Installing updates to my software from the web

[Claire]

I want to include auto updating of my software from www and I've not done it
before so I thought I'd ask.
Using visual studio 2003. Windows forms application.

I prefer to create a single file installer directly from visual studio. I
would like version checking to be done at intervals from my application to
the server storing the installer. If a new version is found then my
application would spawn a helper application that would uninstall the old
and install the new version.

Firstly. Is the above, or some parts of the above, already possible natively
within VS 2003?

If not.

I feel capable that I can check for version updates and download files from
my server. Am i able to run windows installer so that it would uninstall any
old version before installing the new one I download? If so then how please?
or is there a link to somewhere that tells me how? I've googled but not
found anything.

thank you

 

[Michael Nemtsev]

Hello Claire,

Have u seen "Updater Application Block" this http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms978574.aspx?

---
WBR, Michael Nemtsev [.NET/C# MVP].
My blog: http://spaces.live.com/laflour
Team blog: http://devkids.blogspot.com/

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we
miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it" (c) Michelangelo

C> I want to include auto updating of my software from www and I've not
C> done it
C> before so I thought I'd ask.
C> Using visual studio 2003. Windows forms application.
C> I prefer to create a single file installer directly from visual
C> studio. I would like version checking to be done at intervals from my
C> application to the server storing the installer. If a new version is
C> found then my application would spawn a helper application that would
C> uninstall the old and install the new version.
C>
C> Firstly. Is the above, or some parts of the above, already possible
C> natively within VS 2003?
C>
C> If not.
C>
C> I feel capable that I can check for version updates and download
C> files from my server. Am i able to run windows installer so that it
C> would uninstall any old version before installing the new one I
C> download? If so then how please? or is there a link to somewhere that
C> tells me how? I've googled but not found anything.
C>
C> thank you
C>