Desktop installation, updates and Cloud differences

Choose Windows, Linux or Cloud, verify an update, save project backups and check the installed result.

Choose your environment

Environment

Files and update path

Windows desktop / My PC

Project files stay in the folder you open. Verify the official signed MSIX; use an offered in-app update for a newer signed version.

Linux desktop

Verify the official .deb and update with apt. The desktop app has no in-app updater.

Cloud

Saved projects stay in Cloud. Open the web application; there is no local MSIX or .deb installation for browser use.

The shared interface does not give every host the same engines. Check the operation and supported environment in the running version. Windows ordinary My PC editing does not require WSL. Keep an old WSL project separate until you have explicitly copied/exported and checked it.

A safe first installation or update

  1. Read the current Downloads and system requirements. Match the exact platform, filename and version.

  2. Save every open file and copy the entire local project folder, including .git when its history is needed.

  3. Verify the package using the matching checksum/signature/publisher instructions before opening it.

  4. Install or follow the offered update flow for that platform, then reopen DDS and check Settings → About.

  5. Open a small project, save a comment-only change and reopen it before continuing with important work.

  6. Keep the installer, matching verification metadata and backup until this check succeeds.

Windows installation · Linux installation · Downloads · Verify downloads

Close, tray and restart

The desktop close behavior can be Hide to tray. If so, clicking the window's X keeps the app and tasks alive. To quit, use the tray's Quit action or the offered Settings → Desktop → When the window closes preference. Save first and read unsaved-work checks. For an update, follow the displayed Windows restart instruction; hiding a window is not confirmation that installation finished.

For Digital Design Studio 2.0.2, save work and keep a separate project backup before changing the installed version. The procedures below describe the supported update controls; historical preservation observations identify their tested versions and do not guarantee every later upgrade or downgrade.

This page explains how to update Digital Design Studio (DDS) to a new version, how to move to another PC, how to return to an earlier version (roll back), and what data is kept in each case. Methods and behaviour not described on this page are outside its scope.

Where your data is kept

Data

Where it is kept

Files in a My PC project

The folder you opened as the project. Updating and rolling back do not change the files in this folder.

Files in a Cloud project

Altifigence Cloud. Updating or rolling back the app on this PC leaves the files in Cloud unchanged.

Sign-in

This PC's credential store (Windows Credential Manager, or the desktop keyring on Linux).

Open project and tabs, recent projects, display settings such as the theme, unsaved edits and AI conversations

DDS app data in your user account on this PC. They do not move to another PC.

Before you update

  1. Save every open file. Recovery of unsaved edits is limited and an abrupt shutdown can lose recent work. Save first if DDS warns that some unsaved edits could not be kept.

  2. Copy your whole My PC project folder to another location. Removing the app is not a backup.

  3. To keep your AI conversations separately, select your account name at the bottom of the left panel > Settings > Data control and select "Download AI conversations". The AI conversations stored on this PC are saved as one JSON file. DDS cannot load this file back.

  4. Keep the installer of the version you use now so that you can roll back. The download page on the Altifigence website offers only the current version.

Windows: update in the app

  • When DDS checks: DDS checks whether a new Windows version has been published when it starts and every 30 minutes. It also checks when you return to the DDS window if at least 5 minutes have passed since the last check.

  • Where it appears: When a new version is available, a download icon appears next to your account name at the bottom of the left panel, and a notification shows "Digital Design Studio {version} is available." with "Later" and "Update" buttons. If your notification delivery mode is "Bell only", it appears only in the bell's notification panel, without a popup.

  • Later: Only the popup closes; the notification stays in the notification panel. You can update at any time with the icon next to your account name.

  • Update: DDS downloads the new version, checks the signed checksum list, the file's SHA-256, the publisher and the version, and then prepares the installation in Windows. While it prepares, the icon next to your account name shows progress. Open DDS windows are not forced to close.

  • When it is ready: "The update is ready. Save your work, restart Windows, and then open DDS." appears. Save your work, restart Windows and then open DDS. You can check the version in Settings > About.

  • Administrator rights: For an in-app update, DDS does not ask for administrator rights. If Windows refuses to prepare the installation, see Troubleshooting below and install from the website.

  • Which version it installs: The in-app update installs only a signed package with a higher version than the current one. It does not return to an earlier version.

  • When nothing appears: If a new version has not been published for in-app update, no icon or notification appears. In that case, install from the website.

Windows: install from the website

Use this method when the in-app update does not appear or fails, and for a new installation.

  1. Save your work and exit DDS. If the exit prompt appears, select "Exit".

  2. On the download page of the Altifigence website, select "Download for Windows" to get the installer. The file name has the form Altifigence.DigitalDesignStudio.Public_<version>_x64.msix.

  3. Check the file's SHA-256 with the MSIX verification steps in "Install on Windows".

  4. Open the downloaded file, confirm that the publisher is Altifigence, and install it. DDS includes a Windows service, so Windows can ask for administrator rights. If it asks, approve.

