updating the code after deployment

[jaydsa...@gmail.com]

Hi Czarek,

Firstly, congratulations for this project which allows PHP developer like me to explore the world of desktop applications.

I am new to the field of desktop applications. On the web side it is easy to update an application(as we have to only make changes on server). So I was wondering how one could update the code after deploying it on client's desktop. One thing which comes to my mind is to make him re install the whole application. But it can be overhead as there can be many updates till a stable application is built. Are there any better options for this. Thanks for reading this.

[Czarek Tomczak]

First thing you need is Application Installer: https://code.google.com/p/phpdesktop/wiki/KnowledgeBase#Application_installer

Auto Updater is another thing. Unfortunately neither Inno Setup nor NSIS installer do not provide such feature out of the box. An auto updater is a separate exe program that should do the following:

1. Be installed as a service, with Startup type as Automatic (delayed start).

2. Check periodically website for new versions

3. If there is a new version download its application installer

4. Check if app is running, if so you may notify user that update is available, or just wait till application is closed

5. Install the new update while application is not running. Install it using silent flags so that it installs without user interaction in background (eg. /SILENT flag in Inno Setup).

6. Auto Updater runs constantly in background, so it should have low memory footprint, preferably be written in C++ or C#.NET.

Advanced Installer is a tool similar to InnoSetup/NSIS and features auto updater out of the box. However it is a paid solution ($399), see: http://www.advancedinstaller.com/auto-updater.html

See some free open source auto updater programs:

1. http://wyday.com/wyupdate/

2. https://autoupdater.codeplex.com/

[Rafal]

Hej!

Wykorzystje polę daty w mojej aplikacji. Jednak po wrzuceniu jej w phpdesktop wyświetla sie format amerykański, jak to zmienić.

Pozdr