features
Product Features
January 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
MSI Factory 2.0 incorporates a rich feature set to assist developers with the complex challenges associated with developing MSI format installer packages. MSI Factory 2.0 offers a complete set of advanced installer capabilities including an intelligent development environment, a revolutionary fully scriptable .EXE bootstrap wrapper with LZMA data compression and 300+ easy to use actions for creating totally custom installation solutions. MSI Factory generates an installer that can work with all versions of Windows from 95 to Vista.
Some features of MSI Factory 2.0 include…
Industry Standard
Generates 100% pure MSI format installation packages with optional fully scriptable .EXE bootstrap wrapper.
Next Generation
The first visual setup builder to fully leverage Microsoft’s Windows Installer XML (WiX) compiler technology. Microsoft uses WiX internally for creating installers for Office, SQL Server, BizTalk, Instant Messenger and more.
Intelligent Design
MSI Factory 2.0’s visual IDE focuses you on the files you want to distribute, rather than on abstract concepts like components and GUIDs.
Powerful Actions
Extensive list of actions including: registry editing, shortcut icons, file operations, INI files, environment variables, custom VBScript/JScript, file permissions, installing and controlling services, XML editing, working with ODBC and much more.
LUA Scripting
Scripting language with 300+ custom actions makes it easy to extend/customize both the MSI installer and the bootstrapper.
Vista Compatible
Make a single installer that is compatible with all Windows systems, including Vista, XP, Server 2003, 2000, ME, 98 and 95.
Bootstrap Wrapper
Unique fully scriptable .EXE bootstrap wrapper with LZMA compression and 200+ actions including HTTP downloads for unprecedented flexibility in an MSI based installer.
WiX
Generate Windows Installer XML (WiX) compatible source projects with integrated support for WiX fragments and extensions.
Rapid Installer Development
Simply drag and drop your files onto the project window, and click on the build button. You’ll be up and running in minutes.
Merge Modules
Easily add 3rd party merge modules (.MSM) and components.
LZMA Compression
LZMA data compression of the fully scriptable single-file .EXE bootstrap wrapper ensures the smallest installers possible.
Visual Dialog Editor
For quickly customizing the user interface. Includes 22 different control types (check boxes, radio buttons, bitmaps, edit fields, list boxes, selection trees, icons, scrollable text, etc.) for creating fully custom dialogs.
.NET Ready
Automatic bootstrap installation of the .NET and .MSI runtimes.
System Editors
Extensive list of actions including: registry editing, shortcut icons, file operations, INI files, environment variables, custom VBScript/JScript, file permissions, installing and controlling services, XML editing, working with ODBC and much more.
Project Wizard
Walks you through the creation of a professional software installer complete with custom dialogs, maintenance mode and a full uninstaller.
CD/DVD
Create installers that span multiple CD/DVD discs using the Media Manager to assist you with the layout.
Internet
Integrated Authenticode signing ensures Internet download compatibility.
Multilingual
A unique language selector is included in the visual dialog editor, making it easy to create multilingual user interfaces and modify translations at will.
Latest Technology
Installers made with MSI Factory 2.0 work on all Windows systems and are fully MSI compatible. With next generation WiX 3.0 compiler technology and support for MSI 4.0 at your disposal, you’re working with the latest and greatest.
Enterprise Ready
Essential features for team and enterprise development include automated builds, preprocessor defines, pre/post build steps and integrated support for WiX fragments and extensions.
Trusted By Millions
Our software development tools are used by over 20,000 software developers to reach millions of desktops around the world.
Superior Support
Indigo Rose stands behind its products with a refreshingly personal approach to technical support. We’ll treat you like the valued customer that you are.
Intelligent Choice
Compare it to other tools. MSI Factory 2.0 is easier to use, gives you next generation technology, has superior technical support and is priced lower than competitive products.
features
Setup Factory Product Features
January 28, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Don’t be fooled by products costing twice as much – Setup Factory 8 has everything you need to make rock-solid professional software installers. It’s also easier to use and faster to work with. Setup Factory 8 features a quick-start project wizard, customizable dialogs, themes/skins, runtime modules, multilingual support, MD5 encoded serial numbers, single-file setup.exe for internet downloads, powerful scripting engine with 250+ functions, Authenticode support and much more.
