Command Line - WUPDATE.EXE

[NewsArchive]

Within my software I have product codes for the maintenance plan. When that
plan is expired I do not want the uses to be able to get the updates.

My plan is to recompile the WUPDATE.EXE script provided in the installation
with
some additional code to check a "/V" command line option.

The the user simply executes "WUPDATE.EXE" it will not have a correct
command line variable and not continue.

When executed from my installed program I will do a RUN('WUPDATE /V
Secretword mydoghasfleas') and when the /V parameter is verified it will
continue.

Does that sound reasonable?

Mike

[NewsArchive]

Mike,

I would suggest to leave WUPDATE.EXE as it is and do all your maintenance
plan verification in the (small) web installer package. The advantage of
this method is that you always have full control over this process because
the web installer is always up to date (it comes directly from your server)
and you can change the verification logic whenever you want.

For example:

** Valid Maintenance Plan **

1. wupdate.exe detects a new version
2. wupdate.exe downloads new web installer package
3. Web installer package verifies maintenance key
4. Maintenance key is current and valid and update is applied

** Invalid or Expired Maintenance Plan **

1. wupdate.exe detects a new version
2. wupdate.exe downloads new web installer package
3. Web installer package verifies maintenance key
4. Maintenance key is invalid or expired (update is locked)
5. Display renewal offer or link to your order page, etc.

What do you think?

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder 6
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich,

What is the "web installer package" on the server"?
I thought only the new files were uploaded.

What you say sounds like wupdate.exe downloads a
program from the server that then runs and handles the updating.

I just got more confused with how this stuff works.

Tanks,

Mike

[NewsArchive]

Hi Michael,

wupdate.exe is the "web update client". The wupdate.exe program downloads
the server manifest file and compares the version number specified in the
manifest with the version number of the installed application. If the
server manifest file version is newer, the application knows it's time to
perform an update (dynamic or static).

Let us assume, your web update process has to create a new Shortcut, modify
the registry, send data back from the client machine to your server, remove
some files on the client or perform a zip and unzip process during the web
updating process. You can even automatically uninstall a "warez" version.
If only new files where uploaded, this kind of functionality would be
impossible.

Once wupdate.exe determines a new update is available, it downloads and
executes the small web installer (also known as "dynamic web update"). This
web installer performs the web update process.

Of course, wupdate.exe can also download a complete new installation (also
know as "static web update"). In this case, you don't build a web installer
as part of your update process, but a standard single-file installation.

ZoneAlarm is a good example for both dynamic and static web updating. The
"dynamic web update" process detects if a new virus definition file or
spyware definition is available. If this is the case, it only downloads
what is required to bring the data files to the latest version. But if a
new ZoneAlarm application is available, "static web update" kicks in. In
this case, it downloads the full new ZoneAlarm setup.exe from the server and
executes it. This detects the old version, removes it and installs the new
one.

Does this help?

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder 6
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

By "Web Installer Package" are you referring to the "Stub EXE"?

Michael Brooks

[NewsArchive]

Michael,

Yes, it is the "EXE Stub".

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Thank you Friedrich, that helps quite a bit.

I understand now why you recommended the other method.....far more flexible!

Mike