Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Deployment:
WebClient Applications

Running the application

Once WebClient and the application are installed, the end user starts the application in one of the following ways:

Going to the application deployer’s Web site and clicking on a button.
Clicking on a shortcut that was set up by the installation procedure and that resides on the desktop or in a program folder.
Going to a Web browser and entering the URL of a bootstrap file on the application deployer’s server.

Each time the end user starts the application, WebClient on the end user’s machine compares the local version of the application to the latest version on the application deployer’s Web site. If the versions differ, WebClient on the end user’s machine updates the local version to match the latest version.

Configuration file locator

When the application deployer uses the Application Assembler to define the application to WebClient, the Application Assembler writes this information to an application configuration file, which is downloaded as part of the initial download and each time the end user starts the application.

As part of defining the application, the application deployer, using the Application Assembler, describes the server from which the application configuration file is downloaded. This description, called the configuration file locator, is used by WebClient to access the application configuration file on the configuration file server.

For more information, see Chapter 4, " Designing the Deployment Configuration."

Acceptable-to-run versions

When a new version of the application is defined, a previous version that still runs acceptably can be defined as acceptable to run. For example, an acceptable-to-run version might contain a cosmetic bug that the most recent version fixes.

When the end user starts the application, WebClient on the end user’s machine downloads the latest application configuration file and checks if any updates are needed. At that point, WebClient might discover that the end user’s version is defined (in the application configuration file) as acceptable to run. When this occurs, the end user is offered the option of downloading the newer version. If the end user so requests, WebClient downloads and applies the updates.

For more information on acceptable-to-run versions, see Chapter 7, " Deploying an Application."