Standard Features
Install Any File – Anywhere!
Setup Factory 8 features an unbeatable development environment that puts you in total control of your files. Simply drag and drop your files and folders onto the project window and you’re ready to build. Setup Factory is smart enough to maintain your folder structure, automatically query version resource information, create shortcut icons and ensure 100% data integrity with reliable CRC-32 checking. Of course, everything can be customized and overridden if you wish, but for most projects the improved Project Wizard can handle it all with just a few clicks.
Compact Single-File Setups
Smaller and faster means a better experience for your customers and Setup Factory 8 delivers. Compare our tiny ~450 KB runtime overhead (including uninstall) to the competition and see for yourself. Additionally, with no “unpacking” step required, Setup Factory 8 installers are also much faster to initialize and install than those created by competitive tools. What’s more, our Publishing Wizard walks you through the build process with a few easy steps. The single-file setup.exe is ready for distribution by web, email, LAN, CD, DVD and even floppy disk.
Project Wizard Quick-Start
Spend five minutes with Setup Factory’s easy to use Project Wizard and come away with a complete, ready to build installation project. You’ll be walked through each option so you can get your project started as quickly as possible.
Flexible Uninstaller
Setup Factory 8 features a new and improved uninstall feature. Simply turn it on and let Setup Factory worry about removing your files. Anything that is installed during the setup will be marked for removal by the uninstaller. However, if you want to go in and tinker with the settings, you’ll find that the uninstaller is now fully customizable. You can take full control of what files are removed, what shortcut icons are deleted, what registry changes are made and anything else you require. Even the dialog screens and sequence can be adjusted to suit your needs!
System Requirements Checking
You can easily enforce system requirements just by clicking a few boxes. Built-in checks include operating system, memory, screen resolution, color depth and administrator privileges. If the user’s system does not meet the minimum requirements you have chosen, the installer can either warn the user or abort the setup entirely.
Advanced Features
NEW! Support for Files Larger Than 2GB
Are you distributing massive data files? Setup Factory 8 is up to the challenge. While many installers will choke on files larger than 2GB in size, Setup Factory 8 sails right on through. In fact, with our new LZMA data compression, you’ll also get dramatically better compression ratios and lightning fast installs.
Serial Numbers, Security and Access Features
Setup Factory includes a variety of features designed to help you manage access to your software, including serial number lists and date-based expiration. With its powerful serial number generator you can quickly create thousands of unique serial numbers, which are stored internally as secure MD5 hashes. Hidden from prying eyes, your installer data is compressed using proprietary algorithms and only accessible to those users who supply a valid serial number. Of course, if you’d rather do it yourself, Setup Factory 8 is flexible enough to support your own custom validation and authorization schemes.
Packages, Categories and Install Types
Creating installers for complex and multi-part products is now easier than ever. With dramatically improved support for grouping files into packages, it’s a snap to group products and features into a single installer. There’s even support for categories so you can group your packages into logical components. It’s the ultimate in flexibility for those large projects that need to support different installation types like typical, minimum, complete and custom.
Dependency Modules & Runtime Support
Instantly add runtime support for many popular third-party technologies, including Visual Basic 5.0, Visual Basic 6.0, DCOM, JET, MDAC, Visual C++ and more. Additional dependency modules are easy to create and integrate seamlessly into the development environment. Setup Factory 8 gives you complete control over the detection and installation of each module, so you can easily adjust the behavior to suite your particular requirements.
NEW! Latest Technologies
In addition to the classic modules like Visual Basic 5.0/6.0, DCOM, JET and MDAC – Setup Factory 8.0 now includes easy-to-use runtime dependency modules for the newest and most popular technologies like .NET 3.0, .NET 3.5, SQL Express 2005, Visual C++ 2008 and Windows Installer 3.1 v2.
International Language Support
Setup Factory 8 offers unsurpassed support for multilingual installations right out of the box. While some products charge you extra for this essential feature (or don’t offer it at all), Setup Factory 8 gives you everything you need to support your customers and clients around the world. Installers created with Setup Factory can automatically determine the language of the client operating system and adjust the display of screens and messages appropriately. Whether you need to support English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or any other language recognized by Windows, with Setup Factory 8.0 you simply provide the text and your installer takes care of the rest!
