Software Update via internet

[Krass]

Hi. I'm currently developping an application which will let the user make a software update via the internet. I'm new to this and decided to post here before going the wrong direction.

Actually, in my case, a software update would mean downloading and overwriting the .exe file of my VB application. I guess the code for connecting and downloading from the ftp is already somewhere in these forums, so that ain't the problem.

Of course, you know that I can't overwrite the currently in use executable. What would be the best solution to do this? I thought that I might force the user to re-open the application so the .exe can be overwritten - but how do I do this? Do I have another .exe that is executed when the main application is closed..?

...or am I really going the wrong way?


Thanks for any feedback or suggestions.

[lumin]

what you can do and I think this is a simple way.

make another exefile and let that one controll the updating of your program.

how this could work

user started exe1
user clicked on "update via internet"
exe2 started
exe1 closed
exe2 retrives data from web if new version is avaiable and overwrite old exe1. if not then start exe1 and unload exe2.

well thats probably how I would have done it.
you can make the exe2 file a ActiveX exe file so it will only start if called from exe1.

Anyway good luck


-Lumin

[Krass]

Yea this sounds like a good procedure. Thanks a lot I will try this.

If anyone has any further suggestions, the thread is not closed!