[AccessD] Front End Updater

On 5/19/05, Arthur Fuller <artful at rogers.com> wrote:
> Let me get your scenario straight.
> 
> Copies of the app reside on all the local computers.
> One copy of the latest version resides on some server.
> A text file resides on the local computers, and contains the version
> number in standard major/minor form.
> A text file resides on the server, containing the same info but
> presumably with a greater major or minot number.
> A batch file runs, and reads both text files, comparing the numbers. If
> the server number is greater, the batch file copies the server instance
> of the app and the text file to the local computer.
> The batch file then runs the local copy of the app.
> 
> I have no objections to this scenario. I just want to know if that's
> precisely what you are saying.
 
In my scenario I built an .exe LiveUpdater after checking out how
Norton systems do it.  They spawn off another program that acctually
does the version checking... It was easiest to just create a .ver text
file to download open it up as if it was an ini w/ the built in API
calls then check what the .ver file was locally.. if the local copy is
= or > than that on the server, no big deal, no updates...

In the ADE I use the CurrentProject.Properties (property).  I have a
custom one called Version (for the ashtetics) and a build( the real
version)  It does a priliminary check against the .ver file for
accuracy and then adjusts the .ver so that it is not manually
manipulated, then launches the LiveUpdate tool, This Tool downloads a
copy of the new .ver and compares them, if there is a new version of
the FE then it turns around and downloads that using a wininet call
from the server.  The neat thing about this kind of call is that I was
able to sidestep the initall problems w/ the activeX contorl for
downloading which on occassion would bomb out.  When the new FE
downloads in the form of a wise.exe file it launches it.  The WISE
installer checks for a copy of my running application and offers to
terminate it (this gives the end user the chance to look up something
quickly or close out right away). After the setup the wise installer
launches my FE, and the enduser is down for upgrading a mere few
seconds on the faster P4's or about 1 minute on the slower 400mhz
Celerons.

So why did I choose to jump this many hoops?... well the application
I'm working on will eventually become a distributed application that
will detect the network and choose to connect to the company's Sql
Server db or the local MSDE (sql server 2005 express).  I needed a
method to download something of the net quickly enough w/o too much
overhead.  The liveUpdate tool features a timer and a progress bar
that allows the end user to simply download my setup file.  I have not
implemented the distributed portion of the application because quite
frankly i'm One developer for a system of 90 users :S.  It drives the
company's failure reporting and now more recently it's Dealership
ranking systems.  So it continues to grow, and yet I'm still one guy
:S. (Thanks MAC! <sorry that was just a jibe at an old pal of mine>)

-- 
-Francisco
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