I have a client who wants to update their app over the Web, using http
so the client doesn't have to (and , in fact, cannot) fiddle with
anything complex such as SMTP server settings.

I have the software written to automatically upload via FTP the
encrypted files to a web site, and the App to check for version
changes and download them to in the background.

MY QUESTION IS  - what's the best, easiest or any way of installing a
downloaded DLL  or EXE (it's DL with a unique name, specifying
Name/Time/Date/Size)l, when it's IN USE by the app.

I thought of writing a batch file to do the deed, but it seems
inelegant.

Also, if anyone is interested, I can send them a free copy of the
source code, BTW it costs twice as much if you want comments 

Hi,

> and the App to check for version
> changes and download them to in the background.

I have made a own app for updating (with own runtime-dll in a different 
directory), so if the update goes bad, the updater could be used as
installer 

 > MY QUESTION IS  - what's the best, easiest or any way of installing a
 > downloaded DLL  or EXE (it's DL with a unique name, specifying
 > Name/Time/Date/Size)l, when it's IN USE by the app.

You can't change a used file (no DLL, no EXE or what ever), so you
have to stop your app before updating.

I think it IS a very good way to unzip the files to a spezial directory
and build a CMD-File (batchfile) with a short message and a pause
command at top, waiting for a keystroke. Then RunShell() with 
lBackGround := .f., quit your app and let the user start the update with
a keystroke.

Bye
Hubert

----------------

Ich empfehle:  www.xbaseforum.de  (in deutsch)

My Homepage:

German  - www.familie-brandel.de/index.htm
English - www.familie-brandel.de/index_e.htm

Hello Geoffrey Cohen

Until now, I am using a batch files to update my pos.

Regards
Osvaldo Ramirez

Geoffrey,

> MY QUESTION IS  - what's the best, easiest or any way of installing a
> downloaded DLL  or EXE (it's DL with a unique name, specifying
> Name/Time/Date/Size)l, when it's IN USE by the app.

My method is to have the application (A) recognize that a patch is 
needed, it then will start another application (B) that will process the 
patch, immediately stop the first app (A), let the patch program (B) 
finish, and then it starts the regular application (A) up again.  If you 
need it to update the runtime Dlls, then the patching program (B) needs 
to be written in something other than Xbase++, or it could be a batch file.

What would be nice is if Alaska would name their runtime files according 
to the version they are (ie; FOXDBE182.DLL) then we wouldn't have that 
problem.

-Brent

Brent,

> What would be nice is if Alaska would name their runtime files according to the version they are (ie; FOXDBE182.DLL) then we 
> wouldn't have that problem.

This is why I update applications to a new folder whose name is version dependent and hence unique.  The update cannot collide with 
existing files and once the folder is completely installed it can be activated (via folder name, registry setting, or config file; 
your choice).  I do rely upon a launch script to select the currently active version and I retain a few previous versions just in 
case.

Rodd

"Brent Dubs" <bdubs@vanityshops.com> wrote in message news:33d43686$18945c13$220117@news.alaska-software.com...
> Geoffrey,
>
>> MY QUESTION IS  - what's the best, easiest or any way of installing a
>> downloaded DLL  or EXE (it's DL with a unique name, specifying
>> Name/Time/Date/Size)l, when it's IN USE by the app.
>
> My method is to have the application (A) recognize that a patch is needed, it then will start another application (B) that will 
> process the patch, immediately stop the first app (A), let the patch program (B) finish, and then it starts the regular 
> application (A) up again.  If you need it to update the runtime Dlls, then the patching program (B) needs to be written in 
> something other than Xbase++, or it could be a batch file.
>
> What would be nice is if Alaska would name their runtime files according to the version they are (ie; FOXDBE182.DLL) then we 
> wouldn't have that problem.
>
> -Brent
>

Hello Geoffrey,

I use http to send updates to a customer. Via Xb2net and SOAP, updates are 
checked if availeble.
If so, the web-server pushes the file (ThreadObject():Sendfile()).

The file is always a setup.exe created using innosetup. If the running app 
detects a new version (at startup, or at a pre-defined interval), the user 
is prompted if the install of the new version must be done.
I keep track of the latest version by saving the latest setup.exe date and 
time in the registry, and compare  this for new versions.

Regards,
Jack Duijf,
Member of XXP Netherlands.


"Geoffrey Cohen" <geoff@rce.com.au> schreef in bericht 
news:ql4d62pdg54ah5arr2ejj25oe5m6me2mk3@4ax.com...
>I have a client who wants to update their app over the Web, using http
> so the client doesn't have to (and , in fact, cannot) fiddle with
> anything complex such as SMTP server settings.
>
> I have the software written to automatically upload via FTP the
> encrypted files to a web site, and the App to check for version
> changes and download them to in the background.
>
> MY QUESTION IS  - what's the best, easiest or any way of installing a
> downloaded DLL  or EXE (it's DL with a unique name, specifying
> Name/Time/Date/Size)l, when it's IN USE by the app.
>
> I thought of writing a batch file to do the deed, but it seems
> inelegant.
>
> Also, if anyone is interested, I can send them a free copy of the
> source code, BTW it costs twice as much if you want comments :-)
>
>