  5. When the installation finishes, open Digital Design Studio from Start and check the version in Settings > About.

  6. Check that saving and reopening work in a small project before you continue your work.

Windows: roll back to an earlier version

The update channel accepts newer signed packages. An earlier installer is evidence for investigation, not authorization or assurance that 2.0.2 can be downgraded safely.

There is no general supported downgrade procedure for 2.0.2. Preserve the project and installer, report the exact installed version, and use a reviewed recovery or a newer corrected signed package. Do not stop entitlement services or force an older package based on historical instructions.

Linux: update

The Linux app has no in-app update. Check the download page for a new version and install it yourself.

  1. Save your work and exit DDS.

  2. On the download page, select "Download for Linux" to get altifigence-systemverilog-ide_<version>_amd64.deb, and check its signature and SHA-256 with the steps in "Verify Downloads".

  3. In the folder that contains the file, run sudo apt install ./altifigence-systemverilog-ide_<version>_amd64.deb. The installed earlier version is replaced by the new one.

  4. Check the installed version with dpkg-query -W -f='${Package} ${Version}\n' altifigence-ide.

  • Package name: The installed package is named altifigence-ide. The systemverilog-ide in the file name is kept for compatibility.

  • What was checked: Installing the signed package, starting the app, removing it, and upgrading from an earlier signed package were checked on Ubuntu 24.04 (amd64).

Linux: roll back to an earlier version

The download page offers only the current version. Keep the .deb file of the version you use now so that you can roll back. Rolling back to an earlier version on Linux is outside the scope of this page.

Move to another PC

  1. On the current PC, save every open file and exit DDS. Unsaved edits are kept only on the current PC and do not move.

  2. Copy your whole My PC project folder to the new PC. For a project that uses Git, also copy the hidden .git folder to keep its history.

  3. If you need a record of your AI conversations, use "Download AI conversations" on the current PC and keep the file. This file cannot be loaded into DDS on the new PC.

  4. Install DDS on the new PC and sign in with the same account. Sign-in information is stored separately on each PC.

  5. Open the copied folder as a project in DDS. Cloud projects open directly from Cloud once you sign in with the same account.

The recent projects list, display settings such as the theme, and AI conversations do not move to the new PC. Do not copy the DDS app data folder or credential store entries to another PC.

Troubleshooting

Situation

What to do

No update icon or notification appears

A new Windows version has not been published for in-app update, or DDS could not reach the update server. Compare the version on the download page with the one in Settings > About, and if a newer version exists, install it from the website. The Linux app has no in-app update.

"The DDS update could not finish. Please try again." followed by a connection error

If it is followed by "Could not connect to the DDS update service. Try again.", "Could not download the DDS update. Try again." or "DDS update download was interrupted. Try again.", check your internet connection. Select the icon next to your account name to check again, then select "Update".

Disk space error

If it is followed by "Could not save the DDS update. Check available disk space.", free up disk space and try again.

Signature or checksum error in an in-app update

If it is followed by "The DDS release signature or checksum is invalid." or "The downloaded DDS update failed checksum verification.", DDS stopped without installing. Try again later. If it continues, download and verify the installer from the website, install it, and send the error text to contact@altifigence.com.

The published version changed

If it is followed by "The available DDS release changed. Check for updates again.", select the icon next to your account name to check again.

Windows preparation error

If it is followed by "Windows could not prepare the DDS update (0x…).", note the code in parentheses, exit DDS and install from the website.

The update was ready, but the earlier version opens

As the notification says, restart Windows and then open DDS. If the earlier version still opens, install from the website.

Signature error in a website installation

If Windows says the publisher cannot be trusted or the signature is invalid, stop the installation and keep the exact message. Do not import a development certificate or change certificate policy. Download the file again into a new folder and check its SHA-256. On Linux, do not install if any check in "Verify Downloads" fails.

Offline

With a saved account, you can open DDS offline and edit and save files. Checking for and downloading updates needs an internet connection; while offline, no update notification appears.

Unsaved edits are missing after an update or rollback

Sign in with the same account and reopen the same project. Unsaved edits are kept per account and project.

Related installation guides

Using Digital Design Studio 2.0.2

Save files and keep a separate project backup before updating. Before installation, use Downloads and Verify downloads to match the exact filename, SHA-256, signature and publisher of the package you install; the 2.0.2 packages are listed there after their release. The in-app Windows updater accepts a newer signed version; it does not downgrade. Keep earlier installers for investigation, but do not treat an old forced-downgrade recipe as a supported 2.0.2 recovery path. Linux update and Windows update are separate channels. Tray Open/Quit preserves the unsaved-work check; automatic OS restart, restored windows and rollback preservation require acceptance for the exact installed package.

2.0.2 environment support

Windows in-app updating applies to supported signed Public packages. Microsoft Store installations remain managed by the Store; unpackaged developer builds cannot use the updater. A staged update is ready, separate from installed-version acceptance.