The very first time, before any communication takes place between local PC and web server, all communicating programs examine if a PCID exists in local computer for the web server(s) registered with program_name(s). If not, communicating programs request a PCID for each registered web server. PCID is then being used on every communication.
PCID save position:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INCA Hellas\iUpdate\[host]\PCID=string
The program path to be used for registration (for the current
version it is the service executable) can be found in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INCA Hellas\iUpdate\Location
There are 2 polling periods used by the service. The first is for
when the server is checked for newer versions, has default value of 24
hours, and can be changed from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INCA
Hellas\iUpdate\Polling period.
The second is for when the service will check if BITS jobs are completed,
has default value of 5 minutes, and can be changed from
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INCA Hellas\iUpdate\BITS Polling period.
Both values must be string representations of the values in milliseconds,
and they are checked during the start of the service.
Query url:
http[s]://host_name[:port]/myweb/iupdate.php?f=getpcid
Server returns:
PCID=program name
or
error description (multiple lines).
iUpdate add program_name current_version
file.ini
or
iUpdate update program new_version
or
iUpdate remove program
Examples:
iUpdate add ishop 2.6.5.1 f1.ini
iUpdate add taxspooler 3.2.1.0 f2.ini
iUpdate update taxspooler 3.2.1.1
iUpdate remove taxspooler
[Ftp] Host=host name[:port] SSL=[0/1] SN=serial_number LocalPath=absolute_path_where_the_application_is_installed (this gives value to variable %PROG)
When iUpdate add is run a check for PCID is run immediately.
Data is logged into CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\INCA Hellas\iUpdate.xml, i.e. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\INCA Hellas\iUpdate.xml
Service examines if a newer EXE version is available, by querying the web server with [program_name] [current_version] and PCID.
If yes, adds installation exe in named BITS job If job does not already exist), e.g. ishopinst.exe in ishop job. If job creation fails, schedule job creation for every next hour, plus beginning of Windows.
If not, service examines if update files exist for current version, by querying the server with [program name] and [current version]. If yes, create a new named BITS job (if not exist).
In the first case, when BITS job finishes, calls BITS/COMPLETE. If it fails, schedule completion for every next hour, plus beginning of Windows. If completion is done, update current version for program in question.
Logbook for every action in CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\INCA Hellas\iUpdate\YYYYMMDD.log (hh:mm:ss.ms message) Some messages are logged in Event log, under Application key.
http[s]://host_name[:port]/myweb/iupdate.php?f=qrymaxver&prog[]=program_name&version[]=current_version_number&serial[]=serial_no&pcid=PCID
Variables prog[] and serial[] can be repeated multiple times.
Optional variable:
&v=1
Server returns:
PCID=PC Id
PROG[i]=program name
OK[i]=max.version number
LICENSE[i]=License string
URL[i][j]=url of file(s) to download
FILE[i][j]=local name of file(s) to download
DEST[i][j]=destination directory(-ies)
%TEMP, %PROG, %WIN32=windows\system32, absolute path
DATE[i][j]=dates of files on server
or
error description (multiple lines).
Will download as http[s]:host_name[:port]/ftp/program_name/max_version/name_of_inst_exe
i is enumerated as 0,1,2,_
If license string is empty, do not download anything, just inform user a
newer version is available by displaying page:
http[s]//host_name[:port]/myweb/iupdate.php?f=newveravail&prog=program_name
Updates are located at Update location, version part.
Subdirectory with name @win32 has a special meaning:
.win32 corresponds to %WIN32 value of DEST[i].
Other subdirectories may also have a special meaning, referring to a user local full pathname if a file named @rename.txt exists in Version location/version or Update location/version part, which contains entries with pairs of subdir_name and absolute path of destination directory, separated with a = sign.
Version part may be the complete version number or part of the
version number, i.e. may be 5.6.12.1 or 5.6.12 or 5.6.
In the preceding examples request for 5.6.12.1 will match subdirectory
5.6.12.1 and request for 5.6.1 will match subdirectory 5.6.
Non-subdirectory contents and any other not defined, are prefixed by %TEMP> or %PROG, for Version location/version or Update location/version files, respectively.
Example of @rename.txt file located in Update location/version part:User1=c:\documents and settings\user1\My documents User2=d:\myfolder1
Service checks for newer version or updates once a day, and if available, informs user when (and if) user logs in, for everyone user that logs in.
Programs to be executed when new files arrive at user PC are defined
by file @install.txt which resides in main Version location
or Update location.
File contains lines of programs to be executed, i.e.:
%TEMP\ishop.exe
iUpdate service checks for newer versions once a day.
User functions exist 1) to run again immediately, 2) to run continuously
every 10 minutes, for the next hour.
This program runs on startup when any user logs in, and monitors the directory CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\Inca Hellas\iUpdate Files, for files new*.xml or cmp*.xml which are created by the INCA iUpdate service. The new*.xml files are created when a new version exists which the user must be informed of, but cannot download without purchasing. The cmp*.xml files are created when a BITS download has completed and there are files ready for installation.
So, when the program detects any file of these kind, notifies the user by a balloon notification. If there are new versions, clicking on the balloon notification shows browser windows with information about purchasing them. Right-clicking on the icon in the tray, a popup menu is displayed that lets the user:
The program checks by default every 5 minutes (or the value of the
key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\INCA Hellas\iUpdateLogin\PollingPeriod)
for the creation of the files. The user is notified for each program a
maximum of 3 times (or the value of the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\INCA Hellas\iUpdateLogin\Notifications), and
the time between each notification is 1 hour (or the value of the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\INCA
Hellas\iUpdateLogin\TimeBetweenNotifications). The values in the registry
are string representations of the respective numbers.
Durations are expressed in milliseconds.
The balloon notification stays on for 15 seconds (or the value of the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\INCA Hellas\iUpdateLogin\BalloonTime).
Syntax:
Imessage program_name [ _u userid ] [ -m message ] [ - s subject ] [
-437 | -utf8 ] [ -f filename1] [ -f filname2] [ -f _]
Progname= Userid= Subject= Message=
Default character set is 928.
If userid is not specified, it defaults to logged in user.
While being created, file is named .imessage.tmp and when creation
has finished, renamed as .imessage.new
If filename is a full path name, only the base filename part will be
saved. If multiple files are given with different full pathnames but same
base filename, base filenames will be renamed by appending 2,3,4,_ in
base part of filename, while extensions will be kept.
Once the message is successfully sent, it is marked as
.imessage.sent
It checks every some minutes to see if pending messages exists on
local machine. Then it sends messages.
For every message being send a PCID must exists for the specified
progname, or the message waits for ever.
Default checking interval is 5 minutes, or specified by:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INCA Hellas\iUpdate\SendInterval =
(string) milliseconds
Runs at user login. The first time at all, service checks for a PCID
and creates one, if not exists, as described above.
Once an PCID has been created, service checks on the internet for pending
question, by sending PCID, every one quarter.
Question time is 15 minutes by default, or set by
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INCA Hellas\iUpdate\QryInterval = dword
(minutes).
If a message arrives it is immediately displayed to user.
An arriving message always has a unique identifier which is sent back,
when user answers the message.
Send message to PCID, program name, version, etc.
Data is downloaded into CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA\INCA Hellas\iUpdate
Downloads\...\ as BIT_tmp
When BITS finishes, files are renamed by service as 0.tmp, 1.tmp, 2.tmp,
etc.
| Subkey | Name | Type | Default value | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iUpdate | BITS Polling Period | SZ | 300000 milliseconds = 5 minutes | Milliseconds to query the BITS service |
| iUpdate | Location | SZ | C:\Program Files\INCA Hellas\INCA iUpdate\ | Path of iupdate.exe executable |
| iUpdate | Polling Period | SZ | 86400000 milliseconds = 24 hours | Polling period for iUpdate server(s) |
| iUpdate | SendInterval | SZ | 300000 ms = 5 minutes | Message send interval |
| iUpdate | QryInterval | DWORD | 900000 ms = 15 min | Time between checking for newer messages |
| iUpdateLogin | BalloonTime | 15000 ms = 15 seconds | How much time the balloon remains open | |
| iUpdateLogin | Notifications | 3 | How many times the user will be informed for a new version available, for a specific program | |
| iUpdateLogin | PollingPeriod | SZ | 300000 ms = 5 minutes | How frequently to check for new updates, arrived locally |
| iUpdateLogin | SendInterval | SZ | 5000 ms = 5 seconds | Local message check time to send |
| iUpdateLogin | TimeBetweenNotifications | 3600000 ms = 1 hour | Time between notifications to user for new update arrivals |