Variant groups, calmer search, code-signed installs

A new way to group variations of an asset, more file types, a friendlier updater, and a search index that waits for your say-so. Plus tidier watched-folder imports and sturdier 3D models.

🔗 Link assets as alternates with variant groups

Sometimes several files are really one asset: frames of an animation, or a 3D model exported to different formats. Variant groups fold them into a single entry, without touching the files on disk.

• Variant groups fan out inline, so you can expand a group and see every member without leaving the view.
• Groups carry their own icon and an accurate member count everywhere they appear, including the Workbench and Projects, where adding a group reads "add N items to project" rather than counting as one.

📦 More file types supported

🔄 A smoother update experience

• AssetHoard now tells you when a new release is available, with one-click options to install it, read the notes, or skip for now.
• Returning users now see the "What's New" notes on upgrade, instead of the first-run Welcome screen.

🔍 Calmer, more reliable search

• Search indexing no longer kicks off automatically at startup. Instead you get a gentle prompt to start it when you want, so launching the app stays fast and light.
• Fixed Mac indexing that couldn't be cancelled once it started.
• If a search model is corrupted, AssetHoard now spots it at boot and offers to re-download it.
• Indexing large libraries is faster thanks to a more efficient matching pass.

📥 Tidier watched-folder imports

A few bug fixes this release to make the watched-folder experience smoother

• Fixed a white screen on boot that could happen while watched folders were being scanned.
• Folders that have already settled no longer re-import every time you open the app.
• Re-importing a folder no longer leaves behind duplicate, often-empty bundles.
• Boot scans are quicker with a single-pass walk over your watched folders.

📐 Better 3D models

• 3D model metadata is now normalised and presented consistently across formats.
• Missing OBJ materials (.mtl) no longer spam errors into the view and logs. They're listed in the asset's Resources panel in the sidebar instead, so you can see what's missing without the noise.
• General speed improvements to 3D model loading.

🔒 Security and hardening

• Gated database-reset command behind a system prompt.
• Hardened archive extraction (tar and 7z) against malicious paths explosion attacks.
• Added protection against malicious oversized images across all file types.
• Windows installers are now code-signed, so you'll see fewer security warnings on install.

🐛 Polish and fixes

• Added an "Open Log Directory" button in Settings > Data to make sharing diagnostics easier.
• Upgraded audio decoding for broader format coverage and reliability.

Happy hoarding.