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[CodenStuff]

Software Updates

Release v1.

It's been a while since I updated my original automatic file updates program "Infinity V3" and one of the problems people were having is that they kept forgetting to change the release version number inside their software and also in the file on their servers which is what made the whole thing work in order for it to check for a new version and then download the updated files.

This new version "Infinity Blue" eliminates the need to update those version numbers and lets you simply add the update code to your software and basically forget about it and you dont need to make any changes what-so-ever for the purpose of updating.



All you need to do is upload your new updated files to your server and your software will automatically detect these new/updated files and download them and it will only download files that have been updated or added to the server instead of downloading all the files just for the one that is updated so it saves bandwidth as well - nice!.

All that is required is that you have web hosting with PHP support.

Inside the attached zip file are 2 files:

FileUpdates371.php - Put this file into the same directory as your software files
InfinityBlue.exe - Put this in the same directory as you main software exe file

Now lets say I have a folder on my server called "MyCoolApp" and this is where I want to store my app files so I would upload my main exe file and any folders/images/resources/dlls into the "MyCoolApp" folder and I would also upload the "FileUpdates371.php" file into the "MyCoolApp" folder. Now whenever I update my main exe or any resources/dlls I would just upload them to that folder and override the existing ones.

Now you have the files uploaded so its time to add the code into my main form_load event so it can check for updates each time its run...

Code: Select all

    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
         Try
            Dim MyAppName As String = "AppName.exe"
            Dim url As String = "http://www.YOURSITE.com/Files/" & "FileUpdates371.php"
            Dim pageRequest As HttpWebRequest = CType(WebRequest.Create(url), HttpWebRequest)
            Dim pageResponse As WebResponse = pageRequest.GetResponse()
            Dim filelist As String : Dim Mainlist As String
            Using r As New StreamReader(pageResponse.GetResponseStream())
                filelist = r.ReadToEnd
                If Not IO.File.Exists(Application.StartupPath & "\" & "Updates") Then
                    IO.File.WriteAllText(Application.StartupPath & "\" & "Updates", filelist)
                End If
                Dim sr As New StreamReader(Application.StartupPath & "\" & "Updates")
                Mainlist = sr.ReadToEnd
                Dim FileLines() As String = filelist.Split(New String() {Environment.NewLine}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
                Dim MainLines() As String = Mainlist.Split(New String() {Environment.NewLine}, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries)
                Button1.Text = FileLines.Length & ".." & MainLines.Length
                If Not Mainlist = filelist And Not FileLines.Length < MainLines.Length Then
                    MsgBox(FileLines.Except(MainLines).Count)
                    Dim answer As DialogResult
                    answer = MessageBox.Show("An update is available. Would you like to update now?", "Software Updates", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question)
                    If answer = vbYes Then
                        Dim App As New Process
                        App.StartInfo.FileName = Application.StartupPath & "\" & "InfinityBlue.exe"
                        App.StartInfo.Arguments = "Update|" & MyAppName & "|" & url
                        App.Start()
                        Me.Close()
                    End If
                End If
            End Using
            If My.Computer.FileSystem.FileExists(Application.StartupPath & "\" & "InfinityBlueUpdate.exe") Then
                My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile(Application.StartupPath & "\" & "InfinityBlue.exe", FileIO.UIOption.OnlyErrorDialogs, FileIO.RecycleOption.DeletePermanently)
                My.Computer.FileSystem.RenameFile(Application.StartupPath & "\" & "InfinityBlueUpdate.exe", "InfinityBlue.exe")
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
        End Try


    End Sub

Just a simple copy and paste job and now I just need to change 2 things in that code. First I change the "AppName.exe" to whatever my app exe is called and the second thing is the URL to the folder where my updated files will be stored.

So I would change the URL to: "http://www.MySite.com/MyCoolApp/" remembering to put in the trailing slash at the end.

Now whenever I run my app it will check for any updates and let me know if any are available to download.

When updates are available "Infinity Blue" will run and download all the updates for me and then restart my main app.


Finished product version 1.

InfinityBlue14022013.zip

Simple. Easy. Sweet cooll;

[Scottie1972]

Awesome!
Been waiting on this one for awhile. I'll be one of the first to test it out.
Thanks #CodenStuff

[smashapps]

I am definitely going to use this, thanks again!

[CodenStuff]

I moved this topic from work in progress to full software because I think its ready and stable enough for active use.

I updated the download cooll;

[zachman61]

Codenstuff, I'm surprised you haven't switched to coding in C# yet.

[RunarM]

Codenstuff, I'm surprised you haven't switched to coding in C# yet.

What is the difference between VB and C#?

[Scottie1972]

Codenstuff, I'm surprised you haven't switched to coding in C# yet.

What is the difference between VB and C#?

it would be easier to tell you how they are the same.

all the Classes are highlighted in blue!
thats about it.

[Skillful]

From what I've read VB.NET doesn't support unsafe code.
Syntax is different too.
Both compile down to the same IL code though.

[Shim]

Codenstuff, I'm surprised you haven't switched to coding in C# yet.

What is the difference between VB and C#?

from my experience c# is kind of similar with java(syntax,classes,etc) but c# codes are alike vb.net , love them all

[RunarM]

I have tried coding in C# and I didn't see any advantages - you have to write a million curly brackets and end with ;