Updates?

[veryjonny]

How do I make updates for my program. Say for an example - My SimpleUtility has say 5 forms and 1 module. I distribute this utility.

Now I make some changes in say form2 thats it. I want to distribute this "new" (or updated) thing to my previous customers. What I

do currently is make a new exe and send the entire thing to my customers. Which I think is not professional. I just want to send a

small updated file which would do the corresponding changes in the main file. (Like we have it for our messengers.)

I hope someone has done this and can guide me. I think this is very important thing for we developers to know. Kindly help me.

[Mc Brain]

You may only send them your new EXE... you don't need to send the whole installer again. All the controls and libraries you've already shipped will be still installed on their machine.

[veryjonny]

First of thanks for the reply.

But even the exe is of huge size whereas the form which I have changed is just 9 kb whereas the exe is 210 kb. Thats what id od not like the new update shd be lesser than the original exe.

[FUBAR]

i dont think there is a way to change the exe, just because vb is such a screwy language, adding 1 form in vb is simple, but the compiler actually does a whole bunch more work that you dont need to do, like draw the form, add the properties, refernce that there is a new form, im not that expierence in vb, but im while to bet there isnt a way to do it because if you change 1 line of text, its gonna change the entire file, just because of the way the compiler well, "compiles" it

sorry bro, but unless anyone argues with me, thats probly that

[Pc_Madness]

210kb isn't a bad size. Microsoft would love to give out Updates that small

[veryjonny]

Guys,

I just gave you an example for that thing.


What i meant was say the main installable file is of 4.5 Mb then the update file is just 300- 400 kb and not the size of the main exe which may be around 800kb . There might be some technique how it is to be done.

[Mc Brain]

Originally posted by veryjonny
First of thanks for the reply.

But even the exe is of huge size whereas the form which I have changed is just 9 kb whereas the exe is 210 kb. Thats what id od not like the new update shd be lesser than the original exe.

I can guarantee that you can get a 210 KB (or similar) if you zip your EXE and send it copressed. I don't think you will be able to create simple "patches" for your program. The easiest way would be creating a DLL... but with C/C++. I guess ActiveX DLL won't be of any use.

Create a DLL with these functions and subs that could get updated and whenever you need... send to everyone the new DLL.

Again... ActiveX DLL won't be of any use, I guess.

[DDfunbags]

The main reason why messangers (or any other commercial app) can be updated with a small file is because a bulk of their code is held in numerous DLLs. The main EXE is usually tiny and does very little (eg. MSM is only 700 or so bytes). Another reason could because of all the bloat that VB come with

If you really wanted to make your EXE really small then you would probably have to take this approach. I can't imagine it would be not be too difficult, just build build all you code in seperate DLLs and use LoadLibrary (or whatever you do in these situations).

When u build your forms, just load in the DLLs and pass all the events over to them.

Just an idea

[Mc Brain]

I had some problems when created ActiveX DLL. The EXE seems that doesn't like to be compiled before the DLL. I mean, if you compile your DLL and then your EXE, it will work. If you update your DLL... your EXE will stop working. Until you overwrite it with a newer EXE (compiled after the DLL).

Those were the problems I had... so that's why I said: "ActiveX DLL won't be of any use, I guess."

[veryjonny]

Well if that is the case, I just hope you guys are not misleading me. pls. do not mind my saying this, its just that I am not completely satisfied.

But Thanks a lot for taking out to reply.

[Mc Brain]

I'm not completely sure, but that's a problem I had each time I re-compiled my DLL .... I had to recompile the EXE. This means that you need to send the final user the new DLL and the new EXE.

Anyway, I don't think C/C++ 's DLL would have this problems. You might check that up and write your DLL in C... as if it were that easy

[veryjonny]

C