[Feature request] Create an environmental variable to disable MakeMKV updating - Fixes a blocking problem when there is no/bad Internet

[int-rnd]

Idea

See #183 (comment)

True issue - the Auto Disc Ripper is dependent on makemkvcon which periodically requires network connectivity to the mothership for updates. When there is no internet and it's time to check for updates this is a blocking action and prevents makemkvcon from returning and thereby breaks anything dependent on it.

User based solutions:

• Get your internet back online / allow the container to get to the internet.
• Set app_UpdateEnable = "0" in settings.conf in /config and restart the container.

Recommendation:

• Add an environmental variable that configures app_UpdateEnable when the container is stood up. This will help with headless installs and anyone that has crappy internet

Risks of implementing the recommendation:

While MakeMKV is able to run without internet connectivity, the updating is there for a reason. Turing it off and pulling a new container when one is released may leave things in an outdated state. Recommend that if an environmental variable is created that it be defaulted to 1/On so that the user needs to make a conscious decision understanding the risks of turning off this setting.

Lastly - I wonder if this may account for other weirdness with the autodiscripper reported here. Wondering if turning it off may make some other problems go away. A blocking process can break tons of downstream things. When mine broke, it broke in stages and progressively got worse. Once I configured that setting everything came back.

[jlesage]

MakeMKV cannot totally works offline: you might not be able to rip all discs (especially UHD discs), since required keys are downloaded dynamically.

However, I agree that makemkvcon should not block for so long when there is no internet access. Did you also report the issue on the MakeMKV forum ?