Re: Update strategy?

[J. Landman Gay via use-livecode]

On 5/12/17 4:20 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:

your method also avoids the issue of launching a completely automatic
update without giving the user an opportunity to refuse. So you just
get the user to run the installer, the same way as Tiemo does - is
that right?


It would be if I still used installers. My long-term client said she'd 
never use one again, it caused more problems than it solved. So we use a 
plain .zip file now for Windows and a .dmg for Mac. That isn't without 
issues as well, mostly for Windows users, who don't always understand 
that Windows inexplicably opens the zip file with the contents 
displayed, but it isn't really unzipped. When they try to double-click 
the .exe file, it fails and usually results in a support call. The 
instructions clearly state that they need to move the enclosed folder to 
the desktop, but users don't read, especially if it is in giant red text 
with underscores and stars and italics and repeated several times. 
(Okay, I exaggerate.)


But for the most part she tells me that support is less with this method 
than it was for the installer they used to use. It probably depends on 
what installer you have. I took over the project post-installer so I 
don't have any experience with their previous product.


--
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com

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AW: Update strategy?

[Tiemo Hollmann TB via use-livecode]

I have codesigned my installers for Mac and Win, so that there are no 
additional security alerts and user request. If the installer is launched as an 
Admin (what I can require for with my innosetup installer for Win, on Mac I 
can't require, but most Mac users have admin rights), it replaces everything 
existing (except of my registration file at another location)  without 
additional requests.

Tiemo

-Ursprüngliche Nachricht-
Von: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-boun...@lists.runrev.com] Im Auftrag von 
Graham Samuel via use-livecode
Gesendet: Freitag, 12. Mai 2017 11:21
An: How to use LiveCode <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com>
Cc: Graham Samuel <livf...@mac.com>
Betreff: Re: Update strategy?

Thanks again Jacque

Yes, I see the wisdom of that - your method also avoids the issue of launching 
a completely automatic update without giving the user an opportunity to refuse. 
So you just get the user to run the installer, the same way as Tiemo does - is 
that right? 

Obviously one wants the update to be as user-friendly as possible. Can the 
installer (on Mac and Windows) simply clear out the old version without asking 
for permission? This is desirable from an ease-of-use standpoint. Presumably 
also if registration has already taken place, the record of that will still be 
stored in the local prefs file or wherever, so the user won’t have to re-insert 
the registration key.

Still trying to get it exactly right.

Graham

> On 10 May 2017, at 22:11, J. Landman Gay via use-livecode 
> <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
> On 5/10/17 1:00 PM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
>> Yes, but what if you want to update the launcher itself? Maybe I have 
>> made my ‘splash’ stack too rich in function, but I can easily see it 
>> needing revision. Because of this, I’m thinking of altering the 
>> structure of the app so that the update code is more or less all that 
>> is in the standalone recognised by the operating system, and all 
>> other stacks (including 90 percent of the original splash stack) are 
>> simply downloaded after the decision whether to update is made. Or is 
>> this stupid?
> 
> No, it's smart. The launcher should be the barest minimum required to get the 
> rest of the data/stacks/whatever to load. That way there is rarely a need to 
> update.
> 
> I've generally taken the easy way out. If I do need to update the launcher 
> itself, it asks the user if they want to update and then launches a URL to a 
> web page that has the download. I figure if the user could get it installed 
> the first time, they can install the update. That's lazy on my part, but so 
> far there haven't been many issues with it.
> 
> That's for desktop only. On mobile it's easy to let the OS do the updating.
> 
> -- 
> Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
> HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
> 
> 
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AW: Update strategy?

[Tiemo Hollmann TB via use-livecode]

Even if you try to keep the code in the "update launcher" as small as possible, 
there can still keep the whish to update the "update launcher" itself, as you 
say. E.g. I once had to revise the options on how to check for a new update in 
the "update launcher". Starting a download, launching the downloaded update 
installer and exiting itself can update anything you want including the 
launcher itself.
Tiemo


-Ursprüngliche Nachricht-
Von: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-boun...@lists.runrev.com] Im Auftrag von 
Graham Samuel via use-livecode
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 10. Mai 2017 20:00
An: How to use LiveCode <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com>
Cc: Graham Samuel <livf...@mac.com>
Betreff: Re: Update strategy?

