update meshamerica flashers docs

PROVIDER_CATALOG.md

@@ -47,14 +47,13 @@ renamed. Names must match MeshCore's canonical `config.json`
 mismatches.
 
 Notes on the mapping:
-- **ESP32 offers `flash-wipe` only — because of an offset mismatch, not flashability.**
-  Our `-update.bin` (the MCUboot-signed app) *is* serial-flashable, but only at ZephCore's
-  app-slot offset `0x20000` (`slot0_partition: partition@20000` in every ESP32 overlay;
-  MCUboot itself owns `0x0`–`0x20000`). Mesh America's `flash-update` hardcodes `0x10000`
-  (MeshCore's slot layout) and the catalog schema has no offset override, so it would write
-  the app inside our MCUboot partition and the board wouldn't boot. `flash-wipe` (full merged
-  image at `0x0`) is offset-independent and always works. Enabling `flash-update` would mean
-  moving our MCUboot partition to `0x10000` to match MeshCore — out of scope.
+- **ESP32 offers both `flash-wipe` and `flash-update`.** `flash-wipe` = the `-merged.bin`
+  (MCUboot + app) written at `0x0`. `flash-update` = the `-update.bin` (MCUboot-signed app)
+  written at `0x10000`. As of 2026-07-09 ZephCore's ESP32 app slot is at `0x10000` (see
+  `boards/esp32/<board>/partitions.overlay`), matching Mesh America's fixed flash-update
+  offset — so app-only updates that keep settings now work. `build.sh` ships `-update.bin`
+  for both ESP32 companion and repeater roles. **Classic-ESP32 (T-Beam)** uses simple boot
+  (no MCUboot), produces no `-update.bin`, and is naturally flash-wipe-only.
 - **Companion firmware** is one image serving BLE + USB; it's listed under both
   `companionBle` and `companionUsb` (same file). Native-Linux companions use a
   custom `companionTcp` role.

build.sh

@@ -205,14 +205,20 @@ print(str(size // 1048576) + "MB")
             # MCUboot/sysbuild boards: only the merged (MCUboot + signed app)
             # image is bootable on a bare/existing chip at 0x0. The signed app
             # alone requires MCUboot already present and must land at 0x10000 —
-            # publishing it standalone as a "plain .bin" bricks boards when
-            # flashed the same way as classic-ESP32's self-contained zephyr.bin
-            # (see GH #42). Don't ship it.
+            # never publish it as a bootable "plain .bin" (bricks boards when
+            # flashed like classic-ESP32's self-contained zephyr.bin, see GH #42).
             python -m esptool --chip "$chip" merge-bin \
             --output firmware/"$board_clean_for_path"-companion-"$COMMIT_HASH"-merged.bin \
             --flash-mode dio --flash-freq 40m --flash-size "$FLASH_SIZE" \
             0x00000 build/mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.bin \
             0x10000 build/zephcore/zephyr/zephyr.signed.bin
+
+            # Signed app image (slot0 @ 0x10000). App-only update payload: used by
+            # the Mesh America configurator's "flash-update" (esptool writes it at
+            # 0x10000 over an existing MCUboot) and as a WiFi-OTA payload. NOT
+            # bootable standalone — never flash at 0x0 (see GH #42).
+            cp build/zephcore/zephyr/zephyr.signed.bin \
+                firmware/"$board_clean_for_path"-companion-"$COMMIT_HASH"-update.bin
         fi
         
         if [[ $2 == "repeaters" ]]; then
@@ -258,9 +264,11 @@ print(str(size // 1048576) + "MB")
             0x00000 build/mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.bin \
             0x10000 build/zephcore/zephyr/zephyr.signed.bin
 
-            # Signed app image for WiFi OTA: uploaded to MCUboot slot1 via the
-            # repeater's /update page. NOT bootable standalone — never flash this
-            # at 0x0 (see GH #42). It is ONLY valid as an OTA payload.
+            # Signed app image (slot0 @ 0x10000). App-only update payload: the
+            # Mesh America configurator's "flash-update" (esptool writes it at
+            # 0x10000 over an existing MCUboot) and the WiFi-OTA payload uploaded
+            # to slot1 via the repeater's /update page. NOT bootable standalone —
+            # never flash this at 0x0 (see GH #42).
             cp build/zephcore/zephyr/zephyr.signed.bin \
                 firmware/"$board_clean_for_path"-repeater-"$COMMIT_HASH"-update.bin
         fi

gen_provider_catalog.py

@@ -163,6 +163,13 @@ def files_for(assets, board, token):
         merged = find_file(assets, stem, token, variant, r"-merged\.bin")
         if merged:
             out.append(("flash-wipe", merged, "Full install (bootloader + firmware)"))
+        # App-only update, written at 0x10000 over an existing MCUboot. Our slot0
+        # is at 0x10000 (matches Mesh America's fixed flash-update offset), so this
+        # is valid. Classic-ESP32 (simple boot, no MCUboot) has no -update.bin and
+        # is naturally skipped by the presence check.
+        update = find_file(assets, stem, token, variant, r"-update\.bin")
+        if update:
+            out.append(("flash-update", update, "Update (app only; keeps settings)"))
     elif kind == "linux":
         elf = find_file(assets, stem, token, variant, r"")
         if elf: