How the bootstrapping process works

The prescribed way to bootstrap your WebClient application is to use a customized version of the bootstrap.htm file that OpenEdge provides. The bootstrap.htm file initiates the installation process. For information about customizing this file, see the Customizingthe bootstrap.htm file.

The bootstrap.htm file has the following logical paths:

If WebClient is not installed, your end user is taken to a Web page to install WebClient.

If WebClient is installed, WebClient Initializer runs and performs the following tasks:

Checks that an acceptable version of WebClient is installed on the user's system and gives the user an opportunity to update the version of the WebClient installation, if necessary.

Checks whether the application is installed on the user's system and gives the user an opportunity to install it, if necessary.

Checks whether any application updates are required and gives the user an opportunity to update the application, if necessary.

Starts the application.

Note: During this bootstrapping process, if any URL requires authentication on your Web server, the end user receives a prompt for the appropriate user ID and password.

Whenever WebClient Initializer runs, it takes your users to the next step of the bootstrapping process. Therefore, any process which the Initializer launches to perform an installation step (WebClient install and external application install) must run the Initializer again for the bootstrapping process to continue, and to ultimately run the application.

The following figure illustrates the bootstrapping process and shows the bootstrap process flow depending on Initializer's verification at the different points in the process. This process is transparent to the end user, varying slightly depending on the installation method and any customizations that you made to install and start your application.

Figure 3. Bootstrapping process

Note: To concentrate on other details, the figure above does not show the processing associated with installation types. For more information on how installation types affect the startup process, see the Installationprecedence.