Yes, but what if you want to update the launcher itself? Maybe I have made my 
‘splash’ stack too rich in function, but I can easily see it needing revision. 
Because of this, I’m thinking of altering the structure of the app so that the 
update code is more or less all that is in the standalone recognised by the 
operating system, and all other stacks (including 90 percent of the original 
splash stack) are simply downloaded after the decision whether to update is 
made. Or is this stupid?

Thanks as ever for your reply.

Graham

> On 10 May 2017, at 19:08, J. Landman Gay via use-livecode 
> <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
> On 5/10/17 8:10 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
>> I have already got the idea of the text file and the test you 
>> mention. I now have to experiment with the “open invisible” approach.
>> I have had so many problems with the IDE when trying to open two 
>> stacks with the same name (it’s impossible AFAIKR - because LC 
>> doesn’t have any hierarchical concept of stack names).
> 
> I put the update code into the standalone launcher, and run it before it 
> opens the data stack. That way you don't have two data stacks at the same 
> time.
> 
> -- 
> Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
> HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
> 
> 
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Re: Update strategy?

[J. Landman Gay via use-livecode]

On 5/10/17 1:00 PM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:

Yes, but what if you want to update the launcher itself? Maybe I have
made my ‘splash’ stack too rich in function, but I can easily see it
needing revision. Because of this, I’m thinking of altering the
structure of the app so that the update code is more or less all that
is in the standalone recognised by the operating system, and all
other stacks (including 90 percent of the original splash stack) are
simply downloaded after the decision whether to update is made. Or is
this stupid?


No, it's smart. The launcher should be the barest minimum required to 
get the rest of the data/stacks/whatever to load. That way there is 
rarely a need to update.


I've generally taken the easy way out. If I do need to update the 
launcher itself, it asks the user if they want to update and then 
launches a URL to a web page that has the download. I figure if the user 
could get it installed the first time, they can install the update. 
That's lazy on my part, but so far there haven't been many issues with it.


That's for desktop only. On mobile it's easy to let the OS do the updating.

--
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com


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Re: Update strategy?

[Graham Samuel via use-livecode]

Yes, but what if you want to update the launcher itself? Maybe I have made my 
‘splash’ stack too rich in function, but I can easily see it needing revision. 
Because of this, I’m thinking of altering the structure of the app so that the 
update code is more or less all that is in the standalone recognised by the 
operating system, and all other stacks (including 90 percent of the original 
splash stack) are simply downloaded after the decision whether to update is 
made. Or is this stupid?

Thanks as ever for your reply.

Graham

> On 10 May 2017, at 19:08, J. Landman Gay via use-livecode 
>  wrote:
> 
> On 5/10/17 8:10 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
>> I have already got the idea of the text file and the test you
>> mention. I now have to experiment with the “open invisible” approach.
>> I have had so many problems with the IDE when trying to open two
>> stacks with the same name (it’s impossible AFAIKR - because LC
>> doesn’t have any hierarchical concept of stack names).
> 
> I put the update code into the standalone launcher, and run it before it 
> opens the data stack. That way you don't have two data stacks at the same 
> time.
> 
> -- 
> Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
> HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com
> 
> 
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Re: Update strategy?

[J. Landman Gay via use-livecode]

On 5/10/17 8:10 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:

I have already got the idea of the text file and the test you
mention. I now have to experiment with the “open invisible” approach.
I have had so many problems with the IDE when trying to open two
stacks with the same name (it’s impossible AFAIKR - because LC
doesn’t have any hierarchical concept of stack names).


I put the update code into the standalone launcher, and run it before it 
opens the data stack. That way you don't have two data stacks at the 
same time.


--
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jac...@hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software   | http://www.hyperactivesw.com


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Re: Update strategy?

[Bob Sneidar via use-livecode]

I think what they do is launch an updater app just before quiting themselves. 
The updater stack replaces the app stack, launches the app stack then quits 
itself. Only way I would know how to do it. 

Bob S


> On May 10, 2017, at 04:35 , Graham Samuel via use-livecode 
>  wrote:
> 
> I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server 
> where the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then 
> somehow replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I 
> can think of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any 
> approach to the server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so far 
> I am vague about how a running standalone can replace itself - something do 
> do with file names, perhaps?
> 
> I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.
> 
> Graham

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Re: Update strategy?

[Paul Dupuis via use-livecode]

Your conflicting name problems is an example of why it is often best to
have an "updater" or "installer" stack or executable.

What gets downloaded and run is a stack whose function is to shut down
the old stack and clear it out of memory and download the new version
and set it up and then exit itself


On 5/10/2017 9:10 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
> Thanks for the quick reply, Paul!
>
> I have already got the idea of the text file and the test you mention. I now 
> have to experiment with the “open invisible” approach. I have had so many 
> problems with the IDE when trying to open two stacks with the same name (it’s 
> impossible AFAIKR - because LC doesn’t have any hierarchical concept of stack 
> names). So maybe I have to give my updated stack a fake name, download it, 
> activate it, get it to delete the old stack (since that one isn’t running any 
> more) and then change its name to the ‘normal’ name formerly given to the now 
> deleted stack… seems convoluted. Time to experiment, I guess.
>
> Graham
>
>> On 10 May 2017, at 14:05, Paul Dupuis via use-livecode 
>>  wrote:
>>
>> There are a number of ways to potentially do this, but you have the gist
>> already.
>>
>> I'd recommend a check for updates that just fetches a text file with the
>> latest version number from your sever with a : Put URL > VersionFile> into tSomeVar
>> check the result for any error, such as the internet not being available
>>
>> Then compare the current version to the new version in tSomeVar. If
>> there is no new version, exit your update handler. If there is a new
>> version, you can then download the new stack from a fixed URL OR the
>> version text file could contain the version number and URL ofthe new
>> stack as 2 items or 2 lines.
>>
>> You can open invisible URL 
>>
>> To download and open the new stack in memory. That stack may not be you
>> "new" stack of your application, but an updater stack that fetched you
>> new application stack, and updates your old stack.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 5/10/2017 7:35 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
>>> Apologies if this has come up relatively recently, but I have not been very 
>>> attentive to the list for a bit…
>>>
>>> I have a desktop app (though in principle it could be on mobile) which uses 
>>> a variant of the ‘splashscreen’ structure. What happens is that the app as 
>>> seen by the operating system is actually an initialisation stack, which 
>>> then calls in a stack containing the bulk of the script and graphics for 
>>> the app and executes that. (I call this a ‘data stack’ although this is a 
>>> bit of misnomer, as it does contain the script libraries that do most of 
>>> the work.) The clean (template) copy if this data stack is stored in the 
>>> app’s resources folder, and is loaded the first time the app is started; 
>>> thereafter the user can alter the data stack, and the altered version is 
>>> saved in the application data folder. There is a reset facility for going 
>>> back to the clean template.
>>>
>>> When a new version of the app is installed, the splash stack detects that 
>>> the data stack is in old format (actually, that it has an old version 
>>> number) and forces a reset, thus ensuring that the latest data stack comes 
>>> into use.
>>>
>>> All this works quite nicely, but I notice so many apps that automatically 
>>> check for updates, providing a dialog to the user offering to do the 
>>> update: if the user agrees, then the update takes place without further 
>>> intervention.
>>>
>>> I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server 
>>> where the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then 
>>> somehow replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I 
>>> can think of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any 
>>> approach to the server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so 
>>> far I am vague about how a running standalone can replace itself - 
>>> something do do with file names, perhaps?
>>>
>>> I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.
>>>
>>> Graham
>>>
>>>
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>>> subscription preferences:
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>>
>>
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Re: Update strategy?

[Graham Samuel via use-livecode]

Ha! This is all very educational - thanks! So you make your user go through a 
classic installation process - more obvious to the user on a Mac. I notice that 
some of the apps I used in daily life do this (for example, the Microsoft ones 
do, I think) but others simply do the whole job invisibly (without a visible 
installer interface) once the user has agreed to the update - usually this is 
done via a button that is labelled something like “update and re-launch”. Some 
others simply do the whole update without explicitly involving the user - this 
was probably a preference set earlier on - I am not quite so comfortable with 
this, but I guess it’s just a matter of taste really.

The use of the real installer after the user has already gone through the 
licensing process (when they first obtained the product) seems to me to call 
for a different “update” mode for the installer. At least my current .dmg on 
the Mac, made with DropDMG, asks the user to accept the licensing terms etc. 
Another reason to experiment, perhaps.

Anyway, thanks very much for the insight.

Graham

> On 10 May 2017, at 15:10, Tiemo Hollmann TB via use-livecode 
> <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com> wrote:
> 
> I have an installer for the updates on both platforms Win and Mac, what makes 
> it pretty easy.
> My Splash stack checks for updates (if there is internet, e.g. if you can 
> access URL google.com, if there is a newer version for this platform, etc.). 
> If there is an update, it starts the download of the update (and unzips it on 
> windows), starts the downloaded installer and exit itself.
> Now the installer is launched (on Mac the user has to open the DMG) and the 
> installer can replace everything including the start application. At the end 
> of the update the installer calls the (updated) application and the user goes 
> on with the new update. So the update circle is closed.
> 
> Tiemo
> 
> -Ursprüngliche Nachricht-
> Von: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-boun...@lists.runrev.com] Im Auftrag 
> von Graham Samuel via use-livecode
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 10. Mai 2017 13:35
> An: How to use LiveCode <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com>
> Cc: Graham Samuel <livf...@mac.com>
> Betreff: Update strategy?
> 
> Apologies if this has come up relatively recently, but I have not been very 
> attentive to the list for a bit…
> 
> I have a desktop app (though in principle it could be on mobile) which uses a 
> variant of the ‘splashscreen’ structure. What happens is that the app as seen 
> by the operating system is actually an initialisation stack, which then calls 
> in a stack containing the bulk of the script and graphics for the app and 
> executes that. (I call this a ‘data stack’ although this is a bit of 
> misnomer, as it does contain the script libraries that do most of the work.) 
> The clean (template) copy if this data stack is stored in the app’s resources 
> folder, and is loaded the first time the app is started; thereafter the user 
> can alter the data stack, and the altered version is saved in the application 
> data folder. There is a reset facility for going back to the clean template.
> 
> When a new version of the app is installed, the splash stack detects that the 
> data stack is in old format (actually, that it has an old version number) and 
> forces a reset, thus ensuring that the latest data stack comes into use.
> 
> All this works quite nicely, but I notice so many apps that automatically 
> check for updates, providing a dialog to the user offering to do the update: 
> if the user agrees, then the update takes place without further intervention.
> 
> I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server 
> where the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then 
> somehow replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I 
> can think of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any 
> approach to the server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so far 
> I am vague about how a running standalone can replace itself - something do 
> do with file names, perhaps?
> 
> I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.
> 
> Graham
> 
> 
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AW: Update strategy?

[Tiemo Hollmann TB via use-livecode]

I have an installer for the updates on both platforms Win and Mac, what makes 
it pretty easy.
My Splash stack checks for updates (if there is internet, e.g. if you can 
access URL google.com, if there is a newer version for this platform, etc.). If 
there is an update, it starts the download of the update (and unzips it on 
windows), starts the downloaded installer and exit itself.
Now the installer is launched (on Mac the user has to open the DMG) and the 
installer can replace everything including the start application. At the end of 
the update the installer calls the (updated) application and the user goes on 
with the new update. So the update circle is closed.

Tiemo

-Ursprüngliche Nachricht-
Von: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-boun...@lists.runrev.com] Im Auftrag von 
Graham Samuel via use-livecode
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 10. Mai 2017 13:35
An: How to use LiveCode <use-livecode@lists.runrev.com>
Cc: Graham Samuel <livf...@mac.com>
Betreff: Update strategy?

Apologies if this has come up relatively recently, but I have not been very 
attentive to the list for a bit…

I have a desktop app (though in principle it could be on mobile) which uses a 
variant of the ‘splashscreen’ structure. What happens is that the app as seen 
by the operating system is actually an initialisation stack, which then calls 
in a stack containing the bulk of the script and graphics for the app and 
executes that. (I call this a ‘data stack’ although this is a bit of misnomer, 
as it does contain the script libraries that do most of the work.) The clean 
(template) copy if this data stack is stored in the app’s resources folder, and 
is loaded the first time the app is started; thereafter the user can alter the 
data stack, and the altered version is saved in the application data folder. 
There is a reset facility for going back to the clean template.

When a new version of the app is installed, the splash stack detects that the 
data stack is in old format (actually, that it has an old version number) and 
forces a reset, thus ensuring that the latest data stack comes into use.

All this works quite nicely, but I notice so many apps that automatically check 
for updates, providing a dialog to the user offering to do the update: if the 
user agrees, then the update takes place without further intervention.

I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server where 
the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then somehow 
replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I can think 
of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any approach to the 
server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so far I am vague about 
how a running standalone can replace itself - something do do with file names, 
perhaps?

I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.

Graham


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Re: Update strategy?

[Graham Samuel via use-livecode]

Thanks for the quick reply, Paul!

I have already got the idea of the text file and the test you mention. I now 
have to experiment with the “open invisible” approach. I have had so many 
problems with the IDE when trying to open two stacks with the same name (it’s 
impossible AFAIKR - because LC doesn’t have any hierarchical concept of stack 
names). So maybe I have to give my updated stack a fake name, download it, 
activate it, get it to delete the old stack (since that one isn’t running any 
more) and then change its name to the ‘normal’ name formerly given to the now 
deleted stack… seems convoluted. Time to experiment, I guess.

Graham

> On 10 May 2017, at 14:05, Paul Dupuis via use-livecode 
>  wrote:
> 
> There are a number of ways to potentially do this, but you have the gist
> already.
> 
> I'd recommend a check for updates that just fetches a text file with the
> latest version number from your sever with a : Put URL  VersionFile> into tSomeVar
> check the result for any error, such as the internet not being available
> 
> Then compare the current version to the new version in tSomeVar. If
> there is no new version, exit your update handler. If there is a new
> version, you can then download the new stack from a fixed URL OR the
> version text file could contain the version number and URL ofthe new
> stack as 2 items or 2 lines.
> 
> You can open invisible URL 
> 
> To download and open the new stack in memory. That stack may not be you
> "new" stack of your application, but an updater stack that fetched you
> new application stack, and updates your old stack.
> 
> 
> 
> On 5/10/2017 7:35 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
>> Apologies if this has come up relatively recently, but I have not been very 
>> attentive to the list for a bit…
>> 
>> I have a desktop app (though in principle it could be on mobile) which uses 
>> a variant of the ‘splashscreen’ structure. What happens is that the app as 
>> seen by the operating system is actually an initialisation stack, which then 
>> calls in a stack containing the bulk of the script and graphics for the app 
>> and executes that. (I call this a ‘data stack’ although this is a bit of 
>> misnomer, as it does contain the script libraries that do most of the work.) 
>> The clean (template) copy if this data stack is stored in the app’s 
>> resources folder, and is loaded the first time the app is started; 
>> thereafter the user can alter the data stack, and the altered version is 
>> saved in the application data folder. There is a reset facility for going 
>> back to the clean template.
>> 
>> When a new version of the app is installed, the splash stack detects that 
>> the data stack is in old format (actually, that it has an old version 
>> number) and forces a reset, thus ensuring that the latest data stack comes 
>> into use.
>> 
>> All this works quite nicely, but I notice so many apps that automatically 
>> check for updates, providing a dialog to the user offering to do the update: 
>> if the user agrees, then the update takes place without further intervention.
>> 
>> I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server 
>> where the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then 
>> somehow replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I 
>> can think of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any 
>> approach to the server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so far 
>> I am vague about how a running standalone can replace itself - something do 
>> do with file names, perhaps?
>> 
>> I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.
>> 
>> Graham
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
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Re: Update strategy?

