| Online Version Update
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Date: 1/5/2009
| I'm planning on rolling out online checks for new versions via HTTP for most of my apps staring with Scribe. There are some things that need to be ironed out in terms of how it will actually work.
My current plan is to:
- Have a software update component in Lgi that knows how to check for updates online using HTTP (and auto-detection of any proxy).
- Once or week (or some appropriate time frame) the software calls the update component and it will download any new versions and prompt you to restart to install the update. The time/date of the check will be some multiples of the install time, so that the memecode.com server doesn't get swamped with HTTP connections all at the same time.
- A mechanism for manually triggering the update check will be available which will show a user interface. Otherwise the auto check will be pretty silent.
- There will be an option to turn off auto-updates, however it will default to on.
- When an update is downloaded to a temp folder the application will start it and then quit. The user will then have to click through the installer... which is like 2 clicks for Scribe. The install folder will now default to the current install location (if known) so even if you have installed into a non-default location it should be fairly smooth. The reason for making the user click through the install is a) to give them control and b) give the app time to quit. The problem with NSIS silent installs is they don't warn you if the file can't be written as is the case when the application is still running. At least in non-silent mode you get a warning dialog come up saying it can't write the file and there is "Abort", "Retry" options.
- I'm hoping to extend the mechanism to handle sub-components so that I can install on demand items like plugins, internation language support and SSL dlls.
It's almost at a point where I can run an update manually. I haven't started on any auto-update functionality. But if anyone has serious reservations about it, I'm giving you a chance to speak up now. I expect there might be a vocal minority that don't like applications connecting to the internet, "phoning home" so to speak, for any reason at all. But the vast majority of application have some sort of update warning or ability these days and it almost always defaults to on so I feel like it's time I joined them.
I'm playing with the idea of collecting some basic platform and version stats via the online update script. Nothing personal of course, just the applications name, version and OS/platform. The information would be interesting to me, and I might even make some high level stats available from time to time via the blog. It might help in choosing where to focus my time.
If that all sounds scary, I'm also planning on semi-automatically sending crash reports back via the website.
So brace yourself ;)
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| Comments:
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All
05/05/2009 1:23pm
| Why do you make to check for updates? - You update Scribe one time in 3 years. |
fret
06/05/2009 12:11am
| I've made over 10 releases in the last 3 years, including all the test builds. I'm not sure what your getting at? |
All
06/05/2009 9:22am
| > I've made over 10 releases in the last 3 years, including all the test builds
Make PLS, one FINAL release of InScribe for WinXP (any of: or 1.89, or 1.9, or 2.0).
Best wishes. |
fret
11/05/2009 12:34am
| There is a new build of i.Scribe and InScribe v2.00 available now.... but it won't be the last one. |
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