NEW! LZMA Data Compression
With Setup Factory 8’s new high performance LZMA data compression, you’ll see remarkably smaller installers as well as faster installation performance than ever before. Compared to Setup Factory 7, our test results show up to 300% better compression performance and up to 20% faster installation speed. You’ll be able to fit more on each CD/DVD (that’s a potentially huge manufacturing cost savings) and reduce your bandwidth for Internet distributed installers (that saves both you and your customers time and money). Additionally, customers will notice that your installers finish faster – and that means happier customers!
NEW! Automatic Authenticode Signing
It’s never been faster or easier to “codesign” your installer executable. Authenticode signing is incredibly important for both Internet downloads and Vista compatibility. Simply point Setup Factory 8 to your certificate and private key files, give it the description information and it will automatically sign your setup.exe during the build process.
Customize the Look of Your Installer
Install Wizard Screens
Over 20 pre-built layouts handle just about any task your installer could want, and it’s easy to adjust them to fit your needs exactly using the advanced dialog editor. There’s everything from check boxes, radio buttons and edit fields to popular screens like license agreements, serial number verification, shortcut folder selection and other advanced options. Each screen features a real-time preview so you can see the result of your changes as you work.
Themes and Skins
Choose from dozens of pre-made themes (skins) for your screens or even make your own. It’s as easy as viewing a live dialog preview and picking your favorite style. You can configure everything from fonts (face, color, size, style) and banner images to body/background graphics, control colors (buttons, check boxes, radio buttons) and more. Whether your installer needs a corporate feel or a hip attitude, you can do it with Setup Factory 8!
NEW! Visual Dialog Editor
One of your most asked for features is finally here. You now have the freedom to create your own custom dialogs from scratch! Start off with an empty wizard dialog and then drop whatever controls you require onto it. Resize them, reposition them, call script code and much more. It’s fully featured and totally visual. When one of the built-in dialogs doesn’t get you where you want to go, the new visual dialog editor is sure to fit the bill.
Background Window Options
Choose between the traditional setup-wizard style or the modern Windows Installer style interface. You can customize the background window with gradients, images, color washes, headlines and footer text with 3D effects. Now you can also select a custom taskbar icon, force the setup window to remain on top of other windows or even hide the taskbar icon completely for totally silent installs.
NEW! Custom Setup Icon and Version Resource Info
You can now change the embedded setup.exe icon as well as the embedded version resource information (comments, product version, company name, product name, description, trademark, copyright etc.). While other installers force you to display their branding to your customers, Setup Factory 8 gives you the freedom to brand your installer however you see fit.
Scripting System for 100% Flexibility
Powerful Scripting Engine
Setup Factory incorporates an incredibly powerful free-form scripting engine. Based on the popular LUA language, this easy to understand scripting language features everything from “for, repeat and while” loops, to “if/else” conditions, functions, variables and tables (associative arrays). Paired with the built-in action library, full mathematical evaluation and Boolean expressions, there’s simply nothing you can’t achieve. Of course, we’ve also built in an “Action Wizard” and “Code Wizard” so even complete novices can create powerful installers that handle even the most demanding installation tasks.
Extensive Action Library
Setup Factory comes with a built-in library of more than 360 easy to use actions, so you can do whatever you need without having to be an advanced programmer. There are actions to handle everything from text file editing to system registry changes. You can execute programs, call DLL functions, query drive information, manipulate strings, copy files, enumerate processes, start and stop services, interact with web scripts, display dialog boxes and much more.
Fill-in-the-Blanks Style Action Wizard
You don’t have to be a wizard to create powerful installers with Setup Factory 8. We’ve built the wizard into the software! Simply choose the action you want from a categorized list (complete with on-screen interactive help), fill in the requested information fields and the wizard does the rest. You don’t have to know anything about scripting or programming – just fill in the blanks and you’re done. Making changes is just as easy. Click on the line you want to change and press the “edit” button to go back to the original form. It’s really that easy.
Color Syntax Highlighting Action Editor
If you’ve outgrown the Action Wizard interface or simply want to unleash the power of the fast and efficient scripting engine, we’ve got you covered. The Setup Factory 8 freeform action editor features all of the professional features you’d expect. There’s color syntax highlighting, code completion, function highlighting, as-you-type action prototypes, Ctrl+Space function listings and even context-sensitive help. If you’re used to programming in Microsoft® Visual Basic, Microsoft® Visual C++ or any other modern development language, you’ll be right at home.
