HelloThisWorld · HelloThisWorld · Aug 4, 2026 · Aug 4, 2026
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog
 
-## Unreleased
+## 1.3.0-alpha4 - 2026-08-04
 
-Fixes for the three alpha3 field reports.
+Fourth alpha prerelease: fixes for the three alpha3 field reports. Like the
+previous alphas, this is published only as a tagged GitHub prerelease for
+local testing — GitHub Latest and the winTerm website continue to point at
+v1.2.0, and this version is not submitted to WinGet.
 
 ### Fixed
 
@@ -29,6 +32,12 @@ Fixes for the three alpha3 field reports.
   did not report a result for this command, and that success and failure are
   shown only when shell integration reports them.
 
+### Changed
+
+- Advanced the package/file version to `1.3.0.3`. The application version is
+  `1.3.0-alpha4`, the PowerShell module stays `1.3.0` with prerelease suffix
+  `alpha4`, and the channel stays `alpha`.
+
 ## 1.3.0-alpha3 - 2026-08-04
 
 Third alpha prerelease: fixes for the five alpha2 field reports. Like the

@@ -4,21 +4,21 @@ Last updated: 2026-08-04
 
 ## Repository state
 
-- Branch: `release/v1.3.0-alpha3`
-- Base branch: `main` at `e0fd786c` (alpha2 field-report fixes, pull
-  request #34)
+- Branch: `release/v1.3.0-alpha4`
+- Base branch: `main` at `49ee5eb3` (alpha3 field-report fixes, pull
+  request #36)
 - Microsoft Terminal upstream revision:
   `1cea42d433253d95c4487a3037db48197b5e72f4`
-- Application version: `1.3.0-alpha3`
-- Package/file version: `1.3.0.2`
-- PowerShell module version: `1.3.0` with prerelease suffix `alpha3`
+- Application version: `1.3.0-alpha4`
+- Package/file version: `1.3.0.3`
+- PowerShell module version: `1.3.0` with prerelease suffix `alpha4`
 - Release channel: `alpha`
-- Release tag: `v1.3.0-alpha3`
+- Release tag: `v1.3.0-alpha4`
 - Current public Latest: `v1.2.0`, the stable Visual Progress release
 - Supported target: Windows 11 x64
 
-`v1.3.0-alpha3` follows `v1.3.0-alpha2` as a GitHub **prerelease** for local
-testing, carrying the five alpha2 field-report fixes. The release workflow marks any
+`v1.3.0-alpha4` follows `v1.3.0-alpha3` as a GitHub **prerelease** for local
+testing, carrying the three alpha3 field-report fixes. The release workflow marks any
 non-stable channel with `--prerelease` and `--latest=false`, so
 `/releases/latest` keeps resolving to v1.2.0. The alpha is deliberately not
 listed on the winTerm website and is skipped by the WinGet workflow.
@@ -48,6 +48,22 @@ prerelease suffix. The package version stays four-part numeric for MSIX and the
 Win32 resource fields, and the PowerShell module version stays numeric with the
 suffix carried in `PrivateData.PSData.Prerelease`.
 
+## Alpha3 field reports
+
+Local testing of `v1.3.0-alpha3` surfaced three issues, all fixed on `main`
+through pull request #36:
+
+1. An antivirus alert on every new PowerShell tab: the `touch` command's raw
+   `File::Open` write plus same-file command dispatch read as a
+   write-then-execute pattern; creation now uses `New-Item` and the module
+   loads clean.
+2. Every completed command displayed `? Unknown`: the Enter keypress
+   heuristic never notified the lifecycle, so the capability chain never read
+   Full. Enter now reports the executed transition for shell-established
+   marks with non-empty input, restoring Running and the ✓/✕ results.
+3. Long commands were unreadable: rows now carry a full-command tooltip, and
+   the Unknown status explains itself on hover.
+
 ## Alpha2 field reports
 
 Local testing of `v1.3.0-alpha2` surfaced five issues, all fixed on `main`
@@ -90,8 +106,8 @@ through pull request #32:
 
