Install page: click a logo to download the app

.github/workflows/desktop-app.yml

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
           - os: macos-14          # Apple silicon
-            platform: macOS-arm64
+            platform: macOS-AppleSilicon
           - os: macos-15-intel    # Intel
             platform: macOS-Intel
           - os: windows-latest
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Package .dmg
         if: runner.os == 'macOS'
         env:
-          NAME: MEA-NAP-${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}-${{ matrix.platform }}
+          # No version in the name: the docs link to
+          # releases/latest/download/<name>, which needs the same name every release.
+          NAME: MEA-NAP-${{ matrix.platform }}
         run: |
           staging=packaging/build/dmg
           rm -rf "$staging" && mkdir -p "$staging"
@@ -143,7 +145,7 @@ jobs:
                /DSourceDir="$PWD\packaging\dist\MEA-NAP" `
                /DOutputDir="$PWD\packaging\dist" `
                packaging\windows\meanap.iss
-          $asset = "packaging/dist/MEA-NAP-${{ steps.version.outputs.version }}-${{ matrix.platform }}-Setup.exe"
+          $asset = "packaging/dist/MEA-NAP-${{ matrix.platform }}-Setup.exe"
           "ASSET=$asset" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append -Encoding utf8
 
       - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4

README.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > **MEA-NAP is now available in Python (beta).** It is much faster and introduces a lot of new features. The MATLAB version is still supported.
 >
-> [**Read the release note**](release_notes/python-beta.md) · [**Download the app**](docs/python/installation.md#the-desktop-app-easiest) (Windows, Mac) · [**Install from source**](docs/python/installation.md#from-the-source-code) · [**Quickstart**](docs/python/quickstart.md) · [**MATLAB vs Python**](docs/python/matlab-vs-python.md) · [**Send us feedback**](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/discussions)
+> [**Read the release note**](release_notes/python-beta.md) · [**Download the app**](https://analysis-pipeline.readthedocs.io/en/latest/python/installation.html#the-desktop-app-easiest) (Windows, Mac) · [**Install from source**](https://analysis-pipeline.readthedocs.io/en/latest/python/installation.html#from-the-source-code) · [**Quickstart**](docs/python/quickstart.md) · [**MATLAB vs Python**](docs/python/matlab-vs-python.md) · [**Send us feedback**](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/discussions)
 
 ![Visitors](https://api.visitorbadge.io/api/visitors?path=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FSAND-Lab%2FAnalysisPipeline&label=Visitors&countColor=%23263759)
 [![Documentation Status](https://readthedocs.org/projects/analysis-pipeline/badge/?version=latest)](https://analysis-pipeline.readthedocs.io/en/latest/?badge=latest)

docs/python/installation.md

@@ -13,21 +13,21 @@ same results.
 
 ## The desktop app (easiest)
 
-Download the file for your computer from the
-[**latest release**](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest)
-on GitHub, under **Assets**:
+Click the logo for your computer. The download starts straight away, and is
+always the newest version.
 
-| Computer | File |
-|---|---|
-| Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) | `MEA-NAP-<version>-Windows-x64-Setup.exe` |
-| Mac with Apple silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4 …) | `MEA-NAP-<version>-macOS-arm64.dmg` |
-| Mac with an Intel processor | `MEA-NAP-<version>-macOS-Intel.dmg` |
+| [![Download for Windows](../imgs/download-windows.svg)](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest/download/MEA-NAP-Windows-x64-Setup.exe) | [![Download for Mac with Apple silicon](../imgs/download-mac.svg)](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest/download/MEA-NAP-macOS-AppleSilicon.dmg) | [![Download for Mac with Intel](../imgs/download-mac.svg)](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest/download/MEA-NAP-macOS-Intel.dmg) |
+|:---:|:---:|:---:|
+| [**Windows**](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest/download/MEA-NAP-Windows-x64-Setup.exe)<br>Windows 10 or 11 | [**Mac – Apple silicon**](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest/download/MEA-NAP-macOS-AppleSilicon.dmg)<br>M1, M2, M3, M4 … | [**Mac – Intel**](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases/latest/download/MEA-NAP-macOS-Intel.dmg)<br>older Macs |
 
 Not sure which Mac you have? Apple menu → **About This Mac**: "Chip: Apple M…"
 means Apple silicon; "Processor: … Intel …" means an Intel Mac. Either needs
 macOS 12 (Monterey) or later.
 
-The download is about 150 MB (about 700 MB once installed): it carries its own Python
+What changed in each version, and older versions, are on the
+[releases page](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases).
+
+The download is 130–180 MB (about 700 MB once installed): it carries its own Python
 and every library MEA-NAP uses, including OASIS for CAT-NAP and the spike
 sorters.
 
@@ -48,11 +48,9 @@ In Edge, it's the **…** beside the download → **Keep** → **Show more** →
 [GitHub releases page](https://github.com/SAND-Lab/MEA-NAP/releases) — that is
 what makes it safe to click through.
 
-:::::{tab-set}
-
-::::{tab-item} Windows
+### Installing on Windows
 
-1. Double-click `MEA-NAP-…-Setup.exe`.
+1. Double-click `MEA-NAP-Windows-x64-Setup.exe`.
 2. Windows may show **"Windows protected your PC"**. This appears for any
    app that is not yet signed with a paid certificate. Click
    **More info**, then **Run anyway**.
@@ -64,11 +62,9 @@ To update, download the newer installer and run it: it replaces the old
 version and keeps your settings. To uninstall: **Settings → Apps → Installed
 apps → MEA-NAP → Uninstall**.
 
