Add remove refrences in runtime

[ushtabalakh]

Hi there

I'm want to write an application that checks for updates of its dll files from internet and downloads them and replaces them with the old ones without letting the user know about it.

The problem is, while the application is running, you can't remove and replace dll files, so I'm looking for a way to add dll files to my application in run time, so that I can update them before using them.

Is there anyway to do it?

 

[Qik3Coder]

real simple. you need a launcher app. This is usually done with a screen saver, or a login screen.

Look at how online games, with a windows client run.


The idea behind the launcher app is that all it does is verify your files are up to date, and gets fresh ones if needed. This can prevent hacking if you want to validate config files, etc.

Because it is a different app it can replace the dll's before the other app loads.

if you are on a network you can write a VB Script batch file to just bulk replace, before loading. I have done this for an app in house, to deal with updates.

Thanks,

-Sometimes the answer to your question is the hack that works

 

[ushtabalakh]

That sounds good for some applications but I doubt I could apply it in my project, because my project is a service it's not an application.

There are some clients in the network that should be able to update this service, so I can't check for updates when the service is started, it should be possible to update the files while the service is running.

 

[Qik3Coder]

You would have to stop the service. You cannot replace a file while it is in use.

(Back to my launcher app)
You may need another service that runs on the box, that does what i said the launcher app would have to do. The only difference is that you may want to check and only look for updates at a time that you can be pretty sure no one else is using it, like at 2Am. At which point you would stop your main service, update the files, then re-start the service.

-Sometimes the answer to your question is the hack that works

 

[Sorwen]

I do the same thing with a couple of my programs. They check their version of the dlls against those listed at a remote location. If it finds that it needs updates it then starts a separate application with its directory location/program name and then shuts down. The update app makes sure the program is not running and then copies all the files from the remote location and then restarts the program.

-I hate Microsoft!
-Forever and always forward.

 

[ushtabalakh]

Well, see if you could find a way to do all of that by a single application it would be much better wouldn't you agree?

I just found something which seems to be related here:

http://www.thescripts.com/forum/thread48951.html

In that case use Assembly.Load, Assembly.LoadFrom or one of the
similarly named methods. They vary in subtle ways, so be careful which
you pick.

You then use Assembly.GetType(String) to get the appropriate type, then
instantiate it by reflection etc.

I have to do a research on this.

 

[ushtabalakh]

Does one have to write his own codes to do what Sorwen is doing? doesn't windows or vb.net faciliate that with windows installer service or clickonce or things like that?

 

[Sorwen]

clickonce will allow automatic upgrading. Other than it can do it I don't know much about it. I tired it a couple times and seem to work fine. I had to give up on it though because clickonce will not work for the type of projects I do. If it will work for yours then it might be the better way to go. I don't if clickonce will work with a service though. It definitely is the simpler if you can.

There is always the chance I'm could be wrong, but I have never found anything else in windows/.Net that will automatically do that for you. You can purchase 3rd party programs that will.

-I hate Microsoft!
-Forever and always forward.