Automate updating of a program

[stoymigo]

Hi, where I work we update our client manually.
It takes long because we need to make database back ups and db changes, the other issue about this taking long is when RemoteDesktop/Teamviewer lags or we have to transfer big files or sometimes we have to wait for a client to get login details.

Automating this update process would save at least 20 minutes ( and we do this a couple of times each day ).

The company I work at has been thriving for 6 years with their current product, I started working there recently so even though I think this is a decent idea I feel that I'd have other obstacles besides technical ones in trying to convince the boss to do this.

My question is should I stick with what works or at least give this a try? We use vb6 and an update means replacing an exe at the least, and sometimes making db backups,changes to the database,report files.

Thanks

 

[dequadin]

Are you looking for an automatic update type thing or an installer?

 

[guest2013-1]

Holy ****, VB6.... get with the program dude. You could switch to .NET and have their built-in libraries take care of automatic updates.

But considering change is scary for most companies and they'd much rather waste time on old technology (and by the sound of it, spend a ****-ton of time fixing stuff/updating it) I'd suggest adding a new class to the code that does the db changes through SQL scripts which would make your life easier in the long run re: db backups and changes. Then it's just replacing an EXE file.

If memory serves, there's a couple of resources on the internet that explains how to write your own (or even have it already written for you) class that does automatic updates with VB6 programs. The **** thing is, if you use DLL's (ever heard of dll hell with VB6?) then you'll most probably have a very tough time and the process you're following now would be worth it.

IME (experience) Maintenance on VB6 outweighs the cost of what it would take to rewrite into .NET

 

[PsyWulf]

If you do decide to stick with this vb6 menace i'd recommend building an updater application and modularize updates in the form of scripts for DB updates and backups,and a file system component that can replace files and close running program files

This program can be set to poll a specific url ( maybe a current-version.txt file ) which the app can check for new versions of files,download a zip containing the "patch",unpack,and execute the files in order. This process would have to be thoroughly tested and checked before it's allowed to spawn patches in the wild

*This is experience talking,maintained a few applications and an updater that ran like this,worked like a jet 95% of the time,the other 5% somebody didn't test an update thoroughly before sending it out and choked DBs with updates

 

[zippy]

When we had a client server setup(migrated to application server) the users did not start the client by clicking the main exectuable. They clicked .bat file which simply xcopy'd the exe and libraries from a central server. The .bat file then calls the exe. Simple and it worked for us.