ClickOnce check for update

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ClickOnce check for update
 
nwein




Posts: 577
 Joined: 2011-03-28
I've read Alex Ben-Ari http://www.add-in-express.com/forum/read.php?FID=5&TID=4407 and have the same question: Is it possible to not show the "Launching Application" ClickOnce screen when checking for updates?
User added an image
I'm calling the CheckForUpdates() function from my add-in but would like not to bother the user with that screen every time the user opens Excel, only when there's an actual update/new version.
I've looked at the code behind the CheckForUpdates and I see that it call a StartUpdates with both silent and checkOnly flags set to false. In all honesty, I think that it doesn't really matter for that specific window (image above), as either flag (silent and/or checkOnly) still calls the .appref-ms file which I think, launch that window (even though the Process calls the WindowStyle to be hidden) - as you can see I'm quite confused by how it works.
The last thing that I don't understand is how your code gets that .appref-ms file (to run it as a new process). It look like the path you're supplying is the path to the clickOnce installation (e.g. C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apps\2.0\XR01VXK3.PZ2\46T5W20Q.1W3\appName_01f822d53a6519b3_0001.0007_945d596e99d94a47), but there's no .appref-ms file there, only .cdf-ms
Posted 22 Mar, 2012 11:57:14 Top
Eugene Astafiev


Guest


Hi Nir,

No, it is not possible to hide this window. Please read more about the ClickOnce deployment in http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t71a733d(v=vs.80).aspx.

FYI Also you may be interested in the http://www.add-in-express.com/creating-addins-blog/2011/02/24/redeploying-peruser-office-extensions-clickonce/ article on our technical blog.
Posted 23 Mar, 2012 02:45:24 Top
nwein




Posts: 577
 Joined: 2011-03-28
I'm very aware of how to deploy and how to check for updates, you can see so from my question (I've even gone furthermore to inspect your underlying code of it...).
I also knew normal clickOnce publication can't hide that window, but was hoping that your implementation of clickOnce could do it.
Thanks for the answer though.
Posted 23 Mar, 2012 12:39:43 Top
Eugene Astafiev


Guest


Hi Nir,

Thank you for the clarification.

As you may probably know, there is no way to hide this window currently. However, we will consider adding such functionality to Add-in Express. Thank you for the suggestion.
Posted 23 Mar, 2012 14:17:29 Top
nwein




Posts: 577
 Joined: 2011-03-28
Just thought I'd share with you guys that I was able to achieve this eventually by comparing my add-in's assembly version with the addin.application assemblyIdentity node, version attribute. Only if the clickOnce version is higher do I call the CheckForUpdates.
Enclosed is my code if someone is interested :) 


private static bool CheckForClickOnceUpdates()
{
	// Extract version number from addin.application file
	string clickOnceFileName = @"path_to_addin.application";

	if (!File.Exists(clickOnceFileName))
		throw new FileNotFoundException("Application file not found - " + clickOnceFileName);
	var xmlTextReader = (XmlTextReader) null;
	var xmlDocument = new XmlDocument();
	try
	{
		xmlTextReader = new XmlTextReader(clickOnceFileName);
		xmlDocument.Load(xmlTextReader);
	}
	finally
	{
		if (xmlTextReader != null)
			xmlTextReader.Close();
	}
	XmlElement documentElement = xmlDocument.DocumentElement;
	string version = string.Empty;
	if (documentElement != null)
	{
		for (int index = 0; index < documentElement.ChildNodes.Count; ++index)
		{
			XmlNode xmlNode = documentElement.ChildNodes[index];
			if (xmlNode.Name.Equals("assemblyIdentity", StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
			{
				if (xmlNode.Attributes != null)
				{
					XmlAttribute xmlAttribute = xmlNode.Attributes["version"];
					if (xmlAttribute != null)
						version = xmlAttribute.Value;
				}
				break;
			}
		}
	}

	if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(version))
	{
		// Match clickOnce version to local assembly version
		Assembly assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
		AssemblyName assemName = assembly.GetName();
		Version localVersion = assemName.Version;
		Version clickOnceVersion;
		if (Version.TryParse(version, out clickOnceVersion))
			return clickOnceVersion > localVersion;
	}
	throw new VersionNotFoundException();
}


If this method returns true I know I need to call CheckForUpdates, otherwise I don't
Posted 13 Apr, 2012 12:50:45 Top
Eugene Astafiev


Guest


Hi Nir,

Thank you for sharing your knowledge! ;-)

We will consider adding this feature to the subsequent builds of Add-in Express.
Posted 16 Apr, 2012 06:45:57 Top