NEW! Stand Alone Script Editor
Setup Factory 8.0 now includes the Indigo Rose Script Editor application. This new stand-alone program allows you to edit your installer scripts outside of the Setup Factory 8 IDE. Includes support for syntax highlighting, intellisense code completion and help file integration. Simply run “IRScriptEditor.exe” from the Setup Factory 8 program folder.
NEW! Extensive MSI Action Library
For when you want your Setup Factory 8 “script” installer to interact with “MSI” installers like Indigo Rose’s MSI Factory. These new actions leverage the Windows Installer service technology on the user’s system. They make it easy to query the state of products, features and components on the user’s system that were installed with a MSI Windows Installer package.
Expandable with Action Plugins
Setup Factory 8 can be easily expanded with Action Plugins. These plugin modules can extend the product in infinitely powerful ways, such as adding support for databases, XML, data encryption and FTP file transfers. Tight integration with the design environment – including IntelliSense style code completion and syntax highlighting – makes them just as easy to use as built-in actions. Plugins are available through Indigo Rose as well as third-party developers thanks to Indigo Rose’s freely available plugin development kit.
NEW! Custom Error Handling Events
Sometimes things go wrong during install or uninstall. Perhaps the user doesn’t have the correct system requirements, or is missing a required application. With Setup Factory 8 you can either let the installer handle it with intelligent defaults, or you can now trigger script code thanks to the new “On Install Error” and “On Uninstall Error” events. These events are fired when an error occurs during the setup or uninstall, allowing you to handle it in a custom way.
NEW! More Script Actions than Ever
Setup Factory 8 now comes with over 360 high level functions (actions) for use in your installer scripts. That’s 40+ more than in v7.0. We’ve built in some real goodies too, such as the new MSI action library.
Productivity & Team Development
Built-in Spelling Checker
Now it’s easier than ever to make sure that typos don’t creep into your projects. Basically anywhere you can type, you can perform a spell check to ensure error-free text. Dictionaries are available for over a dozen languages including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Czech, Polish and Slovenian.
Reports and Logs
Keeping track of the essential details of your installation project is now just a couple of clicks away. With improved HTML-based project reports (featuring CSS formatting) and text-based install-time log files, you’ll have an accurate record of everything you need. New options let you control the level of detail being logged, including options for recording errors and script actions.
Silent Installs
Create silent installations that operate without displaying user interface dialogs, prompts, messages or errors. Easily read command defaults from a response file and control the installation automatically. Silent installs let you maintain control over hundreds or thousands of workstations while enforcing corporate standards. New options let you enable silent installs with a command line switch, or even force the installer to always run in unattended mode. Setup Factory 8 installers automatically return command line status codes and can be easily called from batch files and automatic build processes.
Visual Basic Project Scanner
If you’re creating installers for your Visual Basic projects, then look no further! Setup Factory can analyze your VB project and automatically add the necessary runtime files and dependencies for you. There’s even an advanced executable scanner that can assist you in determining required DLL’s and libraries for those difficult to manage multi-team projects.
Unattended Builds
Setup Factory 8 fits seamlessly into your daily build process. Creating your product installer every time you build your source code makes it easy to test early and often. Simply include your Setup Factory project in your build process to run automatically and output a finished setup.exe.
NEW! Plays Well with Source Control
For those of you who prefer to keep your Setup Factory project files in a source control system, we’ve made it possible to turn off the recording of file time, statistical data, and version information inside the project file. This makes it much easier to add Setup Factory project files to source control and not trigger immaterial “changes.”
100% Compatible
Works with Windows 95 through Windows 7
While other installer tools are dropping support for older operating systems such as Windows 95 and 98, we believe that your choice of installation builder shouldn’t limit your potential market. Setups created with Setup Factory 8 work just fine on every Windows operating system from Windows 95 to Windows 7.
