSG
      exit 1
    else
      echo "$SCRIPT added/replaced in crontab. Please verify with \"crontab -l\". "
      exit 0
    fi
  else
    cat << _CRON_DRY
Dry run (-n) flag is set, so not attempting to update crontab entry automatically. This is
the generated crontab that would have been installed; use "crontab -e" to edit the crontab
manually.

$CRON $PWD/$SCRIPT

_CRON_DRY
    exit 0
  fi
fi

if [ "x$TIMER" != "x" ] ; then
  echo "SYSTEMD TIMER INSTALLATION"
  if [ -z "$(which systemctl)" ] ; then
    echo "Error: systemctl executable not found."
    exit 1
  fi

SERVICEDEF="
[Unit]
Description=Runs a system update, taking into account Firefox and Thunderbird.
Requires=$SCRIPT.timer

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[Service]
Type=simple
ExecStart=$PWD/$SCRIPT -y
"

TIMERDEF="
[Unit]
Description=Timer for $SCRIPT.service

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[Timer]
Unit=$SCRIPT.service
OnCalendar=$TIMER
"

if [ $DRY_RUN -eq 0 ] ; then
    echo $SERVICEDEF > /etc/systemd/system/$SCRIPT.service
    echo $TIMERDEF > /etc/systemd/system/$SCRIPT.timer

systemctl daemon-reload
    systemctl enable $SCRIPT.service
    systemctl enable $SCRIPT.timer
    systemctl start $SCRIPT.service $SCRIPT.timer

if [ $? -ne 0 ] ; then
      echo "Error: systemctl configuration failed! Check
      systemctl status $SCRIPT.service
      systemctl status $SCRIPT.timer
      "
      exit 1
    fi
    echo "$SCRIPT service and timer installed at /etc/systemd/system/.
You can monitor them with
    systemctl status $SCRIPT.service
    systemctl status $SCRIPT.timer

and disable them with
    systemctl disable $SCRIPT.service
    systemctl disable $SCRIPT.timer
"
  else
    echo "
Create or update a file at /etc/systemd/system/$SCRIPT.service containing:

----- BEGIN -----
$SERVICEDEF
------ END ------

And also at /etc/systemd/system/$SCRIPT.timer:

----- BEGIN -----
$TIMERDEF
------ END ------

Then enable/start:
#    systemctl daemon-reload
#    systemctl enable $SCRIPT.service
#    systemctl enable $SCRIPT.timer
#    systemctl start $SCRIPT.service $SCRIPT.timer

"
  fi
  exit 0
fi

function _echo() {
  if [ $ECHO -eq 1 ] ; then
    echo $@
  fi
}

_echo "Mozilla-Aware OS Updater for RPM- and APT-Based Distributions"
_echo ""
# What method do we use?
APT=$(which apt 2>/dev/null)
# Currently (2024) Fedora symlinks yum to dnf, but no doubt someday that will change
DNF=$(which dnf 2>/dev/null)
if [ "$DNF" = "" ]; then
  DNF=$(which yum 2>/dev/null)
fi
if [ "x$APT$DNF" == "x" ] ; then
  _echo "Cannot find apt, yum, or dnf on this system. Exiting."
  exit 1
fi
if [ -n "$APT" ] ; then
  _echo -e "Using apt ($APT).\nUpdating repositories..."
  ${APT}-get update
  CMD="$APT list --upgradeable"
else
  _echo -e "Using dnf/yum ($DNF).\nChecking for updates..."
  CMD="$DNF check-update"
fi

# And then there's Flatpak...
FFF=""
FTB=""
FPK=$(which flatpak 2>/dev/null)
if [ -n "$FPK" ] ; then
  _echo "Checking flatpak..."
  FPK_UPDATES=$($FPK remote-ls --updates)
  FFF=$(echo $FPK_UPDATES|grep -Ei " firefox$")
  FTB=$(echo $FPK_UPDATES|grep -Ei " thunderbird$")
fi

REPO_UPDATES=$($CMD)

# Is Firefox to be updated?
if [ "x$FFF$(echo $REPO_UPDATES | grep firefox)" != "x" ] ; then
  if [ $DRY_RUN -eq 1 ] ; then
    _echo "[dry run] Firefox is running, would be terminated."
  else
    _echo "Firefox is to be updated. Terminating current instances."
    # Who's running Firefox?
    FF_USERS=$(ps -C firefox -o user --no-headers)
    # Terminate any running firefox processes
    pkill -9 firefox
  fi
fi
# Same as above for Thunderbird:
if [ "x$FTB$(echo $REPO_UPDATES | grep thunderbird)" != "x" ] ; then
  if [ $DRY_RUN -eq 1 ] ; then
    _echo "[dry run] Thunderbird is running, would be terminated."
  else
    _echo "Thunderbird is to be updated. Terminating current instances."
    TB_USERS=$(ps -C thunderbird -o user --no-headers)
    pkill -9 thunderbird
  fi
fi

# Do the update
if [ $DRY_RUN -eq 0 ] ; then
  if [ -n "$APT" ] ; then
    _echo "Performing update using apt."
    ${APT}-get $YES upgrade && ${APT}-get $YES autoremove
  else
    # Unlike apt/Ubuntu/Debian, Fedora/RH doesn't merge flatpak updates into dnf updates
    _echo "Performing update using dnf/yum."
    $DNF $YES update && $DNF $YES autoremove
    if [ "x$FPK" != 'x' ] ; then
      _echo "Updating Flatpaks..."
      flatpak $YES update
    fi
  fi
else
  echo "[dry run] Skipping repository update"
fi

# Start FF,TB for users that had it running
if [ $DRY_RUN -eq 0 ] ; then
  if [ -n "$FF_USERS" ] ; then
    echo "Starting Firefox for users who had it running."
    for u in $FF_USERS ;
    do
      sudo -u $u firefox &
    done
  fi
  if [ -n "$TB_USERS" ] ; then
    echo "Starting Thunderbird for users who had it running."
    for u in $TB_USERS ;
    do
      sudo -u $u thunderbird &
    done
  fi
else
  echo "[dry run] Skipping FF/TB restart"
fi