Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Deployment:
WebClient Applications

WebClient application updates

When you make changes to your application, all you need to do is use the WebClient Application Assembler Generate dialog box to generate a new version of the application. This creates a new configuration file and possibly new component files and component update files and places them in a new version subdirectory.

On the end user’s machine, WebClient Initializer compares the installed version of the application with the acceptable version in the application configuration file and then prompts the end user as follows:

If the installed version is acceptable but older than the current version, the Initializer gives the user an opportunity to update to the current (preferred) version or run with the existing version.
If the installed version is not acceptable, the Initializer gives the user an opportunity to update to the preferred version.

If you use:

IntelliStream, and the end user chooses to update, WebClient Initializer starts WebClient to perform the IntelliStream update and run the application.

Depending on how you implemented your security, the end user might be prompted for authentication information and verification to download the modified files. For more information, see Chapter 5, "Designing Security," and the "Application components" section.

Note: A major benefit of IntelliStream is that only the individual .r or other files that have been modified are downloaded during an update. The WebClient Application Assembler determines what files are modified according to an algorithm. To optimize this process, Progress Software Corporation strongly recommends you use the Generate MD-5 option when you compile your .r code using the Application Compiler. For more information, see Chapter 1, " Overview."
An external installer to update the application, you can use the same Web page and logic that you use for the initial installation of the application, or you can provide a separate application-specific Web page and logic.

For any case where the user chooses to update the application to the preferred version, the Initializer opens a Web browser on the user’s system using the application update URL specified in the application configuration file and exits. At this point your user can continue with the update over the Web.