 ## Next steps
 
-1. Install `v1.3.0-alpha3` locally and re-test the five fixes.
-2. Cut `v1.3.0-beta1` on channel `beta` once alpha3 passes local testing. The
+1. Install `v1.3.0-alpha4` locally and re-test the three fixes.
+2. Cut `v1.3.0-beta1` on channel `beta` once alpha4 passes local testing. The
    beta may be listed on the winTerm website alongside the stable v1.2.0
    download.
 3. Promote to a stable `v1.3.0` only after beta testing, which is the point at

@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+# winTerm 1.3.0-alpha4
+
+**This is an alpha prerelease for local testing. It is not a stable release.**
+The current stable release remains
+[v1.2.0](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/releases/tag/v1.2.0), and
+`/releases/latest` continues to point there. This alpha is published only as a
+tagged GitHub prerelease; it is not listed on the winTerm website and is not
+submitted to WinGet.
+
+winTerm 1.3.0-alpha4 fixes the three issues reported from local testing of
+[1.3.0-alpha3](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/releases/tag/v1.3.0-alpha3).
+The Command Timeline feature set is otherwise unchanged.
+
+## Changes since alpha3
+
+- **No more antivirus alert when opening a PowerShell tab.** The `touch`
+  compatibility command created files through a raw `File::Open` write call;
+  combined with the command-dispatch code in the same script, antivirus
+  heuristics read the file as a write-then-execute pattern and flagged the
+  module on every load. File creation now uses `New-Item` — behavior is
+  identical (create if missing, refresh the timestamp without truncating
+  otherwise) — and the module loads clean on the engine that previously
+  flagged it. If your antivirus cached a verdict for the old file, the alert
+  should disappear after this update; re-scan or clear its cache if it
+  persists.
+- **Completed commands now show ✓/✕ instead of `? Unknown`.** The Enter
+  keypress supplies the command-executed transition in the supported
+  PowerShell flow, but it never informed the Timeline's lifecycle, so no
+  command ever counted as fully reported and every result displayed as
+  Unknown. Commands you run now show **Running** while they execute and
+  resolve to ✓ Succeeded or ✕ Failed when the shell reports the exit code.
+  `Unknown` still appears when the shell genuinely did not report a result —
+  hover it for the explanation.
+- **Long commands are readable.** Hover any Timeline row to see the full
+  command text in a wrapped tooltip.
+
+## Command Timeline overview
+
+The Command Timeline is a per-pane, in-memory list of the commands that pane
+has run, built from OSC 133 shell integration only. Open it with `Ctrl+Tab`,
+or with the thin handle on the left edge of the terminal. Bare PowerShell
+profiles get shell integration automatically. See the
+[1.3.0-alpha2 notes](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/releases/tag/v1.3.0-alpha2)
+for the auto-integration rules and the
+[1.3.0-alpha1 notes](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/releases/tag/v1.3.0-alpha1)
+for the full keyboard map.
+
+## Settings
+
+```json
+{
+  "commandTimeline.enabled": true,
+  "commandTimeline.historyLimit": 500
+}
+```
+
+Per profile:
+
+```json
+{
+  "shellIntegration.autoInject": true
+}
+```
+
+An existing settings file needs no migration.
+
+## Privacy
+
+- Command text lives only in memory, only in the pane that ran it, and only
+  while that pane is open. Nothing is written to disk; there is no command
+  history file or database.
+- Command output is never cached, indexed, or searched.
+- Filter text is never saved and never leaves the pane.
+- No telemetry is written, and no command, output, path, or filter text is
+  logged.
+- The clipboard is written only by an explicit copy action, and is never read.
+
+See the [privacy policy](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/blob/main/PRIVACY.md).
+
+## Unchanged in this release
+
+Workspace schema (2), docking model (1), shell protocol (1), theme schema (1),
+update manifest schema (1), package identity, and signing policy are all
+unchanged from v1.2.0.
+
+## Known limitations
+
+- The Timeline requires OSC 133 shell integration; it stays unavailable under
+  `cmd.exe`.
+- A multi-line command is refused when the shell has not enabled bracketed
+  paste, because unbracketed line breaks would be read as pressing Enter.
+- Loading a command longer than 1024 characters asks for a confirming `Enter`.
+- Command history does not survive closing a pane, and is intentionally never
+  persisted.
+
+## Installation
+
+The Setup EXE supports current-user and all-users installation; the Portable
+ZIP can be extracted to a writable directory and run without installation.
+Installing alpha4 over an earlier alpha is supported; the file version
+advances to `1.3.0.3`.
+
+Publisher: `helloThisWorld`. Tag: `v1.3.0-alpha4`.
+
+## Signing
+
+The winTerm 1.3.0-alpha4 Setup EXE is not Authenticode-signed. Windows may
+display Unknown Publisher or a SmartScreen warning. Download only from the
+official GitHub Release and verify the file against `SHA256SUMS.txt` before
+running it.
+
+## Policies
+
+- [Code signing policy](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/blob/main/CODE_SIGNING_POLICY.md)
+- [Privacy policy](https://github.com/HelloThisWorld/winTerm/blob/main/PRIVACY.md)
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ foreach ($relativePath in $sourceAssets)
 
