Updater

[Clan CDH]

How would I make an updater for one of my programs that checks every time you startup the program for it to update if there is a new version available?  I really want it to be PHP based because I know how to read it and I know it's probably the simplest way to do it.  I'll be posting this questions in similar forums hoping to get an answer asap.

[MyndFyre]

One thing you should know is that your executables can't be overwritten while they're in memory.

[FrOzeN]

On some webpage just have a file called "version.txt", then inside it just in plain text have the latest version, eg "1.2.0".

In your Visual Basic project, when it loads. You should call a function to access this webpage (probably easiest done with Inet, better to do with Winsock) and check to see if your .exe's version is the same as the one on the webpage. If it's not, tell the user that there program is out of date and provide them with a link to a new version, or setup your project to download the new version (which could be difficult).

Note that if you call Inet(), place the call in another function which has DoEvents above the call of Inet. This way your program doesn't freeze up while it checks the version.

You don't need php to do this.

[Spht]

There are several ways to do this.

If I recall correctly, Userloser's CheckVersion.bcp downloads a binary file on a web server that contains the latest build number, and compares that with the local copy and notifies the user of an update if it is different.

In WebBot, I utilize Botnet databases, and always keep an entry that is the current build information (this contains the build date, version info, and build number).  On each connect when the database is downloaded the user is notified and complete download instructions are presented if there is an update available.  Additionally, due to the nature of Botnet database updates, when a new version is published, all online Webbots are immediately notified of the update automatically.

[Joe[x86]]

Code Select Expand

If Inet1.OpenURL("http://some.web.server/path/sometextfile.txt") = App.Major & "." & App.Minor & "." & App.Revision Then
    ' Current
Else
    ' Upgrade
End If

[Clan CDH]

some guy on the stealthbot forums told me to use msinet.ocx and it gives me an error, as for winsock, i really haven't learned it yet.  im trying a method that someone posted on another forum but this is by far the most helpful one that i've used so far.  thx and i could use some other input since i cant use the msinet.ocx

anyways i just tried this other method and it did not work, it was a post at vbcity made here and it did not work.  anyways i would try J's thing if the inet was working for me but i have to get a license thing and i'm using enterprise edition

[FrostWraith]

anyways i would try J's thing if the inet was working for me but i have to get a license thing and i'm using enterprise edition

Did you register it like FrOzeN explained?

[Clan CDH]

ya i did, do that if u saw my reply and i got it to work i needed the stupid vbclient to install the licenses for me so i just got that working

[rabbit]

As for winsock, which is by far the better method, use this: http://www.jmarshall.com/easy/http/
Specifically GET, as POST really is just not necessary at all for this sort of thing.

[Clan CDH]

my pro friend says inet is way better but he cant help me right now cuz he's on vacation.

[UserLoser]

One thing you should know is that your executables can't be overwritten while they're in memory.

Not even with VirtualProtect, then dumping the memory block to a binary file?!

[Hdx]

Heres a bad way to do it.
But it works.

Code Select Expand

Private Declare Function URLDownloadToFile Lib "urlmon" Alias "URLDownloadToFileA" (ByVal pCaller As Long, ByVal szURL As String, ByVal szFileName As String, ByVal dwReserved As Long, ByVal lpfnCB As Long) As Long
private patched as boolean

Private Sub Form_Terminate()
If patched Then x = Shell(App.Path & "\update.bat")
End Sub


Public Sub Update()
    If Inet.openURL("http://some.place.on.the.web/myProggie/currentver.txt") <> App.Major & "." & App.Minor & "." & App.Revision Then
        MsgBox "OMGEEZ J00S NOT UPDATED!!! UPDATORZING NOWZORZ LAWLEZ!!"
        Call URLDownloadToFile(0, "http://some.place.on.the.web/myProggie/Current.exe", App.Path & "\update.exe", 0, 0)
       
        Open App.Path & "\update.bat" For Output As #1
            Print #1, "ren " & App.EXEName & ".exe " & "OLD_VER-" & App.Major & "." & App.Minor & "." & App.Revision & ".exe"
            Print #1, "ren update.exe " & App.EXEName & ".exe"
            Print #1, "run " & App.EXEName & ".exe"
        Close #1
        patched = True
        For Each frm In Forms
            Unload frm
        Next frm
    Else
        MsgBox "OMG JOOS UPDATED!! 1337 YOEZ!!!"
    End If
End Sub
Note: I'm extreamly bored sitting in class so I wrote this in like 2 mins
~-~(HDX)~-~

[Clan CDH]

Heres a bad way to do it.
But it works.

Code Select Expand

Private Declare Function URLDownloadToFile Lib "urlmon" Alias "URLDownloadToFileA" (ByVal pCaller As Long, ByVal szURL As String, ByVal szFileName As String, ByVal dwReserved As Long, ByVal lpfnCB As Long) As Long
private patched as boolean

Private Sub Form_Terminate()
If patched Then x = Shell(App.Path & "\update.bat")
End Sub


Public Sub Update()
    If Inet.openURL("http://some.place.on.the.web/myProggie/currentver.txt") <> App.Major & "." & App.Minor & "." & App.Revision Then
        MsgBox "OMGEEZ J00S NOT UPDATED!!! UPDATORZING NOWZORZ LAWLEZ!!"
        Call URLDownloadToFile(0, "http://some.place.on.the.web/myProggie/Current.exe", App.Path & "\update.exe", 0, 0)
       
        Open App.Path & "\update.bat" For Output As #1
            Print #1, "ren " & App.EXEName & ".exe " & "OLD_VER-" & App.Major & "." & App.Minor & "." & App.Revision & ".exe"
            Print #1, "ren update.exe " & App.EXEName & ".exe"
            Print #1, "run " & App.EXEName & ".exe"
        Close #1
        patched = True
        For Each frm In Forms
            Unload frm
        Next frm
    Else
        MsgBox "OMG JOOS UPDATED!! 1337 YOEZ!!!"
    End If
End Sub
Note: I'm extreamly bored sitting in class so I wrote this in like 2 mins
~-~(HDX)~-~

thx im tryin this out now

edit:  i keep getting an error on this line(its the object required error)

    If Inet.OpenURL("http://mehateeggz.googlepages.com/CurrentVer.txt") <> App.Major & "." & App.Minor & "." & App.Revision Then

[l2k-Shadow]

You need to load inet into your app, (internet file transfer protocol) or something like that it should be called in your components (CTRL+T) directory.

[Clan CDH]

You need to load inet into your app, (internet file transfer protocol) or something like that it should be called in your components (CTRL+T) directory.

i know, i m not that newbish, i think it might be a problem with my text file?
http://mehateeggz.googlepages.com/CurrentVer.txt