AutoUpdating of C# Application.

Updating the software to customers every time manually is gruesome task.This consumes lots of time of effort.

           Example consider , releasing a new version within short span of time, or installing it to large no of customers really tough right. 

Here i share a simple way of updating the software Automatically.

The main idea behind Auto-updating the software is,

1. Provide a way to track the latest update available , this can be achieved through updating the version in a Settings file or DB. In this example am using a settings file.
   
   
   
   
2.  Replacing the setup with a newer version.This can be done in 2 ways.
1. Probably the easiest one, Set the DetectNewInstalledVersion and ReplacePreviousVersions property in visual studio to true.
   


2. Using WMI to read all the software's installed then uninstall the previous version of the application being upgraded. The code is explained below.                                                  Note: Add a reference to System.Management object.
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   


3. Installing the new version ,

First step in creating this application is hosting the settings file.

       The best place would be in a server accessible to all the users.

Assuming that u have hosted the settings file in your server "http://myserver/" ,
For the first time , the application has to be installed manually, later on for the next updates setup files can be placed in the server.
lets continue with Coding part.

Creating a form

 

The form basically consists of 2 labels , progressbar , button and a backgroundworker.

Dwelling into the functionality.

    The  Application mainly consists of the following functions.

1. private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e).
2. private void backgroundWorker1_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
3.  private void backgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
4. private void btnupdate_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
5. public void CheckUpdate()
6. private bool installupdates()
7. private void unisntall()
8. private void downloadFiles(string filename)  

Lets understand the functions more clearly.

---

1.  FORM LOAD event.

         In the form load event , just display the product version.

        private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            lblversion.Text = this.ProductVersion;
        }

---

2. ButtonClick event.

     This this we trigger the background job to start.

        private void btnupdate_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if(!backgroundWorker1.IsBusy)
                backgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync();
        }

---

3. Backgroundworker_Dowork event.

        Here we call the CheckUpdate() to perform the update tasks.

         private void backgroundWorker1_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
        { 
            if(!backgroundWorker1.IsBusy)
                CheckUpdate();
        }

---

4. Checkupdate function

       performs the update tasks.

         /// <summary>
        /// performs the update tasks
        /// </summary>
        public void CheckUpdate()
        {
            /// gets the product current version.
            version = new Version(this.ProductVersion);
            DataSet ds = new DataSet();
            try
            {
                /// downloads the settings file containing the version information from the server.
                downloadFiles("version.xml");
                ds.ReadXml(@"D:\test\version.xml");
                backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(40);
                foreach (DataRow row in ds.Tables[0].Rows)
                {
                    /// compares the product version and the latest version available from the server.
                    if (version.CompareTo(new Version(row[0].ToString())) < 0)
                    {
                        ///update available.
                        ///downloads the updates(setup file).
                        backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(70);
                        downloadFiles("application_name.msi");

                        //installs the updates.
                        isInstalled=installupdates();
                        if (isInstalled)
                        {
                            backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(100);
                            ///if u plan to uninstall manually, call this function
                            ///currently not called.
                            //  unisntall();
                        }
                        else
                            ///report error.
                            backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(-1);
                        return;
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(e.Message);
                backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(-1);
                return;
            }

            backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(99);
        }

---

5.Backgroundworker progress changed event

         /// <summary>
        /// Updates the progress bar and status of the operations.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="sender"></param>
        /// <param name="e"></param>
        private void backgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            switch (e.ProgressPercentage)
            {
               case 40: lblstatus.Text = "Checking for updates...";
                    progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
                    break;
                case 70: lblstatus.Text = "Downloading necessary components...";                   
                    progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
                    break;
                case 80: lblstatus.Text = "Installing components...";
                    progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;               
                    break;
                case 90: lblstatus.Text = "Removing previous components...";
                    progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
                    break;
                case 100: lblstatus.Text = "completing Installation";
                    progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;                   
                    this.Hide();
                     MessageBox.Show("Restart the application for the changes to take effect.","Restart");
                     this.Close();
                    break;
                case 99: lblstatus.Text = "";
                    progressBar1.Value = 100;
                    this.Hide();
                    MessageBox.Show("Product is upto date");
                    this.Close();
                    break;
                default: lblstatus.Text = "update failed";
                    this.Hide();
                    MessageBox.Show("Update failed");
                    this.Close();
                    break;
            }

        }

---

6. InstallUpdates function

        /// <summary>
        /// Installs the new version of application
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns></returns>
        private bool installupdates()
        {
            bool appInstalled = false;
            backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(80);
            ///creates a process to install the process.
            Process p = new Process();
            ///Msi installer
            p.StartInfo.FileName = "msiexec.exe";
            ///parameters to install the application.
            ///  /i = install
            ///  /qb = basic user interface
            p.StartInfo.Arguments = "/i \"tempfolder\application_name.msi\"/qb";
            p.Start();
            //wait for process to complete
            p.WaitForExit();
            if (p.ExitCode == 0)
                appInstalled = true;
            return appInstalled;
        }

---

6. unistall function

   uninstalls the previous version of the application

         private void unisntall()
        {
            ///selects all installed products
            ManagementObjectSearcher mos = new ManagementObjectSearcher("SELECT * FROM Win32_Product");
            ManagementObjectCollection moReturn = mos.Get();
            foreach (ManagementObject mo in moReturn)
            {
                ///checks for the application name and version
                if (mo["name"].ToString() == "setup_name" && version.CompareTo(new Version(mo["version"].ToString())) == 0)
                {

                    backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(90);
                    //uninstalls the application
                    mo.InvokeMethod("UNINSTALL", null);
                    backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(100);
                    return;
                }
                else
                    continue;
            }
        }

---

8. Downloadfile function

    Downloads the files from the server , "http://myserver/".

        private void downloadFiles(string filename)
        {
            try
            {
                System.Net.WebClient webclient = new System.Net.WebClient();
                webclient.DownloadFile("http://myserver/" + filename, "tempfolder" + filename);
            }
        } 

---

Last step , Creating a setup project.

Follow the steps below.

1. http://www.advancedinstaller.com/user-guide/tutorial-ai-ext-vs.html
2. http://www.thecodekey.com/Articles/C_VB/Create_Setup_in_Windows_Application.aspx

Download Source.

 

References 

1. Installing MSI through command line.
2. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/System.Management%28v=vs.110%29.aspx
   
   
   

My First C# Application - SimpleCalculator

Here i share with all, my first windows forms application.

A Simple Calculator

First step in created this application is , Creating a Winforms design.

Below find the snapshot of the design.

Forms Design

Done with the Design ???

     Next up , Register to all the button click events.

Once done with all these, let's dig into the functionality.

Key Modules/ Functions

 1. CallValidate

 2. ValidateKey

 3.  OperandTrack

 4.  Evaluate

 

CallValidate

---

  /// <summary>
        /// Detects the key or button input, and performs the appropriate operation
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="ch">The character being inputted through keyboard or GUI button </param>
        /// <param name="flag">performs different Operations based on the Flag Value
        /// Flag=0 validates the keypressed from keyboard
        /// flag=1:aappends the numbers to the stringBuilder
        /// flag=2: Backspace Operation
        /// Flag=3:Dot operation
        /// flag=4:Xor OPeration for +/- button
        /// Flag=5:Clear Operation </param>
        /// <param name="t">Reference to the form TextBox </param>
        /// <param name="myString">reference to the string Builder </param>
        public void CallValidate(char ch, int flag, TextBox t)
        {
            switch (flag)
            {
                case 0: if (ValidateKey(ch, t))
                        {
                            if (eflag == 1)
                            {
                                oprCount = 0;
                            }
                            myString += ch;
                            t.Text =myString;
                            consecutiveCount = 0;
                        }
                        break;

                case 1: if (eflag == 1)
                            oprCount = 0;
                        myString += ch;
                        t.Text = myString;
                        consecutiveCount = 0;
                        break;

                case 2: if (myString.Length > 0)
                        {
                            myString=myString.Remove(myString.Length-1);
                            t.Text =myString;
                            if (myString.Length < x)
                            {
                                x = 0;
                            }
                            if (t.Text.Length == 0)
                                t.Text = "0";
                        }
                        else if (t.Text.Length == 0)
                            t.Text = "0";
                      