NEW! Updated for Windows 7, Vista, XP, Server 2003 and Server 2008
Build your installer with Setup Factory 8.2 and relax. We’ve included all of the latest OS detections, automatically populated built-in variables with the latest “popular” folder locations (e.g. CommonDocumentsFolder, MyMusicFolder, MyPicturesFolder, MyVideosFolder) and built-in the smarts so your installer will work on the newest operating systems as well as legacy systems all the way back to Windows 95. Ask the competition if they can do that…
NEW! 64 Bit Windows
There is now a new global variable that returns the location of “_ProgramFilesFolder64″ as well as session variables for locating “%ProgramFilesFolder64%” and “%CommonFilesFolder64%.”
Comprehensive User’s Guide
We listened when you said you wanted more learning resources. The new user’s guide has been written from scratch to cover everything you need to know to create professional installers. You’ll learn everything from basics like working with files and customizing the user interface all the way up to lessons on mastering the scripting language and creating multilingual installers. It’s sure nice to have when you want to move beyond the wizards and get the most out of your software investment.
features
Product Features
January 25, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
DeltaMAX is an advanced binary differencing engine library for Windows. Now you can incorporate state-of-the-art file differencing into your own software applications. DeltaMAX features incredible compression ratios and blazing speed. Compare it to any other delta compression system, and you’ll immediately see the advantage.
DeltaMAX can be easily incorporated into your software using either traditional direct DLL calls or from any language that supports COM (ActiveX) controls. Regardless of the type of data being distributed, like executables, documents, databases, images, game data or videos, DeltaMAX can handle it.
- Binary Differencing Engine. State-of-the-art engine developed specifically for its impressive speed characteristics, especially for gigabyte-sized files. Create smaller patches for larger files faster.
- Easy To Integrate. Includes spport for both direct DLL and COM/ActiveX interfaces. Use it with virtually any Windows development language including C, C++, C#, Visual Basic, Delphi, .NET, Visual Studio and more.
- Incredible Speed. DeltaMAX is able to generate difference files in only seconds, unlike the hours required by some tools.
- Compact Library. Written in 100% hand optimized C++ code, the DeltaMAX DLL is compact and easy to deploy with your software. There are no external dependencies.
- Low Resource Use. Requires considerably less memory than other file differencing systems, while still maintaining an advantage in speed and compression ratio.
- Sample Code. DeltaMAX is easy to incorporate into your application. We include sample code and projects written in Visual C++, Visual Basic, VB.NET and C# .NET to get you started.
- Handles Huge Files. Competing tools can stall out on files as small as 40 MB. DeltaMAX can handle gigabyte sized files with ease Source Code Available – A source code option for the DeltaMAX library is also available separately for projects that require it.
- Fully Compatible. DeltaMAX is fully compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows, from 95 to Vista. DeltaMAX was designed to work in extremely low memory situations. Where other solutions fail, DeltaMAX excels.
- Data Security. Unlike complete files, difference files contain only the data that is different between two source files.
- Built-In Optimizations. Unique multi-pass optimization performs multiple encoding passes in order to achieve the best results possible.
- Fast Decode. DeltaMAX uses efficient file I/O buffering in order to apply differences quickly.
- Tiny Differences. Proprietary encoding algorithm creates remarkably compact difference files. Compression ratios can be as dramatic as 99% or more.
- FREE Technical Support. A free 1 Year web/email support and maintenance plan is included. We’ll answer your questions quickly and efficiently.
- Best Value. Compare it to other tools and you’ll see that DeltaMAX works better, is backed with fantastic technical support and is priced realistically.
- Proven Record. Indigo Rose Software development tools are trusted by over 20,000 software developers worldwide for reliability and exceptional technical support.
System Requirements
The DeltaMAX library is a 32-bit Windows DLL. It is compatible with Windows 9x, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista. It is written in C++ (ATL) and requires no additional runtimes or DLLs to be distributed with it.
The DeltaMAX .DLL has both a traditional direct DLL interface compatible with C/C++ as well as a COM interface for use with Visual Basic, Visual Studio, .NET, Delphi and other languages that support COM (ActiveX) interfaces.
In order to create difference files:
- Windows 95/98/ME/NT4(SP6)/2000/XP/Vista
- 128 MB RAM (1 GB RAM recommended)
- 800×600 display resolution
- 20 MB free hard drive space
In order to apply difference files:
- Windows 95/98/ME/NT4(SP6)/2000/XP/Vista
- 32 MB RAM
- 640×480 display resolution
- 10 MB free hard drive space
features
Product Features
January 25, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Autorun MAX! 2.1 makes it easy for anyone to create professional looking CD-ROM/DVD-ROM autorun menus. With its easy-to-use visual design environment, you don’t have to know a thing about computer programming. If you can use a mouse, you can create dazzling projects with Autorun MAX!
