Automatically updating a stack - How Do I Do It?

[Len Morgan]

Thanks for the link Chipp.  That seems like a very workable method for my app.  It did brings up a couple of questions though:

1) At step 5 of the "Instructions" page, you say "...then check the version of it..." (the mainstack).  Can a custom property be read without launching or loading the stack that contains it?  I had always thought that you had to "start using stackfile" before you could read any properties from it.  It this is not the case, are custom properties the ONLY thing you can read (and set?) without opening/running the stack?

2) This kind of goes with question above: is the Vers property of the mainstack stored in the main stack file or is it in the altSplash launcher?

3) When you have an application like MagicCarpet for example, that consists of a main app and plugins and maybe a few other files/images as well, do you only have one version number (i.e., the version of the mainstack and then just re-download EVERYTHING if any of the component parts has a change or does each file have it's own Vers variable that the mainstack checks (like the altSplash launcher does) and only download those parts that have changed?

4) On Windows, is the "All Users" folder writable by any user or just readable?  I always thought that this folder required Administrator privileges to write.

5) What are the distribution/use terms for altSplash?  Do I need to buy a copy of MagicCarpet to be able to use it legally or just so I'll sleep better at night?  :-)  I'm going to buy it anyway but I just thought I'd ask in case there are any other restrictions on it's use.

Thanks again,

Len Morgan


Chipp Walters wrote:

>Len,

> You're welcome to check out my version of the solution:

> http://www.altuit.com/webs/altuit2/MagicCarpetAAA/default.htm