Rollback app when update failed

[phuocminh6464]

Hi @ravibpatel, I want to know if there is any way to rollback app when update new version is failed. Currently I have issue with my zip file, the auto updater can download zip file and replace files successfully. But the executable file got error because unknown reason so app can not launch. And because app is running in lots of kiosk so we need to go to each kiosks to uninstall app then re-install the old version. It is really inconvenient for us.
Can help me advise on this? Thank you.

[ravibpatel]

I suggest running the updater in a separate executable for this. This way you can guarantee that it won't ever break and in case of broken update user can just run the separate executable in case you revert. You still have to increase the version number for reverted changes.

[phuocminh6464]

I suggest running the updater in a separate executable for this.

Sorry, I don't understand this. Can you give more details

[ravibpatel]

Create a separate project that uses the AutoUpdater.NET. Put it in the same directory as the original application. This will ensure that even if you accidentally release the broken update, it won't affect the separate executable with AutoUpdater.NET. In case of a broken update, you can tell the user to run that executable, and it can download the fixed update you roll out. This is useful cause in case of broken update if the app crash on startup, it will prevent the user from using AutoUpdater inside the app to update to a newly released patch.

For separate executable, you can keep the version in JSON or XML file in the directory and set it manually in that executable as shown below. Instead of "1.2" you have to read it from JSON or XML and assign it here. This ensures that you don't need to make changes to this executable ever again to increment the version number in assembly.

AutoUpdater.InstalledVersion = new Version("1.2");

[phuocminh6464]

In case of a broken update, you can tell the user to run that executable, and it can download the fixed update you roll out. This is useful cause in case of broken update if the app crash on startup, it will prevent the user from using AutoUpdater inside the app to update to a newly released patch.

Do you mean use the "InstallationPath" to specify the path of the original application if users run the separate with AutoUpdater.NET?

[ravibpatel]

You can do that too, or you can put the separate executable in the same directory, and it will extract the update in the same directory. In case of update, you should check if the original app executable is running or not. If yes, then you should kill the process or create a way to exit it gracefully somehow from the other process. That way, you can ensure a new executable can write to the folder. ZipExtractor currently do that but only applies to same executable as shown here.

[phuocminh6464]

I got it, let me try. Thank you very much.