Unable to display message notifications in windows 10

[HantZ03]

Hello,

I am experiencing an issue with the Zulip Desktop application on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC. I am unable to get desktop notifications to work, and the application does not appear in Windows' notification settings.

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Problem Details:

• Operating System: Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC
• Zulip Application Version: 5.11.0 (downloaded from the official website)
• Network Environment: Offline (local Zulip server without Internet access)

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What I've Already Checked:

1. Zulip Application Settings:

   • Notifications are enabled for all types of messages (private messages, mentions, etc.).
   • In the settings, the option to use Windows desktop notifications is checked.

2. Server Connection:

   • I can connect to my local Zulip server without any issues and send/receive messages.

3. Windows Settings:

   • In Windows Settings > System > Notifications & actions, the option "Get notifications from apps and other senders" is enabled.
   • However, Zulip does not appear in the list of apps that can send notifications.

4. Windows Services:

   • The Windows Push Notification Service (WpnService) is not present on my system.
   • The System Event Notification Service is running.

5. Windows Defender Firewall:

   • Zulip does not appear in the list of allowed apps.
   • I attempted to manually add an exception for Zulip, but it didn't resolve the issue.

6. Permissions and Running as Administrator:

   • I uninstalled and reinstalled the Zulip application using a command prompt with administrative privileges.
   • The problem persists after reinstallation.

7. Restarts:

   • I have restarted the application and the system multiple times after making changes, without any improvement.

8. Zulip Application Logs:

   • The logs show errors related to checking for updates, likely due to the absence of an Internet connection.

   • Log Excerpt:

     [2024-09-23 16:58:43.212] [info]  Checking for update
     [2024-09-23 16:59:04.272] [error] Error: Error: net::ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
         at SimpleURLLoaderWrapper.<anonymous> (node:electron/js2c/browser_init:2:117475)
         at SimpleURLLoaderWrapper.emit (node:events:519:28)
         at SimpleURLLoaderWrapper.emit (node:domain:488:12)
     

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Hypotheses:

• It appears that the absence of the Windows Push Notification Service (WpnService) on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC is the main cause of the problem.
• This service is essential for notifications to function correctly in modern applications.

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What I'm Looking For:

• A solution to enable notifications in the Zulip Desktop application on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC.
• Instructions or a guide to install or activate WpnService on this version of Windows, if possible.
• Any alternative or workaround that would allow the application to provide notifications (e.g., internal application notifications or a settings modification).

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Constraints:

• Unable to change Windows version: I cannot switch to a standard version of Windows 10 due to organizational policies.
• Preference for desktop application: I prefer to use the Zulip Desktop application rather than the web version or other alternatives.
• Offline environment: My environment does not have Internet access, which excludes some solutions that require a connection.

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Additional Information:

• Other applications: Other applications also seem unable to display notifications, likely for the same reasons.
• Importance of notifications: Notifications are essential to my workflow, and their absence is affecting my productivity.

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I would greatly appreciate any help or suggestions you could provide.

Thank you in advance!

[timabbott]

I think this is the crux of the issue:

Other applications: Other applications also seem unable to display notifications, likely for the same reasons.

deltachat/deltachat-desktop#2263 might be somewhat helpful as a resource, though they don't seem to have linked what they changed, and it kinda sounds like the resolution was to upgrade to a newer release of Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC.