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Introduction
Welcome to my article. Writing a program is only one little cog in the development wheel. The whole purpose of developing any application is to make the end user’s life easier. Knowing how to deploy your application is vital to the end user’s experience and happiness. Today, you will play around with the ApplicationDeployment class in the .NET Framework.
Software Deployment
Software deployment is all of the various activities that make a software system available for use for the end user. These activities are listed below.
Release
The release activity determines all resources required to operate on the site as well as collect necessary information for carrying out subsequent activities of deployment process.
Install and Activate
This is the activity of starting up the executable (application) of software.
Deactivate
Deactivation is the opposite of activation and refers to shutting down any running components of the executable (application).
Adapt
This activity is a process to modify a software system that has been previously installed.
Update
The update process simply replaces an earlier version of all or part of the particular software application with a newer release. There are two options here:
- Built-In: Mechanisms for installing updates are built into some software systems.
- Version tracking: Version tracking systems help users find and install updates to applications installed on their PCs or local networks.
Uninstall
Uninstallation is the opposite of installation. It is the removal of an application that is no longer required.
Retire
This happens when a software application is marked as obsolete, or support by the software producers is withdrawn. This is the end of the life cycle of a software product.
Types of Deployment
Deployment via Distributable Media: A Windows Installer gets created, which then can be distributed on CDs, DVDs, or even on a network drive.
Deployment of a Web Setup Project
You can create and deploy an application for download from a Web server.
Merge Modules
Merge Module projects allow you to create reusable setup components.
ClickOnce
ClickOnce deployment allows you to publish Windows-based applications to a Web server.
Now that you know more about Deployment, let’s have a look at the ApplicationDeployment Class.
The ApplicationDeployment Class
The ApplicationDeployment class supports updates of the current deployment programmatically, and handles on-demand downloading of files. For a detailed explanation as well as a list of properties and methods of the ApplicationDeployment class, refer to MSDN.
A Small Project
Let’s create a small Visual basic Windows Forms Project. This project will be used to determine whether or not there are updates available for your application. If there are, it will automatically download and install them.
Once you have created the project skeleton, add a textbox to your form.
Code
Add the following two namespaces:
Imports System.Deployment.Application Imports System.ComponentModel
The System.Deployment.Application namespace allows you to program custom upgrade behaviour into your ClickOnce application. The System.ComponentModel namespace provides several classes that can be used to implement the run-time and design-time behaviour of your components or your controls.
Add the following variables to your ode:
Private lngUpdateSize As Long = 0 Dim WithEvents adUpdate As ApplicationDeployment
lngUpdateSize determines the size of the potential download. adUpdate is our ApplicationDeployment object. I have declared it ‘WithEvents’ because we will make use of its events to determine updates, download updates, track updates, and install updates.
Add the Update sub that determines how the target application has been deployed:
Private Sub UpdateApplication(
If (ApplicationDeployment.IsNetworkDeployed) Then
adUpdate = ApplicationDeployment.CurrentDeployment
adUpdate.CheckForUpdateAsync()
End If
End Sub
Determine how big the Update is (if one is available):
Private Sub adUpdate_CheckForUpdateProgressChanged(ByVal _
sender As Object, ByVal e _
As DeploymentProgressChangedEventArgs) _
Handles adUpdate.CheckForUpdateProgressChanged
txtUpdateStatus.Text = [String].Format("{0:D}K of _
{1:D}K downloaded.", e.BytesCompleted / _
1024, e.BytesTotal / 1024)
End Sub
Private Sub adUpdate_CheckForUpdateCompleted(ByVal sender _
As Object, ByVal e As CheckForUpdateCompletedEventArgs) _
Handles adUpdate.CheckForUpdateCompleted
If (e.Error IsNot Nothing) Then
MessageBox.Show(("ERROR"))
Return
Else
If (e.Cancelled = True) Then
MessageBox.Show("The update was cancelled.")
End If
End If
If (e.UpdateAvailable) Then
lngUpdateSize = e.UpdateSizeBytes
If (Not e.IsUpdateRequired) Then
Dim dr As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("An update is _
available, Update now?", "Update Available", _
MessageBoxButtons.OKCancel)
If (System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK = dr) Then
BeginUpdate()
End If
Else
MessageBox.Show("A mandatory update is available and _
will be installing now")
BeginUpdate()
End If
End If
End Sub
Begin the Update:
Private Sub BeginUpdate()
adUpdate = ApplicationDeployment.CurrentDeployment
adUpdate.UpdateAsync()
End Sub
Show the progress of the update that is being downloaded and installed:
Private Sub adUpdate_UpdateProgressChanged(ByVal _
sender As Object, ByVal e As _
DeploymentProgressChangedEventArgs) Handles _
adUpdate.UpdateProgressChanged
Dim strProgress As String = String.Format("{0:D}K out _
of {1:D}K downloaded - {2:D}% complete", e.BytesCompleted / _
1024, e.BytesTotal / 1024, e.ProgressPercentage)
txtUpdateStatus.Text = strProgress
End Sub
Private Sub adUpdate_UpdateCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, _
ByVal e As AsyncCompletedEventArgs) _
Handles adUpdate.UpdateCompleted
If (e.Cancelled) Then
MessageBox.Show("The update was cancelled.")
Exit Sub
Else
If (e.Error IsNot Nothing) Then
MessageBox.Show("ERROR")
Exit Sub
End If
End If
Dim drUpdate As DialogResult = MessageBox.Show("The application _
has been updated. Restart?", "Restart Application", _
MessageBoxButtons.OKCancel)
If (drUpdate = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK) Then
Application.Restart()
End If
End Sub
Remember to use your Form_Load event or a button event; for example, to get the update process started. In the next code segment, I call the BeginUpdate procedure inside Form_Load:
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, _
e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
UpdateApplication()
End Sub
I am attaching this app as a sample for you with this article.
Conclusion
Knowing how to deploy your applications properly comes with a lot of planning and is vital for any developer. Until next time, cheers!
