Question Regarding Web Updates

[NewsArchive]

I believe I have a pretty good handle on using the Web Update features in my
application but need to clarify a couple of things.

In my initial install I have included my WUPDATE.EXE executable. My plan is
to use the Web Update and the Web Install features to download all updates
using the PATCH technique. Each SB5 version update installer will create a
patch file comparing the latest files contained in the original version
install to the files in the current version.

Here is where my question comes in. Suppose I have created 4 updates since
the original install. The patches would be something like:

Original To One
Original To Two
Original To Three
Original To Four

If a user has updated to, let's say, Two and then attempts to patch directly
to Four will I get the result I am attempting to achieve ( which of course
is to end up with the latest version installed and working ), or does this
commit me to patching similar to what we must do with the SoftVelocity
patches?

I hope you understand my question and thanks for your help.

Lee

[NewsArchive]

Lee,

Interesting question...

SetupBuilder 5 supports multiple-version patching. In a non-WebUpdate
installation there comes a point when a patch does not make sense any longer
(if you know that not all users are up-to-date). For example, the size of a
new TEST.EXE is 3.0 MB, but patches to cover all released TEST.EXE versions
are 3.2 MB in size. In this case it's wise to include the new file instead
of using patch.

In a WebUpdate environment things are a little bit different. The WebUpdate
installer only downloads files required for the specific user. So you can
create a multiple-version patch and the compiler/WebUpdate does all the
dirty work for you.

For example, you have released versions 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3. Some of your
users are still on 1.0, others have already upgraded to 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3. No
problem - if the end-user is on version 1.1, WebUpdate downloads the
specific patches to directly update from 1.1 to 1.3 (without installing the
1.2 patch).

Does this help?

BTW, Clarion does not use multiple-version patching because a VERY small
download overhead is #1 priority. For example, the new C62 build 9045
patch. SetupBuilder 5 compiles more than 45 MB of changed data into a cool
3.71 MB patch installation (that's a 91% compression ratio). The download
server and all users with a slow Internet connection are saying thank you
<g>.

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
CEO, Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder 5