"Ben R." <benr@newsgroup.nospam> wrote in message
news:4E4C4D93-21A2-4F5D-B79F-24DFD5E20619@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> I've got an application that I currently wrap in an msi. Everything's
> fine,
> except I'd like to be able to push updates to my users. The update
> mechanism
> of clickonce deployment looks excellent and would be very useful. My
> application's installer doesn't touch the GAC or registry, so it seems
> like a
> good cantidate for ClickOnce. However, this application is launched from
> another application, and the path to the application is currently
> hardcoded
> in a configuration file (it's dependent on it being installed in the same
> location on every machine). I know this isn't very elegant, but it's a
> limitation of the other tool. Keeping that in mind, is there a way to know
> ahead of time where clickonce will install to? Otherwise, could I somehow
> take advantage of the updating mechanism with my current setup?
>
> Thanks...
>
> -Ben

> Hi Ben,
>
> I think Phil has provided the useful information from MSI side. I will add
> some comment from ClickOnce perspective.
>
> ClickOnce is a deployment technology that is focused on bringing the
> simplicity of Web application deployment to smart client applications. To
> deploy an application with ClickOnce, you simply need to place the
> application files on a Web server, file share, or the local file system and
> provide the user with a link to the application manifest.
>
> ClickOnce's advantages over MSI are: auto-update, scheduled update, .Net
> secure sandbox, rollback to previous version, download/install assembly on
> demond. However, MSI also has many advantage that are not available from
> ClickOnce, such as: install for all users, custom action on
> install/uninstall, more advanced deployment(install to registry, GAC,
> services etc..). So you should compare your goal with these difference to
> determine if ClickOnce will change your design. The article below provides
> a overall comparison between MSI and ClickOnce, the "Key Differences" in
> the article should be a clear view for you:
> "Choosing Between ClickOnce and Windows Installer"
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dndotnet/ht
> ml/clickoncevsinstaller.asp
>
> Ok, you have chose ClickOnce and you want to lauch the ClickOnce
> application from another application programmatically. Note, first, the
> ClickOnce application is deployed on the Web Server, any client user will
> use link to the application manifest(on web server) to lauch the
> application, .Net Framework will take care of the detail lauching work. So
> your lauch application may only take the application manifest URL and use
> System.Diagnostics.Process class to lauch this URL. Like this:
>
> private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
> {
>    
> System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("http://msjeff2/DataGridViewMenu/DataGridVi
> ewMenu.application");
> }
>
> Actually, if you use notepad to view the content of the link in the start
> menu, you will see that it also takes the application manifest URL in it:
>
> http://msjeff2/DataGridViewMenu/DataGridViewMenu.application#DataGridViewMen
> u.application, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=39128edeecda7dc5,
> processorArchitecture=msil
>
> .Net Framework will help to download and parse this manifest file and then
> download the setup.exe package for installation. The client running
> application is stored in a temp location like this:
> "C:\Documents and Settings\v-jetan\Local
> Settings\Apps\2.0\9XTM786M.KZ5\9Q2W43GJ.T3L\data..tion_39128edeecda7dc5_0001
> .0000_a3e8721b8386f448\DataGridViewMenu.exe"
>
> Finally, I want to tell you that ClickOnce also support programmatic
> updating, your ClickOnce may leverage the ClickOnce deployment API to
> updates on demand, see the sample code below:
>
> private void checkForUpdatesMenuItem_Click(object sender,
>    System.EventArgs e)
> {
>   ApplicationDeployment updater = ApplicationDeployment.CurrentDeployment;
>   Version verDepServer = updater.CheckForUpdate();
>   if (verDepServer != null) // Update available
>   {
>     DialogResult res = MessageBox.Show(
>      "A newer version of the TimecardManager application is available."
>      + " Do you wish to update the application now?",
>      "TimecardManager   Updater", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo);
>     if (res == DialogResult.Yes)
>     {
>       updater.Update();
>       MessageBox.Show("Please shutdown and restart the application" +
>       " to start using the new version.");
>     }
>   }
> }
>
> See the articles below for more information on programmatic updating:
> http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms404263(VS.80).aspx
> http://www.wintellect.com/Weblogs/ClickOncePartialDownloadThoughts.aspx
>
> ClickOnce recently support a new "file patching" feature which may help to
> improve updating performance, see my original reply below for more
> information:
> http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.windowsform
> s/msg/3ce329a2823f8857?hl=en-US&
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> Best regards,
> Jeffrey Tan
> Microsoft Online Community Support
> ==================================================
> Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/managednewsgroups/default.aspx#notif
> ications.
>
> Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
> where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
> Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
> up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
> professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
> most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
> that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
> project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
> handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
> Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/support/default.aspx.
> ==================================================
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
>

"Ben R." wrote:

