Usenet Explorer Automatic Updater

[Josef K]

This is possibly less great, the program is supposed to ask the first time it is run to create a shortcut or not, could you check the .ini if there is a line "Installed=True" if it's there the program wont ask anymore, and you could remove the line and try if you get the shortcut prompt.
If you specify a DB path in the shortcut it will override the DB path in the .INI and it will not prompt for it, or if there is this line in the .ini "DBPath=" which indicates the program uses the default DB.

I removed the line and it prompted for the shortcut. There is an entry for the db path already and it must have been correct in my previous post because it opened the db I expected. I ran both copies from the .exe directly - no shortcuts.

[jonib]

I removed the line and it prompted for the shortcut. There is an entry for the db path already and it must have been correct in my previous post because it opened the db I expected. I ran both copies from the .exe directly - no shortcuts.

So now the Updater is functioning satisfactory for all your DBs and EXEs?

Next I'm planning to implement a proper GUI for the settings, but that will very likely take some time, but I want the current functionality to work proper before.

jonib

[Josef K]

So now the Updater is functioning satisfactory for all your DBs and EXEs?

Yes. I think I should take the few seconds it needs to actually replace my UE shortcuts with the updater ones. I can't imagine you would change anything much now that would affect the db path in the .ini so all should be fine for the future. Good work on this final version of the currently planned features, though I still wonder why Alex couldn't have popped this functionality into UE itself and saved the workaround.

Next I'm planning to implement a proper GUI for the settings, but that will very likely take some time, but I want the current functionality to work proper before.

Well, since you're planning new features...

How about a 'master' updater where you can run one instance and it will update all? To minimise confusion, I would suggest keeping things as they are. For example, having different shortcuts for each UE, the updater knowing about any others and updating all in one go. Then, for whichever shortcut was clicked, that .exe and db would be loaded.

[jonib]

though I still wonder why Alex couldn't have popped this functionality into UE itself and saved the workaround.

Here are some of Alex thoughts why he is not interested.

Well, since you're planning new features...

How about a 'master' updater where you can run one instance and it will update all? To minimise confusion, I would suggest keeping things as they are. For example, having different shortcuts for each UE, the updater knowing about any others and updating all in one go. Then, for whichever shortcut was clicked, that .exe and db would be loaded.

I would have to think how a master updater could be implemented, as one of my primary goals is to keep my updater simple to use, and simple to uninstall.

There seems to be two ways to implement a master updater:
1: Have a updater in a central place with information about the different ue.exe files.

2: Keep the updater with the ue.exe and then have a central place(registry/file) where the updater would register itself and know where the other updaters are.

Option 2 seems simplest, and closest to the way it works now.

I'll think some more and if you have any ideas please post.

jonib

[alex]

i'll try to add something to make updates easier but check for version the same, just fewer steps.

i'm thinking putting .exe files and linking to it directly rather than to UE download page, then the extractor will have the capability to restart UE, so we avoid executable deleting itself (possible but a bit unorthodox).

next release i'll upload exe files instead directly and the extractor (also for trial) will be able to restart UE, and when will be the next after the next release it will trigger the direct download link in the next version.

i've changed the executable i'll change the extractor and will test it, i can also put a compilation with artificially lower version number to check restarting in the test usergroup area.

the real reason my attention just wasn't there, first unpack and then follow-ups, only now i can check it out.

[alex]

i added something in v2.3.1

i was supposed to follow this thread more closely from the beginning, just it came in the same time as the first unpack release, so my attention was mostly on unpack.

basically i changed name from .zip to .exe so the extractor can be started right away from UE (when prompted about the new version and clicking it will link directly to the file instead of opening UE homepage), the rest remains the same, it also able to detect when UE is running and restart UE (differentiating between the default instance and instance with directory as a command line parameter), just there is object which contains the path and the kind of instance (default or not) in the window class name.

but i think it is all i have to say on this subject, it is like semi-automatic with prompt to restart, when the old ueextractor worked, this one will work exactly in the same way, so i think no interference to use your updater with this extractor, just the extension is .exe instead of .zip

[jonib]

basically i changed name from .zip to .exe so the extractor can be started right away from UE (when prompted about the new version and clicking it will link directly to the file instead of opening UE homepage), the rest remains the same, it also able to detect when UE is running and restart UE (differentiating between the default instance and instance with directory as a command line parameter), just there is object which contains the path and the kind of instance (default or not) in the window class name.