                        break;
                 
                  
                case 3: if (x == 0)
                        {
                            myString += ch;
                            t.Text = myString;
                            consecutiveCount = 0;
                            x=myString.Length;
                        }
                        break;

                case 4: res = float.Parse(t.Text) * (-1);
                        t.Text = res.ToString();
                        prev = res;
                        break;

                case 5: t.Text = "0";
                        myString = "";
                        consecutiveCount = 0;
                        next = 0;
                        oprCount = 0;
                        prev = 0;
                        res = 0;
                        x = 0;
                        break;

            }
        }

---

ValidateKey

---

 /* Checks the keypressed and acts according to the key

        diffrentiates btwn alphabets,numeric and  specaial keys(*,+,-,/) etc*/

        public bool ValidateKey(char ch, TextBox t)

        {

             switch (ch)

            {

               /* case '1': return true;

                case '2': return true;

                case '3': return true;

                case '4': return true;

                case '5': return true;

                case '6': return true;

                case '7': return true;

                case '8': return true;

                case '9': return true;

                case '0': return true;*/

                case '+': eflag = 0;

                    OperandTrack(ch, t);

                    return false;

                case '-': eflag = 0; OperandTrack(ch, t);

                    return false;

                case '*': eflag = 0; OperandTrack(ch, t); 

                    return false;

                case '/': eflag = 0; OperandTrack(ch, t);

                    return false;

                case '=':eflag = 1;

                    OperandTrack(ch, t);

                    if (consecutiveCount >= 2)

                    {

                        consecutiveCount++;

                        if (Evaluate(res, opr, next, t))

                        {

                            prev = res;

                            t.Text = res.ToString();

                        }

                    }

                        return false;

             }

            return false;

        }

---

OperandTrack

---

         /// <summary>

        /// This function keeps track of the prev and next operands,

        /// The operator value on which the operation has to be performed

        /// 

        /// if there is 2 Distinct operators then Evaluate the result

        /// Ex:2+3+ OR 2+3= 

        /// 

        /// if there there was only a single operator with a single

        /// operand, tracks the prev operand and the operator

        /// Ex: 2* or 0+ etc 

        /// 

        /// if operators are pressed multiple times , get the current

        /// operator neglecting the previous operator

        /// Ex: 2*+ , the * is neglected and + is considered

        /// 

        /// </summary>

        /// <param name="e"></param>

        /// <param name="textBox1"></param>

        /// <param name="myString"></param>

        public void OperandTrack(char ch, TextBox textBox1)

        {

            MessageBox.Show("");

            oprCount++;            

            consecutiveCount++;

            x = 0;

            if (oprCount == 2&&consecutiveCount<=1)

            {

                eflag = 0;

                next = float.Parse(textBox1.Text);   //Sets the second operand from the textbox

                if (Evaluate(prev, opr, next, textBox1))

                {

                   prev = res; // Sets the result as the prev operand value

                    textBox1.Text = res.ToString(); // Displays the result to the Form

                    oprCount = 1;

                    if (ch != '=')

                        opr = ch;

                    myString = "";

                    //textBox1.Text = "";

                }

            }           

            else if (oprCount == 1)

            {

                opr = ch;

                prev =float.Parse(textBox1.Text);

                myString="";

                //textBox1.Text = "";

            }

            else

            {

                --oprCount;

                if(ch!='=')

                    opr = ch;

                myString="";

               // textBox1.Text = "";

            }

        }

---

Evaluate

---

/* Evaluates the Expression and Returns the Result */

        public bool Evaluate(float x, float opr, float y,TextBox t)
        {
            
            if (opr == '+')
                 res = x + y;
            
            else if (opr == '-')
                  res = x - y;

            else if (opr == '*')
                res = x * y;

            else if (opr == '/')
                    {
                        if (y == 0)
                        {
                            t.Text = "divide by zero error";
                            return false;
                        }
                        else
                            res = x / y;
                    }
            else if(opr==61)
                res = float.Parse(t.Text);
            return true;
        }
    }

---

Finally Call the functions through Button click events.

