Re: Auto-updater? - C# Discussion Boards

floydboy5817-Sep-02 18:27

17-Sep-02 18:27

Aloha everyone...I have a question:

How can I implement auto-updating to my app? I have created a simple TCP/IP application and I would like the client to be able to get the newest version from the server and overwrite itself with the new version.

Obviously this will create problems with trying to overwrite a file in use, so how do you do it?

- Does .NET provide built in "shadow copying"? (I know ASP.NET does)
- Does Windows provide a service to auto-copy a file once an application closes?
- Is there some black-book trick I am unaware of???

Any help would be really appreciated!

Re: Auto-updater?

Philip Fitzsimons18-Sep-02 1:16

Philip Fitzsimons

18-Sep-02 1:16

BITS

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

Re: Auto-updater?

floydboy5818-Sep-02 1:52

floydboy58

18-Sep-02 1:52

Uhhh...what is BITS???

Re: Auto-updater?

Philip Fitzsimons18-Sep-02 1:55

Philip Fitzsimons

18-Sep-02 1:55

Background Intelligent Transfer Service
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/bits/bits/bits_start_page.asp[^]

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

Re: Auto-updater?

floydboy5818-Sep-02 2:01

floydboy58

18-Sep-02 2:01

Thanks, but I'm not sure this does what I need. I have no problem getting the file to the client machine. I have written a simple TCP/IP system to download any size file from the server to the client.

The problem I am trying to figure out is how am I going to replace my application .EXE while it is running? Or rather, how do I smoothly exit the program, get the copy done and re-load (without user interaction).

I only ask because I see other programs doing this and it is very nice Smile | :)

Re: Auto-updater?

Philip Fitzsimons18-Sep-02 3:19

Philip Fitzsimons

18-Sep-02 3:19

try http://www.codeproject.com/internet/cupgradeapplication.asp[^]

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

Re: Auto-updater?

leppie18-Sep-02 3:58

leppie

18-Sep-02 3:58

floydboy58 wrote:
The problem I am trying to figure out is how am I going to replace my application .EXE while it is running? Or rather, how do I smoothly exit the program, get the copy done and re-load (without user interaction).

Have a look at System.Diagnostics.Process class. It's easy enough to run a "updater" app to close the process and restart an instance of of the main app.

Else forcefully close the program after an update, forcing the user to open the newly updated one.

Third option is to go the AppDomain way, but that can be scary (to me anyways Smile | :)

)

Hope this helps

Re: Auto-updater?

Ray Cassick18-Sep-02 5:16

Ray Cassick

18-Sep-02 5:16

Have your application shell out to another application (then die) that is responsible for downloading the newer version then shelling out to get the new exe running.

My only question now is.... how do you update the updater? Smile | :)

Re: Auto-updater?

User 988518-Sep-02 5:44

User 9885

18-Sep-02 5:44

Ray Cassick wrote:
My only question now is.... how do you update the updater?

I have an auto-update app that is a Windows Installer app.

I have a version check exe, that compares the version on my website every time it is invoked and if there is no new version, ShellExecutes the main app exe.

else, it ShellExecutes the link to setup.exe on my site.

Now when the setup is running, the app and the auto update is not in use and can be updated. Smile | :)

Thomas

modified 29-Aug-18 21:01pm.

Re: Auto-updater?

Andy Smith18-Sep-02 4:55

Andy Smith

18-Sep-02 4:55

there's an Application Updater component/framework available on gotdotnet
http://www.gotdotnet.com/team/windowsforms/appupdater.aspx[^]

help?

imran_rafique17-Sep-02 15:33

imran_rafique

17-Sep-02 15:33

is there any difference between IntPtr.Zero
and AfxGetInstanceHandle( ) ?
in what dll AfxGetInstanceHandle( ) is defiend ?

r00d0034@yahoo.com

getting a HANDLE

Nnamdi Onyeyiri17-Sep-02 9:29

Nnamdi Onyeyiri

17-Sep-02 9:29

am i dreaming, or is this the right code to get an equivilant HANDLE object for a process.

IntPtr tknPtr = IntPtr.Zero;
Process pr = Process.GetCurrentProcess();
IntPtr ptr = pr.Handle;
OpenProcessToken(pr.Handle, 0, out tknPtr);

This is what i am using, but when i get the last error with Marshal.GetLastWin32Error() [after calling AdjustTokenPrivileges) it is returning an error code of 6 which i think is ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE.

In theory, the above code should get a handle to the processes tokens, but im not sure as i dont fully understand it all.

[and for those of you who are tired of these posts, i am very sorry, but this isnt just about me and my little method anymore, this is WAR against Advapi32.dll, and the depriving of privileges! Mad | :mad:

]

Suspicious | :suss: Email: theeclypse@hotmail.com URL: http://www.onyeyiri.co.uk
"All programmers are playwrights and all computers are lousy actors."