[Paul Dupuis via use-livecode]

There are a number of ways to potentially do this, but you have the gist
already.

I'd recommend a check for updates that just fetches a text file with the
latest version number from your sever with a : Put URL  into tSomeVar
check the result for any error, such as the internet not being available

Then compare the current version to the new version in tSomeVar. If
there is no new version, exit your update handler. If there is a new
version, you can then download the new stack from a fixed URL OR the
version text file could contain the version number and URL ofthe new
stack as 2 items or 2 lines.

You can open invisible URL 

To download and open the new stack in memory. That stack may not be you
"new" stack of your application, but an updater stack that fetched you
new application stack, and updates your old stack.



On 5/10/2017 7:35 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode wrote:
> Apologies if this has come up relatively recently, but I have not been very 
> attentive to the list for a bit…
>
> I have a desktop app (though in principle it could be on mobile) which uses a 
> variant of the ‘splashscreen’ structure. What happens is that the app as seen 
> by the operating system is actually an initialisation stack, which then calls 
> in a stack containing the bulk of the script and graphics for the app and 
> executes that. (I call this a ‘data stack’ although this is a bit of 
> misnomer, as it does contain the script libraries that do most of the work.) 
> The clean (template) copy if this data stack is stored in the app’s resources 
> folder, and is loaded the first time the app is started; thereafter the user 
> can alter the data stack, and the altered version is saved in the application 
> data folder. There is a reset facility for going back to the clean template.
>
> When a new version of the app is installed, the splash stack detects that the 
> data stack is in old format (actually, that it has an old version number) and 
> forces a reset, thus ensuring that the latest data stack comes into use.
>
> All this works quite nicely, but I notice so many apps that automatically 
> check for updates, providing a dialog to the user offering to do the update: 
> if the user agrees, then the update takes place without further intervention.
>
> I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server 
> where the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then 
> somehow replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I 
> can think of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any 
> approach to the server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so far 
> I am vague about how a running standalone can replace itself - something do 
> do with file names, perhaps?
>
> I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.
>
> Graham
>
>
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Update strategy?

[Graham Samuel via use-livecode]

Apologies if this has come up relatively recently, but I have not been very 
attentive to the list for a bit…

I have a desktop app (though in principle it could be on mobile) which uses a 
variant of the ‘splashscreen’ structure. What happens is that the app as seen 
by the operating system is actually an initialisation stack, which then calls 
in a stack containing the bulk of the script and graphics for the app and 
executes that. (I call this a ‘data stack’ although this is a bit of misnomer, 
as it does contain the script libraries that do most of the work.) The clean 
(template) copy if this data stack is stored in the app’s resources folder, and 
is loaded the first time the app is started; thereafter the user can alter the 
data stack, and the altered version is saved in the application data folder. 
There is a reset facility for going back to the clean template.

When a new version of the app is installed, the splash stack detects that the 
data stack is in old format (actually, that it has an old version number) and 
forces a reset, thus ensuring that the latest data stack comes into use.

All this works quite nicely, but I notice so many apps that automatically check 
for updates, providing a dialog to the user offering to do the update: if the 
user agrees, then the update takes place without further intervention.

I can kind of see how to do this (the splash stack checks with the server where 
the app originated to see if there is a more up to date version, then somehow 
replaces itself), but are there any gotchas in this approach? One I can think 
of so far is when the user runs the app offline, so that any approach to the 
server will fail - not sure how to detect that. Also, so far I am vague about 
how a running standalone can replace itself - something do do with file names, 
perhaps?

I’d be grateful for any advice or experience.

Graham


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