> Thanks to both of you! This information combined provides me a great means of
> making a good decision for deployment.
>
> Do you want me to mark the accidental duplicate posts as answered as well?
>
> -Ben
>
> ""Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]"" wrote:
>
> > Hi Ben,
> >
> > I think Phil has provided the useful information from MSI side. I will add
> > some comment from ClickOnce perspective.
> >
> > ClickOnce is a deployment technology that is focused on bringing the
> > simplicity of Web application deployment to smart client applications. To
> > deploy an application with ClickOnce, you simply need to place the
> > application files on a Web server, file share, or the local file system and
> > provide the user with a link to the application manifest.
> >
> > ClickOnce's advantages over MSI are: auto-update, scheduled update, .Net
> > secure sandbox, rollback to previous version, download/install assembly on
> > demond. However, MSI also has many advantage that are not available from
> > ClickOnce, such as: install for all users, custom action on
> > install/uninstall, more advanced deployment(install to registry, GAC,
> > services etc..). So you should compare your goal with these difference to
> > determine if ClickOnce will change your design. The article below provides
> > a overall comparison between MSI and ClickOnce, the "Key Differences" in
> > the article should be a clear view for you:
> > "Choosing Between ClickOnce and Windows Installer"
> > http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dndotnet/ht
> > ml/clickoncevsinstaller.asp
> >
> > Ok, you have chose ClickOnce and you want to lauch the ClickOnce
> > application from another application programmatically. Note, first, the
> > ClickOnce application is deployed on the Web Server, any client user will
> > use link to the application manifest(on web server) to lauch the
> > application, .Net Framework will take care of the detail lauching work. So
> > your lauch application may only take the application manifest URL and use
> > System.Diagnostics.Process class to lauch this URL. Like this:
> >
> > private void button1_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
> > {
> >    
> > System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("http://msjeff2/DataGridViewMenu/DataGridVi
> > ewMenu.application");
> > }
> >
> > Actually, if you use notepad to view the content of the link in the start
> > menu, you will see that it also takes the application manifest URL in it:
> >
> > http://msjeff2/DataGridViewMenu/DataGridViewMenu.application#DataGridViewMen
> > u.application, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=39128edeecda7dc5,
> > processorArchitecture=msil
> >
> > .Net Framework will help to download and parse this manifest file and then
> > download the setup.exe package for installation. The client running
> > application is stored in a temp location like this:
> > "C:\Documents and Settings\v-jetan\Local
> > Settings\Apps\2.0\9XTM786M.KZ5\9Q2W43GJ.T3L\data..tion_39128edeecda7dc5_0001
> > .0000_a3e8721b8386f448\DataGridViewMenu.exe"
> >
> > Finally, I want to tell you that ClickOnce also support programmatic
> > updating, your ClickOnce may leverage the ClickOnce deployment API to
> > updates on demand, see the sample code below:
> >
> > private void checkForUpdatesMenuItem_Click(object sender,
> >    System.EventArgs e)
> > {
> >   ApplicationDeployment updater = ApplicationDeployment.CurrentDeployment;
> >   Version verDepServer = updater.CheckForUpdate();
> >   if (verDepServer != null) // Update available
> >   {
> >     DialogResult res = MessageBox.Show(
> >      "A newer version of the TimecardManager application is available."
> >      + " Do you wish to update the application now?",
> >      "TimecardManager   Updater", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo);
> >     if (res == DialogResult.Yes)
> >     {
> >       updater.Update();
> >       MessageBox.Show("Please shutdown and restart the application" +
> >       " to start using the new version.");
> >     }
> >   }
> > }
> >
> > See the articles below for more information on programmatic updating:
> > http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms404263(VS.80).aspx
> > http://www.wintellect.com/Weblogs/ClickOncePartialDownloadThoughts.aspx
> >
> > ClickOnce recently support a new "file patching" feature which may help to
> > improve updating performance, see my original reply below for more
> > information:
> > http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.windowsform
> > s/msg/3ce329a2823f8857?hl=en-US&
> >
> > Hope it helps.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Jeffrey Tan
> > Microsoft Online Community Support
> > ==================================================
> > Get notification to my posts through email? Please refer to
> > http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/managednewsgroups/default.aspx#notif
> > ications.
> >
> > Note: The MSDN Managed Newsgroup support offering is for non-urgent issues
> > where an initial response from the community or a Microsoft Support
> > Engineer within 1 business day is acceptable. Please note that each follow
> > up response may take approximately 2 business days as the support
> > professional working with you may need further investigation to reach the
> > most efficient resolution. The offering is not appropriate for situations
> > that require urgent, real-time or phone-based interactions or complex
> > project analysis and dump analysis issues. Issues of this nature are best
> > handled working with a dedicated Microsoft Support Engineer by contacting
> > Microsoft Customer Support Services (CSS) at
> > http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/support/default.aspx.
> > ==================================================
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> >
> >