Re: getting a HANDLE

leppie17-Sep-02 10:08

leppie

17-Sep-02 10:08

Nnamdi Onyeyiri wrote:
OpenProcessToken(pr.Handle,0, out tknPtr);

Now I have told you THAT cannot be ZERO. Smile | :)

You can see from the follow that 0 is not valid:

#define TOKEN_ASSIGN_PRIMARY (0x0001)
#define TOKEN_DUPLICATE (0x0002)
#define TOKEN_IMPERSONATE (0x0004)
#define TOKEN_QUERY (0x0008)
#define TOKEN_QUERY_SOURCE (0x0010)
#define TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES (0x0020)
#define TOKEN_ADJUST_GROUPS (0x0040)
#define TOKEN_ADJUST_DEFAULT (0x0080)
#define TOKEN_ADJUST_SESSIONID (0x0100)

#define TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS_P (STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED |\
TOKEN_ASSIGN_PRIMARY |\
TOKEN_DUPLICATE |\
TOKEN_IMPERSONATE |\
TOKEN_QUERY |\
TOKEN_QUERY_SOURCE |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_GROUPS |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_DEFAULT )

#if ((defined(_WIN32_WINNT) && (_WIN32_WINNT > 0x0400)) || (!defined(_WIN32_WINNT)))
#define TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS (TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS_P |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_SESSIONID )
#else
#define TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS (TOKEN_ALL_ACCESS_P)
#endif

#define TOKEN_READ (STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ |\
TOKEN_QUERY)

#define TOKEN_WRITE (STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_PRIVILEGES |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_GROUPS |\
TOKEN_ADJUST_DEFAULT)

#define TOKEN_EXECUTE (STANDARD_RIGHTS_EXECUTE)

BTW, does Marshal.GetLastWin32Error() do the same as the GetLastError() in the Win API?

Re: getting a HANDLE

Nnamdi Onyeyiri17-Sep-02 10:15

Nnamdi Onyeyiri

17-Sep-02 10:15

ok, now, if i was a computer, im sure all that code would make sense to me Poke tongue | ;-P

leppie wrote:
BTW, does Marshal.GetLastWin32Error() do the same as the GetLastError() in the Win API?

well this is what msdn says:

This method exists because it is not safe to make a direct platform invoke call to GetLastError to obtain this information. The common language runtime might have made internal calls to API's that overwrite the operating system maintained GetLastError.

Suspicious | :suss: Email: theeclypse@hotmail.com URL: http://www.onyeyiri.co.uk
"All programmers are playwrights and all computers are lousy actors."

Re: getting a HANDLE

leppie17-Sep-02 10:33

leppie

17-Sep-02 10:33

Nnamdi Onyeyiri wrote:
well this is what msdn says:

This method exists because it is not safe to make a direct platform invoke call to GetLastError to obtain this information. The common language runtime might have made internal calls to API's that overwrite the operating system maintained GetLastError.

Hmm nice Smile | :)

Nnamdi Onyeyiri wrote:
ok, now, if i was a computer, im sure all that code would make sense to me

That would be ideal for a flagged enum, lookout for them in the headers, its much better to use enums than to define endless constants. This what makes a strongly-typed language so nice Smile | :)

I tried c++ once to test the intellisense, guess what it gave me a list of a few thousand different functions and constants. Alt - F4 did the job Laugh | :laugh:

So you would write it as (you can copy, its correct Smile | :)

[Flags]
public enum TokenAccessRights
{
	ASSIGN_PRIMARY    =(0x0001),
	DUPLICATE         =(0x0002),
	IMPERSONATE       =(0x0004),
	QUERY             =(0x0008),
	QUERY_SOURCE      =(0x0010),
	ADJUST_PRIVILEGES =(0x0020),
	ADJUST_GROUPS     =(0x0040),
	ADJUST_DEFAULT    =(0x0080),
	ADJUST_SESSIONID  =(0x0100),

	ALL_ACCESS_P =(STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED  |
		ASSIGN_PRIMARY      |
		DUPLICATE           |
		IMPERSONATE         |
		QUERY               |
		QUERY_SOURCE        |
		ADJUST_PRIVILEGES   |
		ADJUST_GROUPS       |
		ADJUST_DEFAULT ),

	ALL_ACCESS  =(ALL_ACCESS_P |
		ADJUST_SESSIONID ),

	READ       =(STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ      |
		QUERY),

	WRITE      =(STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE     |
		ADJUST_PRIVILEGES   |
		ADJUST_GROUPS       |
		ADJUST_DEFAULT),

