blender addon version check and message update

version.py

# 1. include this version file
# 2. put a json file online format = { "version": "1.4.0", "message": "upgrade for these new features" }
# 3. point to the url in version.py
# 4. register a prop to show the ui message bpy.types.WindowManager.flex_update = bpy.props.StringProperty(name="Info", default="")
# 5. point to that property name in version.py
# 6. setup the UI to ue that property if populated
#if bpy.context.window_manager.flex_update != "":
#            box = layout.box()
#            row = box.row(align=True)
#            row.alignment = 'EXPAND'
#            row.label(icon="INFO", text=bpy.context.window_manager.KEY_message)
#            row = box.row()
#            row.operator(
#                'wm.url_open', text="Product Page", icon="URL").url = config.bl_info['website']

import bpy
import requests
import json

URL = 'https://anthonyaragues.com/stopmotion_checky.json'
PROP = 'KEY_message'


def getIntVersion(strVersion):
    # expects blinfo as a string str(bl_info["version"])
    strVersion = strVersion.replace(",", ".").replace(")", "").replace("(", "")
    return int(strVersion.replace(".", "").replace(" ", ""))


def show_message(msg, bl_info):
    print(f'{bl_info["name"]}: {msg}')
    try:
        # set as window manager because scene isnt there yet and window is more appropriate level
        setattr(bpy.context.window_manager, PROP, msg)
    except:
        pass


def check_version(bl_info):
    # example response
    # { "version": "1.4.0", "message": "upgrade for these new features" }
    objResponse = requests.get(URL)
    if objResponse.status_code == 200:
        objVersion = json.loads(objResponse.text)
        intCurrent = getIntVersion(objVersion["version"])
        intInstalled = getIntVersion(str(bl_info["version"]))
        if intCurrent > intInstalled:
            show_message(objVersion["message"], bl_info)
    else:
        show_message("couldn't check version", bl_info)