Declare the ASCII constants for backspace and Delete buttons.

        public const char back = '\u0008';
        public const char del = '\u007F';

Function Calls.

---

         private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.Focus();
        }

        private void button19_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate(back, 2, textBox1);
        }

        private void button20_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('`', 5, textBox1);
        }
         
        private void button18_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
           k.CallValidate('=', 0, textBox1);
        }
           
        private void button17_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate(char.Parse(button17.Text), 0, textBox1);
        }

        private void button16_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate(char.Parse(button16.Text), 0, textBox1);
        }

        private void button15_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate(char.Parse(button15.Text), 0, textBox1);
        }

        private void button14_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate(char.Parse(button14.Text), 0, textBox1);
        }

        private void button13_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('.', 3, textBox1);
        }

        private void button11_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('-', 4, textBox1);
        }

        private void button10_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('0', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button9_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('9', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button8_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('8', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button7_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('7', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button6_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('6', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button5_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('5', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button4_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('4', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button3_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('3', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            k.CallValidate('2', 1, textBox1);
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

            k.CallValidate('1', 1,textBox1);
     
        }

/// To differntiate special char's ,numbers and alphabets.

        private void Form1_KeyPress(object sender, KeyPressEventArgs e)
        {
            if (Char.IsDigit(e.KeyChar))
                k.CallValidate(e.KeyChar, 1, textBox1);
            else if (e.KeyChar == '.')
                k.CallValidate(e.KeyChar, 3, textBox1);
            else if (e.KeyChar == back)
                k.CallValidate(e.KeyChar, 2, textBox1);
            else
                k.CallValidate(e.KeyChar, 0, textBox1);
 
        }

---

Find the link to the Application here

Reading XML file - PHP

 

The easiest and simplest way to read XML file is using SimpleXML.

 

We'll consider a simple XML file test.xml with the following nodes and values.

---

<!-- Test.xml --> 

<root>

   <node1>Hello</node1>

   <node2>World</node2>

    <node3>This is simple Example of Parsing XML files </node3>

<root>  

 

---

 Loading a XML file

$xml=simplexml_load_file("filename");

Parsing a Node value 

$node=$xml->node_name;

  

 Example to demonstrate the usage of simpleXML

---

<?php
$xml=simplexml_load_file("test.xml");
echo $xml ->node3;
 echo '<br/>';
foreach($xml->children() as $child)   // children() get all the child nodes in the XML file.
{
      echo 'Node_name: '.$child ->getName().'   ';      // displays the node_name.
     echo 'Node_value: '.$child.'<br/>';   // displays the node value.
}
?>  

---

Output will be displayed as follows

---

This is a simple example of parsing XML files
Node_name: node1 Node_value: Hello
Node_name: node2 Node_value: World
Node_name: node3 Node_value: This is a simple example of parsing XML files 

---

Nodes having nested nodes can be parsed using the above method by using foreach loop. 

for more Details refer

1. http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_xml_simplexml.asp 
2. http://www.php.net/manual/en/simplexml.examples-basic.php  
3. http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.xml.php 

Difference between 2 Dates - Javascript

This Script finds the difference between 2 dates. The result is Days Count.

Date Object. 

Initializing Dates

new Date() // current date and time
new Date(milliseconds) //milliseconds since 1970/01/01
new Date(dateString) // mm/dd/yyyy format
new Date(year, month, day, hours, minutes, seconds, milliseconds)

example 

   Difference between 04/04/2014 and 04/08/2014 is 1.

Code Block

 

<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript">
    function getDateDifference()
    {
        var date1 = new Date("20/04/2014");
        var now = new Date();
        var timeDiff = (date1.getTime() -now.getTime());  // gets the timeDifference in milliseconds.

