SetupBuilder 5 Developer Edition (#1022) WebUpdate

[NewsArchive]

[Thursday, January 20, 2005 6:33 PM]

Okay, here we go.

Please click "Check for Updates..." from within your SB5 IDE. The WebUpdate
process should patch your SB5 version (#1014, #1019, #1021) to build 1022.

The full install (code signed SB5 installer) is also available. Password
protected URL: http://www.lindersoft.com/sb5/sb5_1022_Dev.exe

I hope that we have a stable iDeploy WebUpdate module now (supports proxy
servers and firewalls). Thank you for all your help!!

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

- SetupBuilder 5.0 Build 1022 January 20, 2005)

Features/Improvements/Fixes/Workaround/Changes/Notes:

IMPROVEMENT: Add "Expiration Date Checking Demo.sb5" script to demonstrate
how to check an expiration date for the installation file
FIX : Debug failed when reached the "Loop Wizard" script item
FIX : Possible wupdate.exe freeze when standard proxy information
where detected in the Windows registry
FIX : Under certain circumstances the wupdate.exe client created the
proxy information file at the root of drive c:\
FIX : Correctly validate Call DLL function parameters

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

--
Friedrich Linder
www.lindersoft.com
Fax: 1.954.252.3910

[NewsArchive]

[Thursday, January 20, 2005 6:50 PM]

Update to 1022 went fine

I see the patch file was temporarily saved to the root of the C: drive.

Also... as a minor user interface issue... it might be wise to design a
program to be able to detect the successful download of a patch and to shut
itself down, rather than presenting the user with a "program is currently
running - shut it down" message. (Of course the program is running - that's
how I initiated the update process.)

Jane

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 10:08 AM]

Hi Friedrich,

>Update to 1022 went fine

Same for me.

>Also... as a minor user interface issue... it might be wise to design a
>program to be able to detect the successful download of a patch and to shut
>itself down, rather than presenting the user with a "program is currently
>running - shut it down" message. (Of course the program is running - that's
>how I initiated the update process.)

I agree with Jane.

Best Regards,
Geoff Spillane
Data Down Under

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 12:47 PM]

On 21 Jan 2005 04:08:13 -0500, Geoff Spillane wrote:

>>Also... as a minor user interface issue... it might be wise to design a
>>program to be able to detect the successful download of a patch and to shut
>>itself down, rather than presenting the user with a "program is currently
>>running - shut it down" message. (Of course the program is running - that's
>>how I initiated the update process.)
>
> I agree with Jane.

Geoff, Jane,

A nice idea in one respect, but a valid argument AGAINST having it detect
and auto-shutdown the host program is that the web update may have been ran
on its automatic schedule - and the main application be busy doing some
mission critical work.

"Eh Houston - sorry about that missed landing at the Cape. The control
program had gotten an automatic update and the damn thing shut itself
down."

Of course it could also be something as mundane as the batch upload of all
the days credit card receipts to the processing center when that happens.

;-)

Something to think about.

Charles

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 5:04 PM]

You know how much I hate to pat Microsoft on the back, but I do
particularly like their web update process. I get a tray message saying
the updates are ready for download, and I give the download a go ahead.
After they are all nice and safely here, I get a tray message saying
they have arrived and I can run them anytime. No long drawn out
conversations with software. VERY unintrusive.

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 8:23 PM]

On 21 Jan 2005 11:04:01 -0500, Richard Rogers wrote:

> You know how much I hate to pat Microsoft on the back, but I do
> particularly like their web update process. I get a tray message saying
> the updates are ready for download, and I give the download a go ahead.
> After they are all nice and safely here, I get a tray message saying
> they have arrived and I can run them anytime. No long drawn out
> conversations with software. VERY unintrusive.

I agree (both counts) and perhaps the real combination would be an
either/or model depending on if the update was automatic vs manual.

In an automatic, I'd rather have the model like you mention, but in a
manual I might want to know that it is done.

In the FTP component of FotoKiss, my users can decide how they want to do
the FTP uploads:

1) Interactive - they get to watch everything, file-by-file
2) Silent - just do it in the tool tray and quit
3) Notify - do it in the tool tray, then pop a small window when done

That offering seems to cater to most of the clients...

;-)

Charles

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 6:42 PM]

Charles,

Good point.

Actually, I like Adobe's current model.
It downloads the patch. Then pops up a window asking whether you want to
install it now (in which case it will close Acrobat or Photoshop or
whatever) or install later.

Although since we can write our own scripts for update clients... and we can
include DLLs in same... wonder whether it would be possible to use
something like the VuFileTools mailslot functions to have the client inform
the running program of its status. Or I guess the host program could just
periodically check for the presence of the downloaded update file and then
offer options to the user...

Jane

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 8:26 PM]

On 21 Jan 2005 12:42:06 -0500, Jane Fleming wrote:

> Actually, I like Adobe's current model.
> It downloads the patch. Then pops up a window asking whether you want to
> install it now (in which case it will close Acrobat or Photoshop or
> whatever) or install later.

I've seen it and that is not bad either.


> Although since we can write our own scripts for update clients... and we can
> include DLLs in same... wonder whether it would be possible to use
> something like the VuFileTools mailslot functions to have the client inform
> the running program of its status. Or I guess the host program could just
> periodically check for the presence of the downloaded update file and then
> offer options to the user...

That is the nice thing about SB5 - we're pretty much in control.

Either way should be fine and the script could even simply call the program
with a command line parameter such as /webupdate. Startup code in the
program would catch it via COMMAND and act accordingly.

Lots of possibilities...

;-)

Charles

[NewsArchive]

[Friday, January 21, 2005 10:56 PM]

I think the thing that bothers me most about Adobe is that it will
automatically check for updates, and then puts up a dialog box that you
have to respond to before continuing with the application.

When I start an application it's because I am attempting to complete a
task as quickly as possible. In the case of Adobe, it's usually
researching the Clarion docs to resolve a problem. So I open the
documentation and Adobe forces me to get into a windowed conversation
with it about web updates. I don't *want* to talk about web updates, I
want to know how %¤¤%/&5¤ #PROMPT works! ;-)

Give me a little tray warning, or give me a small graphic up in the
corner or on the toolbar. Let me get back to you. But don't try to
engage me in conversation with the program. If I want to talk binary
I'll go to chat. <G>

[NewsArchive]

[Saturday, January 22, 2005 12:58 AM]

On 21 Jan 2005 16:56:24 -0500, Richard Rogers wrote:
> If I want to talk binary
> I'll go to chat. <G>

ROFL!

Good one!

;-)

Charles