AutoCloseApplication Enhancements

[horstmelch]

Hello,

I'm currently evaluating AI and am very pleased, but I'm really missing the following features in the Auto Updater's AutoCloseApplication. Maybe this is already planed or there is a workaround?

AutoCloseApplication enhancements:

1. Option: terminate the AutoCloseApplication's processes if it does not respond to WM_CLOSE within a specified timeout.

2. Option: do not restart a closed AutoCloseApplication after the update.

3. Possible bug? Not all AutoCloseApplications are closed before an update (sometimes only one or two are closed). Not all AutoCloseApplications are reopened after an update (they can be started manually without a problem, paths in updates.ini are correct)

Also, I haven't tested this yet, but are you currently closing all running instances of an AutoCloseApplication?

[Ionut]

Hi,

1. Option: terminate the AutoCloseApplication's processes if it does not respond to WM_CLOSE within a specified timeout.

This may lead to data loss and that's why it is not available. If you can provide a good reason why this would be useful, I will add it to our TODO list.

2. Option: do not restart a closed AutoCloseApplication after the update.

Thank you for your suggestion. I have added this on our list.

3. Possible bug? Not all AutoCloseApplications are closed before an update (sometimes only one or two are closed).

If a modal dialog is open when the WM_CLOSE message is sent to the application's main window, then the application is not closed because there might be unsaved data. Therefore, this is not a bug.

Not all AutoCloseApplications are reopened after an update (they can be started manually without a problem, paths in updates.ini are correct)

Applications that are not closed are not restarted either.

Also, I haven't tested this yet, but are you currently closing all running instances of an AutoCloseApplication?

Yes, all running instances are closed automatically, because the EXE file in question will be replaced during the update process.

Regards,
Ionut

[horstmelch]

Hello,

Hi,

1. Option: terminate the AutoCloseApplication's processes if it does not respond to WM_CLOSE within a specified timeout.

This may lead to data loss and that's why it is not available. If you can provide a good reason why this would be useful, I will add it to our TODO list.

1. I distribute one application that is safe to terminate, but when it receives WM_CLOSE it just minimizes to the system tray.
2. I would like to install upgrades without user intervention whenever possible. If I know for sure that an AutoCloseApplication is always safe to close, the install should not fail or require user input just because the application is showing a modal dialog.

3. Possible bug? Not all AutoCloseApplications are closed before an update (sometimes only one or two are closed).

If a modal dialog is open when the WM_CLOSE message is sent to the application's main window, then the application is not closed because there might be unsaved data. Therefore, this is not a bug.

There were no modal dialogs involved. Also, sometimes two applications were closed and sometimes only one.

Not all AutoCloseApplications are reopened after an update (they can be started manually without a problem, paths in updates.ini are correct)

Applications that are not closed are not restarted either.

If an AutoCloseApplication can't be closed by sending WM_CLOSE then the installer will show this application in a listbox and offers a retry button. When I close the Application manually and the build finally succeeds it should restart the application (imho).


Anyway, thanks for taking the time to consider my feedback. I was hoping to rely on your auto updater only, but today I wrote my own auto updater that will terminate (safe) applications if they don't respond to WM_CLOSE and then calls your updater.exe. It would still be nice if Advanced Installer could handle this stuff at some point in the future.


Best regards,
Horst

[Ruskin]

2. Option: do not restart a closed AutoCloseApplication after the update.

I would like this option too. My updates are just the latest version of the full MSI installer which uninstalls the previous version. The installer dialog then ends with the dialog asking if the user would like to Launch my application. If they check that box after an update, I will then have two instances of the application running.

[gigi]

Hi,

We have this on our TODO list. Will be available in a future version. Thank you for your suggestion.

Regards,
Gigi
_______________
Gheorghe Rada
Advanced Installer Team
http://www.advancedinstaller.com