auto update stacks/applications

[Chris Sheffield]

Hi all,

I'm about to begin working on an auto-update feature for a program that
already exists, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about doing
this.  I'm wondering what some of the methods are that others use to
accomplish auto updates, and what kinds of advantages/disadvantages there
are to your methods.

Right now our program consists of a login stack, which asks the user for a
password and then logs into either a teacher module or a student module
depending on the password.  The login stack is currently the main stack of
the application and was the one used in building the standalone.  But my
idea is to create another stack that would act as a splash screen/update
checker when launched (this one would become the new executable) that would
check and download any available updates, and then it would open the login
stack (which would no longer be an executable, just a stack) and continue
on.  Does this make sense?  Is this a fairly common practice?

I would probably need to make the auto-updating an option because it's
possible that people will be using this software in their homes, and might
not have an "always-on" Internet connection.  What's the best way to check
for an active Internet connection?  Should I try to open a socket to a web
site, or is it better just to attempt to download some file, and if it
fails, I would know there's no connection?

Thanks for the suggestions,

Chris Sheffield
Software Development
Read Naturally


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