-::::
+### Installing on a Mac
 
-::::{tab-item} macOS
-
-1. Double-click the `MEA-NAP-…-macOS-….dmg` you downloaded, then drag **MEA-NAP** onto
+1. Double-click the `MEA-NAP-macOS-….dmg` you downloaded, then drag **MEA-NAP** onto
    the **Applications** folder in the window that opens.
 2. Open MEA-NAP from Applications (or Launchpad). The first time, macOS says
    it **"could not verify MEA-NAP is free of malware"** (older macOS: "cannot
@@ -96,9 +92,7 @@ again:
 xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/MEA-NAP.app
 ```
 
-::::
-
-:::::
+### Good to know
 
 **The first analysis is slower than later ones.** Parts of step 4 are compiled
 for your processor the first time they run, and the result is kept for next
@@ -187,12 +181,13 @@ If a fresh install fails with `error: command 'cmake' not found`, `clang: error:
 unsupported option '-fopenmp'`, or a long `Building wheel for ... did not run
 successfully` traceback, it's almost always one of the three above missing.
 
+### Installing
+
 Install with either uv or pip — **from the `MEA-NAP` folder** you changed into
 above. If you have opened a new terminal since then, `cd` back into it first.
 
-::::{tab-set}
+#### With uv (recommended)
 
-:::{tab-item} uv (recommended)
 [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/) manages the virtual environment and the
 lockfile (`uv.lock`) for you, so every contributor gets identical dependency
 versions.
@@ -215,9 +210,9 @@ don't need to activate the environment — prefix commands with `uv run`:
 ```bash
 uv run meanap-gui
 ```
-:::
 
-:::{tab-item} pip / venv
+#### With pip / venv
+
 If you'd rather manage your own virtual environment — again from the
 `MEA-NAP` folder:
 
@@ -234,22 +229,17 @@ This installs `meanap` in editable mode using the dependencies declared in
 ```bash
 meanap-gui
 ```
-:::
-
-::::
 
 The same install gives the `meanap` command, which runs a saved parameter
 file without the GUI — see [Running from the command line](command-line.md).
 On a machine with no screen, `meanap example` is a quick check that
 everything works.
 
-:::{admonition} "No `pyproject.toml` found" / "Neither 'setup.py' nor 'pyproject.toml' found"
-:class: tip
-Both errors mean the same thing: the command ran in the wrong directory. Run
-`pwd` — the path should end in `/MEA-NAP` — and `ls`, which should list
-`pyproject.toml` next to the `src/`, `python/` and `docs/` folders. If you are
-inside `python/`, run `cd ..` and try again.
-:::
+> **"No `pyproject.toml` found" / "Neither 'setup.py' nor 'pyproject.toml'
+> found"?** Both errors mean the same thing: the command ran in the wrong
+> directory. Run `pwd` — the path should end in `/MEA-NAP` — and `ls`, which
+> should list `pyproject.toml` next to the `src/`, `python/` and `docs/`
+> folders. If you are inside `python/`, run `cd ..` and try again.
 
 ### Optional: OASIS deconvolution (CAT-NAP)
 

packaging/windows/meanap.iss

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ; Inno Setup script for the MEA-NAP Windows installer.
 ;
-;   iscc /DAppVersion=1.12.0 /DSourceDir=packaging\dist\MEA-NAP /DOutputDir=out packaging\windows\meanap.iss
+;   iscc /DAppVersion=1.13.0 /DSourceDir=packaging\dist\MEA-NAP /DOutputDir=out packaging\windows\meanap.iss
 ;
 ; Installs for the current user only (no administrator rights, which many
 ; university-managed PCs don't give), into %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\MEA-NAP.
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ PrivilegesRequiredOverridesAllowed=dialog
 ArchitecturesAllowed=x64compatible
 ArchitecturesInstallIn64BitMode=x64compatible
 OutputDir={#OutputDir}
-OutputBaseFilename=MEA-NAP-{#AppVersion}-Windows-x64-Setup
+; No version: the docs link to releases/latest/download/<this name>.
+OutputBaseFilename=MEA-NAP-Windows-x64-Setup
 SetupIconFile=..\build\icon.ico
 UninstallDisplayIcon={app}\MEA-NAP.exe
 Compression=lzma2/max

python/DESKTOP_APP_PLAN.md

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ it, and gets the MEA-NAP GUI. Today's route — git clone, `uv sync`,
 | Extras inside | **OASIS** (CAT-NAP denoising; without it results silently differ) and **spike sorting** (SpikeInterface + MountainSort5 + hdbscan). |
 | Left out | CAT-NAP **cell tracking** (needs `roicat` → PyTorch, not a declared dependency); **Kilosort**; **launching MATLAB / old MATLAB-only releases**; switching between versions in place. |
 | Distribution | `.dmg` (macOS) and a setup `.exe` (Windows, Inno Setup), built by GitHub Actions on each **official** release tag (and on demand) and attached to the GitHub release. Not on every dev build: hundreds of MB per merge. |
+| Download links | Asset names carry **no version** (`MEA-NAP-Windows-x64-Setup.exe`, `MEA-NAP-macOS-AppleSilicon.dmg`, `MEA-NAP-macOS-Intel.dmg`) so the install page can link to `releases/latest/download/<name>`, one click, always the newest. README → the docs site's install page (MyST doesn't render on GitHub). |
 | Updates | The app checks GitHub's releases (public repo, no git, no login) and offers a link to download the newer one. |
 
 ## What has to change in the code