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What Can I Do With Autorun MAX?
Autorun MAX! makes it easy for anyone to create professional looking interactive multimedia software. With its easy-to-use visual design environment, you don’t have to know a thing about computer programming. If you can use a mouse, you can create dazzling projects with Autorun MAX!. Some possibilities include:
- CD-ROM autorun / autoplay menus.
- Electronic CD-ROM Business Cards
- Travel Journals
- Invitations
- Brochures
- Demos and Walkthroughs
- Much more – the kinds of projects you can make are limited only by your imagination!
Home and Business Editions
Autorun MAX! is available in two editions: Home and Business.
Home Edition
The Home edition shares the same overall design environment as the Business edition. It comes with 100 pages available for your project. With the Home edition, you have two publishing options: build and publish your project to a Hard Drive Folder, or burn it onto CD-R/CD-RW or DVD+-R/DVD+-RW.
Note: The Home Edition is licensed for personal use only. You cannot distribute any of the projects you create for any purpose that is commercial, organizational or business related. However, you’re free to distribute your CD’s to friends and family. For business use, you’ll need to purchase the Business Edition.
Business Edition
The Business edition includes everything in the Home edition and expands on a few key features. With the Business edition, you have 250 pages available for your project. You have four publishing options: build and publish your project on a Hard Drive Folder, burn it onto CD-R/CD-RW or DVD+-R/DVD+-RW, create a Web/Email Executable, or create an ISO Image. Additionally, with the Business edition you can turn off the Autorun MAX! credit screen (or replace it with your own logo/image) that is shown when your project closes.
Note: The Autorun MAX! Business edition license agreement allows you to distribute the projects you make with Autorun MAX! for both personal and business use, with no additional royalties or fees.
features
Frequently Asked Questions
January 20, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Software developers, network administrators and end-users alike share in the benefits of TrueUpdate 3.5 enabled software. Developers appreciate it for the control it gives them over their deployed software. Network administrators benefit from improved security and better control of network nodes. End-users see TrueUpdate enabled software as an assurance of quality – a symbol that the developer is there to stand behind their product.
Here are some answers to common questions about TrueUpdate 3.5…
Who needs TrueUpdate?
Any company who develops software applications or distributes data needs TrueUpdate. Any organization that needs to ensure its network is secure and updated with the latest patches needs TrueUpdate. Anyone who needs timely and secure synchronization of documents and files needs TrueUpdate. Ensuring that everyone is using the most recent point release of a particular package makes good sense. It eliminates legacy technical support calls, and corresponding user frustration. It ensures that data is current. It also serves to maintain customer satisfaction. And that’s something everyone can appreciate.
Is TrueUpdate Vista Compatible?
Yes! TrueUpdate’s design workspace and generated updates are compatible with Windows Vista, including a configurable “requested execution level” setting for the update’s manifest.
What can you do with TrueUpdate?
Software products and network clients that have been TrueUpdate enabled can quickly and efficiently determine if they are out of date. Embedding TrueUpdate into a software product makes it extremely easy to manage, control and update “in the field”. Likewise, deploying the TrueUpdate client to computer systems throughout your network gives you a fast and manageable way to ensure that each node is current with the latest patches, documents and data that your company requires.
What’s wrong with traditional update methods?
One of the most serious problems with traditional update methods is that they require the users to do most of the work. The problem with relying on an update process that demands too much user involvement is obvious; the users might decide it isn’t worth the hassle to keep their systems up to date. This results in a higher incidence of legacy support issues, more security holes and other related problems. Additionally, when users don’t update, they don’t benefit from bug fixes and product improvements. TrueUpdate helps solve all of these problems.
What is automated updating?
Automated updating is the ability of software to handle some or all of the update process so the user doesn’t have to. The update process consists of all the steps required to determine whether a newer version exists for a given piece of software, as well as all the steps required to bring an older version up to date. Automating the update process allows software to keep itself current after it has been deployed to users.
How important is automated updating?