	EXECUTE    =(STANDARD_RIGHTS_EXECUTE),
}

[Flags]
public enum AccessMask
{
	DELETE                           =(0x00010000),
	READ_CONTROL                     =(0x00020000),
	WRITE_DAC                        =(0x00040000),
	WRITE_OWNER                      =(0x00080000),
	SYNCHRONIZE                      =(0x00100000),

	STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED         =(0x000F0000),

	STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ             =(READ_CONTROL),
	STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE            =(READ_CONTROL),
	STANDARD_RIGHTS_EXECUTE          =(READ_CONTROL),

	STANDARD_RIGHTS_ALL              =(0x001F0000),

	SPECIFIC_RIGHTS_ALL              =(0x0000FFFF),
}

Re: getting a HANDLE

Nnamdi Onyeyiri17-Sep-02 10:36

Nnamdi Onyeyiri

17-Sep-02 10:36

leppie wrote:
So you would write it as (you can copy, its correct :

errr thanks, but i dont need that Poke tongue | ;-P

i need my code to work Big Grin | :-D

Suspicious | :suss: Email: theeclypse@hotmail.com URL: http://www.onyeyiri.co.uk
"All programmers are playwrights and all computers are lousy actors."

Re: getting a HANDLE

leppie17-Sep-02 10:44

leppie

17-Sep-02 10:44

Nnamdi Onyeyiri wrote:
errr thanks, but i dont need that i need my code to work

You will need that too make your code work!* You will need to redefine your function as (this way u cannot go wrong (well mostly)).

[DllImport("Advapi32.dll")]
static extern bool OpenProcessToken(IntPtr ProcessHandle, 
    [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U4)] TokenAccessRight DesiredAccess,
    out IntPtr TokenHandle);

* Found in the remarks, overlooked it a couple of times OMG | :OMG:

Windows XP Professional: If the computer is joined to a workgroup and the "Force network logons using local accounts to authenticate as Guest" policy is enabled, the function fails. Note that this policy is enabled by default for a computer running Windows XP Professional that is joined to a workgroup.

Services

Mazdak17-Sep-02 8:47

Mazdak

17-Sep-02 8:47

How can I get name and number of NT services that installed on a machine in my program?

Mazy

"If I go crazy then will you still
Call me Superman
If I’m alive and well, will you be
There holding my hand
I’ll keep you by my side with
My superhuman might
Kryptonite"Kryptonite-3 Doors Down

MQSeries from .NET

SimonS17-Sep-02 3:58

SimonS

17-Sep-02 3:58

Has anyone got info on this?

I'm looking for code snippetts and some white papers ideally.

Cheers,
Simon

"Sign up for a chance to be among the first to experience the wrath of the gods.", Microsoft's home page (24/06/2002)

Re: MQSeries from .NET

leppie17-Sep-02 4:38

leppie

17-Sep-02 4:38

Never heard of it, can you give some more details?

Re: MQSeries from .NET

Gaul17-Sep-02 4:53

Gaul

17-Sep-02 4:53

You need to write a Managed C++ wrapper, and then call from other .NET assemblies. MQSeries headers are in C/C++.

Gaul

Re: MQSeries from .NET

SimonS17-Sep-02 5:27

SimonS

17-Sep-02 5:27

Thanks, Gaul.
Can you give me more info though.
How does one communicate with MQSeries normally (pre-.NET)?

Cheers,
Simon

"Sign up for a chance to be among the first to experience the wrath of the gods.", Microsoft's home page (24/06/2002)

Re: MQSeries from .NET

leppie17-Sep-02 7:24

leppie

17-Sep-02 7:24

Although I shall not venture into these waters, it seems there is a MSMQ MQSeries bridge. You could have a look into the System.Messaging namespace.

Re: MQSeries from .NET

Gaul25-Sep-02 12:05

Gaul

25-Sep-02 12:05

From a C++ app, include MQ Series header: imqi.hpp to get the MQI class declarations

#include "imqi.hpp" // MQSeries header file.

This provides a definition of MQ Series functions that enable you to connect to a queue, send message, etc.

Typical functions include things like:

connect()
open();
setOptions();
get();
close()

Also link with the lib file. You need to have MQ Series developer edition installed to get the Lib files. Assuming you have installed under Program Files, normally they can be found in:

"C:\Program Files\IBM\MQSeries\Tools\Lib"

Under the ..\Tools directory, you have samples for cplus, cobol, vb, etc.

You may want to take a look at IBM's developerworks site for MQ Series examples:

http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/

Gaul

How to remove null from arraylist?

leppie17-Sep-02 0:53

leppie

17-Sep-02 0:53

I have by "accident" added a null value to an arraylist, but i cant seem to remove it...There is a hole in it! I guess some things dont work better with holes in it Laugh | :laugh:

Any suggestions?

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