 $version = Get-Content -LiteralPath (Join-Path $repositoryRoot 'shell\shared\version.json') -Raw | ConvertFrom-Json
 if ($version.moduleVersion -ne '1.3.0' -or
-    $version.modulePrerelease -ne 'alpha3' -or
-    $version.applicationVersion -ne '1.3.0-alpha3' -or
+    $version.modulePrerelease -ne 'alpha4' -or
+    $version.applicationVersion -ne '1.3.0-alpha4' -or
     $version.protocolVersion -ne 1)
 {
     throw 'The winTerm Shell asset version metadata is invalid.'

@@ -1378,12 +1378,12 @@ try
 
     $version = $source.VersionMetadata | ConvertFrom-Json
     $expectedVersionValues = [ordered]@{
-        applicationVersion = '1.3.0-alpha3'
-        packageVersion = '1.3.0.2'
+        applicationVersion = '1.3.0-alpha4'
+        packageVersion = '1.3.0.3'
         moduleVersion = '1.3.0'
-        modulePrerelease = 'alpha3'
+        modulePrerelease = 'alpha4'
         channel = 'alpha'
-        tag = 'v1.3.0-alpha3'
+        tag = 'v1.3.0-alpha4'
         workspaceSchemaVersion = 2
         dockingModelVersion = 1
         shellProtocolVersion = 1
@@ -1398,39 +1398,39 @@ try
         }
     }
     $shellVersion = $source.ShellVersion | ConvertFrom-Json
-    if ($shellVersion.applicationVersion -ne '1.3.0-alpha3' -or $shellVersion.moduleVersion -ne '1.3.0' -or $shellVersion.protocolVersion -ne 1)
+    if ($shellVersion.applicationVersion -ne '1.3.0-alpha4' -or $shellVersion.moduleVersion -ne '1.3.0' -or $shellVersion.protocolVersion -ne 1)
     {
-        throw 'Shell version metadata does not match winTerm release 1.3.0-alpha3 with protocol version 1.'
+        throw 'Shell version metadata does not match winTerm release 1.3.0-alpha4 with protocol version 1.'
     }
     foreach ($surface in @(
-        @{ Content = $source.ReleaseMetadata; Value = 'ApplicationVersion{ L"1.3.0-alpha3" }'; Description = 'About release metadata' },
-        @{ Content = $source.PackageManifest; Value = 'Version="1.3.0.2"'; Description = 'MSIX package manifest' },
-        @{ Content = $source.HostResource; Value = 'FILEVERSION 1,3,0,2'; Description = 'Terminal host file version' },
-        @{ Content = $source.HostResource; Value = '"ProductVersion", "1.3.0-alpha3\0"'; Description = 'Terminal host display version' },
-        @{ Content = $source.ShimResource; Value = 'FILEVERSION 1,3,0,2'; Description = 'Shim file version' },
-        @{ Content = $source.ShimResource; Value = '"ProductVersion", "1.3.0-alpha3\0"'; Description = 'Shim display version' },
+        @{ Content = $source.ReleaseMetadata; Value = 'ApplicationVersion{ L"1.3.0-alpha4" }'; Description = 'About release metadata' },
+        @{ Content = $source.PackageManifest; Value = 'Version="1.3.0.3"'; Description = 'MSIX package manifest' },
+        @{ Content = $source.HostResource; Value = 'FILEVERSION 1,3,0,3'; Description = 'Terminal host file version' },
+        @{ Content = $source.HostResource; Value = '"ProductVersion", "1.3.0-alpha4\0"'; Description = 'Terminal host display version' },
+        @{ Content = $source.ShimResource; Value = 'FILEVERSION 1,3,0,3'; Description = 'Shim file version' },
+        @{ Content = $source.ShimResource; Value = '"ProductVersion", "1.3.0-alpha4\0"'; Description = 'Shim display version' },
         @{ Content = $source.CustomProps; Value = '<VersionMajor>1</VersionMajor>'; Description = 'Executable major version' },
         @{ Content = $source.CustomProps; Value = '<VersionMinor>3</VersionMinor>'; Description = 'Executable minor version' },
         @{ Content = $source.ShellModuleManifest; Value = "ModuleVersion = '1.3.0'"; Description = 'PowerShell module manifest' },
         @{ Content = $source.ShellModule; Value = "`$script:WinTermModuleVersion = '1.3.0'"; Description = 'PowerShell module runtime' },
         @{ Content = $source.PackageShellAssets; Value = "'shell\shared\version.json'"; Description = 'Canonical shell version metadata packaging' },
-        @{ Content = $source.WorkspaceSerializer; Value = '"1.3.0-alpha3"'; Description = 'Workspace application-version fallback' }
+        @{ Content = $source.WorkspaceSerializer; Value = '"1.3.0-alpha4"'; Description = 'Workspace application-version fallback' }
     ))
     {
         Assert-Contains $surface.Content $surface.Value $surface.Description
     }
     foreach ($required in @(
-        "applicationVersion -eq '1.3.0-alpha3'",
-        "packageVersion -eq '1.3.0.2'",
+        "applicationVersion -eq '1.3.0-alpha4'",
+        "packageVersion -eq '1.3.0.3'",
         "moduleVersion -eq '1.3.0'",
-        "tag -eq 'v1.3.0-alpha3'",
+        "tag -eq 'v1.3.0-alpha4'",
         "Workspace Schema version remains 2",
         "Docking Model version remains 1",
         "Shell Protocol version remains 1",
         "Theme Schema remains at version 1"
     ))
     {
-        Assert-Contains $source.VerifyVersion $required 'Authoritative v1.3.0-alpha3 version validation surface'
+        Assert-Contains $source.VerifyVersion $required 'Authoritative v1.3.0-alpha4 version validation surface'
     }
 