Today’s rapid product cycles, security vulnerabilities and short turnaround times make it more important than ever to get new versions into the hands of users quickly and efficiently. The Internet has created a highly competitive market where users expect immediate results and the prize often goes to the company that reacts the most quickly to changes in user needs and perceptions. In order to streamline software deployment, it is becoming increasingly desirable for software authors to incorporate automated updating abilities into their software.
How does TrueUpdate benefit the software developer?
The easier it is for your users to update your software, the more likely it is that your users will be using the latest version. Your technical support team will have fewer legacy issues to deal with. The easier it is for you to release updates, the more often you can release them. You won’t have to hold back releases until you have made enough changes to justify the effort required to prepare updates using traditional update methods.
Why add TrueUpdate to your software application?
In a traditional release cycle, once your application or data files are released to customers, clients or other end-users, they are static, expensive and time-consuming to alter. However, once you add TrueUpdate to your application, you’ll be able to easily update your product or data as often as you require. From the developer’s point of view, when a new software release is available – perhaps a bug has been fixed – TrueUpdate makes it trivial to publish the changes and bring all of your users up to date. The next time the user runs the application, TrueUpdate will detect that a new release is available and take steps to handle it.
How easy is it to add TrueUpdate to an application?
As a self-contained executable, the TrueUpdate client can be integrated into your application in less than a day. While the actual time required depends on the amount of integration you desire and your level of programming knowledge, most developers should be able to complete the job in just a few hours. We even include sample source code for adding a “Check for Update” menu command and tips to get you going.
Alternatively, the TrueUpdate client executable can be distributed directly, rather than being embedded within an application. This allows the TrueUpdate client to be called manually from the start menu, from a shortcut on the user’s desktop or automatically with system schedulers. This method of adding TrueUpdate to your application is as easy as installing a shortcut onto the user’s system.
How does TrueUpdate impact technical support?
TrueUpdate allows your users to benefit quickly from any new features and bug fixes you develop. Ensuring that users benefit from all the bug fixes you’ve released reduces the incidence of support calls. Keeping users up to date makes it easier to support them when incidents occur.
How will TrueUpdate impact our customers and clients?
Today’s users are savvy; they demand responsiveness from software companies and they want tools that meet their needs and make them more productive. In order to maintain customer loyalty and maximize the user’s experience with your software, you need to make updating the software as easy as possible. Making it easy for users to update your software shows that you’re committed to supporting it.
How does TrueUpdate benefit the network administrator?
Keeping a corporate, educational or government network up-to-date with the latest security patches, applications updates and operating system fixes is a time consuming ordeal. Without tools like TrueUpdate, the task is virtually impossible. By installing the TrueUpdate client onto your networked computers, you’ll be able to quickly and effectively roll out whatever software you want throughout your organization. The client software can analyze the computer system, decide what is currently installed and then take whatever actions you determine are needed to bring that system up-to-date. It’s fast, easy and automatic.
I’m not a developer…do I still need TrueUpdate?
Absolutely! You don’t need to be a software developer to benefit from TrueUpdate. As a stand-alone executable, the TrueUpdate client can be used to update all kinds of files. You could use TrueUpdate to distribute product catalogs to your sales teams, or to remotely configure system files across your corporate network. Price lists, help files, quarterly reports, internal support videos – TrueUpdate can help you keep anything up to date.
Does TrueUpdate actually install files?
With a full suite of file operations, including specialized actions to download, copy, delete, rename and even zip and unzip files, TrueUpdate may be all you need to install files onto a user’s system. For situations requiring a more manageable and compartmentalized solution to file installation and patching, we’d recommend using Indigo Rose’s TrueUpdate and Visual Patch products. Used in conjunction with TrueUpdate, these products make up a complete and robust software deployment and management solution.
System Requirements
In order to build updates, a developer requires:
- Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- 512 MB RAM
- 1024×768 display resolution
- 100 MB free hard drive space
In order to run the update client, an end user requires:
- Windows 95/98/ME/NT4(SP6)/2000/XP/Vista
- 128 MB RAM
- 640×480 display resolution
- 50 MB free hard drive space
In order to host the update server components:
- Any standard web server, including Apache and IIS
- Any operating system, including Windows, UNIX, Linux
- Any hardware platform, including Dell, HP, IBM, Sun