Great, fewer steps to install is always good.
Edit: Where/how does UE get the filename/URL of the installer?
Right now my installer parses http://www.netwu.com/ue/download.htm

but i think it is all i have to say on this subject, it is like semi-automatic with prompt to restart, when the old ueextractor worked, this one will work exactly in the same way, so i think no interference to use your updater with this extractor, just the extension is .exe instead of .zip

Even greater my updater still has purpose

I have updated my updater for UEs new installer, the next version won't need a ZIP extractor as I will put the .exe on the website directly.

jonib

[alex]

it takes it from:

http://www.netwu.com/ue/version_reg.htm

i also added WM_USER+101 message to use instead of WM_CLOSE (starting with v2.3.1) to close the program when the exit prompt is enabled.

as to default non default instance there is window class name i enumerate all windows trying to locate it.

i've sent you the extractor code to the forum email.

[jonib]

i've sent you the extractor code to the forum email.

Cool thanks.

But and I know my C skills are a bit rusty, I did not find any code to find/make the address for the installer/extractor only the version.

But now I'm guessing you use the version number to create the filename?
as in take the version number keep at least 2 numbers and then remove any trailing zeroes.

jonib

[alex]

extractor takes the version from the running executable to determine it is 2.3.1 and above or earlier to check what message to send.

check updates goes to version_reg.htm and there there is 4 digit number.

but to link in the upgrade message box in UE it removes trailing zeros:

UINT version=CCheckUpdates::version;
if (version) while (!(version%10)) version/=10;
sprintf(url,"http://www.usenetexplorer.com/ue%dreg.exe",version);

[jonib]

but to link in the upgrade message box in UE it removes trailing zeros:

UINT version=CCheckUpdates::version;
if (version) while (!(version%10)) version/=10;
sprintf(url,"http://www.usenetexplorer.com/ue%dreg.exe",version);

Thank you, this is what I wanted.

jonib

[jonib]

I have updated to ver 0.52 so it can actually download the new 2.6 32 bit version of Usenet Explorer.

If you tried to download the new UE with the old Updater, you need to edit the UEAutoUpdater.ini in section [Updates], and change Version=2600 to for example Version=2500.
Otherwise the Updater thinks it already have the latest version.

jonib

[jonib]

I have updated the UE updater to 0.53. Updated it to use the correct http://www.usenetexplorer.com URL.

The updater was using the old URL so it didn't work anymore.

Is there any interest for a 64bit compatible version?

jonib

[Josef K]

The updater was using the old URL so it didn't work anymore.

Hmm... I never realised there might have been a new version. It just shows that I only launch UE through the updater these days and I have update checking turned off in UE because of this.

Is there any interest for a 64bit compatible version?

Yes. I run mixed x86 and x64. All Win7 nowadays so compatibility testing is what I can do if you need it.

P.S. The link at the very top here still points to version 0.52.

[jonib]

Hmm... I never realised there might have been a new version. It just shows that I only launch UE through the updater these days and I have update checking turned off in UE because of this.

The Updater still notified about a new version, but it just couldn't download. That's how I discovered the problem.
Now did you get a notification that the updater needed to be updated? and then was it able to update UE?

Yes. I run mixed x86 and x64. All Win7 nowadays so compatibility testing is what I can do if you need it.

Well, I guess I'll just have to take the 64bit bull by the horns then.
I have tried to move my main system to Win7 Ultimate 64bit, but haven't got all stuff moved over yet. My mail software is the big problem, I have used the same mail software PC Yarn since 1994 (damn 16 years ) and it haven't been updated since 1996 , and it's mixed 16bit DOS and 32bit Windows code so wont work in Windows 7 64bit .

Offtopic: What the hell is x64 it should be x86-64 or 64bit or 64b the first person that used that should be shot. This isn't directed at you Josef K, it's just that everyone uses x86 and x64 to differentiate 32bit and 64bit but x86 is a CPU architecture and x64 is the bitnes.

P.S. The link at the very top here still points to version 0.52.

Thanks , I really need to automate the webpage and documentation so I don't need to update several places with the same info.

jonib