        /* Converts the TimeDifference to Total no of days  

            3600- Time for 1 hr in secs  (60*60);

            3600*24 - Time for 1 day in secs.

            1000 * 3600*24 - Time  for 1 day in milliseconds.

           The Math.ceil(x) function returns the smallest integer greater than or equal to a number "x".

      */

             diffDays = Math.ceil(timeDiff / (1000 * 3600 * 24)); 
        alert(diffDays);
    }
</script>
</head>
    <body>      
        <script>getDateDifference();</script>
    </body>
</html>

References

1. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Math/ceil
2. http://www.w3schools.com/js/js_obj_date.asp
   

Including multiple PHP files.

Use of Including files.

• Including multiple PHP files helps Maintainability
• Huge blocks of code can be split into small useful blocks which can be included wherever necessary.
• Re-usability of code.

How To 

1. Using Require.
• Produces a fatal-error (E_COMPILE_ERROR) and stops the script if the Code fails to load the Script file.
2. Using Include. 
• Produces a warning (E_WARNING) and Resumes the script upon failure. 

Based on Requirements choose whether to use Require or Include. 
 

 Syntax :  

<?php include 'script_name.php '  ?>

<?php require 'script_name.php'  ?>

Example

---

<!-- test.php --> 

echo " Hello World <br/>" ;

echo "This Message is Displayed  by the Included file test.php <br/> " ;

---

---

<!-- Main.php -->

<?php 

    echo "This is Displayed from main.php <br/>";

    include "test.php";

?> 

---

 Output

This is Displayed from main.php
Hello World
This message is Displayed from Test.php

For more Information refer

1. http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_includes.asp
2. http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.include.php

 

Creating Outlook Appointment Programmatically in C#

The first and foremost thing in creating a Appointment is to Add reference to the library, Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.dll. Find how to download here.

Once done with referencing the Library to your forms application , Use the Library by adding the code,

Outlook= Using Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook  

Done with all these steps ?? Creating an meeting Appointment is easy !!!.

Add the Following piece of code,to create an appointment.

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/// this represents the entire outlook application. 

Outlook.Application Application = new Outlook.Application();

/// Create a new appointment. 
 Outlook.AppointmentItem newAppointment =(Outlook.AppointmentItem)
                Application.CreateItem(Outlook.OlItemType.olAppointmentItem);

/// Set the Start and End date of the appointment.
 newAppointment.Start =DateTime.Now;
 newAppointment.End = DateTime.Now.AddDays(1);

/// Set the all-day event property.
newAppointment.AllDayEvent = false;

/// set the Location,Subject and Body of the Appointment.
newAppointment.Location ="TestLocation";
 newAppointment.Subject="Meeting";
 newAppointment.Body="Appointment body";

/// set the Busy status during the time period
 newAppointment.BusyStatus = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Outlook.OlBusyStatus.olFree;
 newAppointment.Save();

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The appointment will be saved in your calendar.

Note:- Do not Create an All day event unless necessary.

Want to send Invitee to others ??

Add the Code below 

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///create Recipients for the meeting request.

Outlook.Recipients sendTo = newAppointment.Recipients; 

/// Add invitee's.

Outlook.Recipient sentInvite = null; 

sentInvite = sentTo.Add("Dave@Example.com"); // Email of the Invitee. 

// Recipient type Required.

 sentInvite.Type = (int)Outlook.OlMeetingRecipientType.olRequired; 

sentInvite = sentTo.Add("Dave@Example.com"); // Email of the Invitee.

// Recipient type Optional

 sentInvite.Type = (int)Outlook.OlMeetingRecipientType.olOptional;

 /// set the meeting Status.

newAppointment.MeetingStatus = Outlook.OlMeetingStatus.olMeeting; 

///resolve the names  against your Contacts.

sentTo.ResolveAll(); 

///Send the meeting request.

 ((Outlook._AppointmentItem)newAppointment).Send(); 

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Meeting invite ll be sent to the recipients.

That's it, Done !!!!  

for more details refer,

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms268752.aspx