     $testBinary = Join-Path $root "bin\$Platform\$Configuration\UnitTests_SettingsModel\SettingsModel.Unit.Tests.dll"

@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ function Test-ShellExperienceFoundations
 
     $manifest = Import-PowerShellDataFile -LiteralPath $moduleManifest
     if ($manifest.ModuleVersion -ne '1.3.0' -or
-        $manifest.PrivateData.PSData.Prerelease -ne 'alpha3' -or
+        $manifest.PrivateData.PSData.Prerelease -ne 'alpha4' -or
         $manifest.PowerShellVersion -ne '5.1')
     {
         throw 'The winTerm PowerShell module manifest does not declare the supported version boundary.'

@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ function Test-Manifest
     Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $identity -and $identity.Name -eq 'HelloThisWorld.winTerm') -Message "$Path uses package identity HelloThisWorld.winTerm"
     Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $identity -and $identity.Name -notmatch '^Microsoft\.') -Message "$Path does not use a Microsoft package name"
     Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $identity -and $identity.Publisher -ceq $ExpectedPublisher) -Message "$Path uses the expected non-Microsoft publisher"
-    Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $identity -and $identity.Version -eq '1.3.0.2') -Message "$Path uses package version 1.3.0.2"
+    Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $identity -and $identity.Version -eq '1.3.0.3') -Message "$Path uses package version 1.3.0.3"
     Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $properties -and $properties.DisplayName -eq 'winTerm') -Message "$Path package display name is winTerm"
     Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $application -and $application.Id -eq 'winTerm') -Message "$Path application ID is winTerm"
     Test-Requirement -Condition ($null -ne $visualElements -and $visualElements.DisplayName -eq 'winTerm') -Message "$Path application display name is winTerm"