How to Automatically Update Windows Forms Applications?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Learn how to automatically update a Windows Forms Application using Visual Studio and a web host. This tutorial covers creating the app, configuring automatic updates, and updating the app with new features. Find out how to manage updates more efficiently with a packaging tool like Advanced Installer.
Find our written guide about the Windows Forms Application automatic updating here: www.advancedin...
📌 Steps covered in this tutorial:
0:18 | Install Microsoft Visual Studio Installer extension
1:27 | Add the necessary references
1:41 | Add the code for the Auto Update process
4:27 | Provide the URL for the .txt file and the .zip containing the MSI
5:30 | Create the installer package for your application
5:54 | Add a project output
6:05 | Create a desktop shortcut
6:17 | Build the setup project and run the MSI to install the application
6:50 | Customize your WinForms application
7:23 | Steps to provide the update
8:50 | Install the update
👉🏼Download 30-day fully-featured free trial: www.advancedin...
▬▬▬▬▬▬ PacKit - New Tool Highlight ▬▬▬▬▬▬
Discover PacKit, the essential free tool for all packagers. Efficiently manage, update, and upload your packages. Troubleshoot and deploy directly to Intune or MECM (former SCCM).
Check out PacKit now: www.advancedin...
▬▬▬▬▬▬ MSI Packaging Training & Certification📚 ▬▬▬▬▬▬
New from Advanced Installer: MSI Packaging Training and Certification - the first free training and certification program in application packaging industry.
Get trained and certified for free: www.advancedin...
Developed by our subject matter expert, Alex Marin, a professional with over 10 years of experience in application packaging and training of application packaging teams, this program focuses on the practical side of the MSI application packaging.
The program resources you get are:
‣ 196 pages of must know theoretical concepts
‣ 27 practical demos most commonly encountered in practice
‣ Free professional certification based on passing a 51-question exam.
▬▬▬▬▬▬ Ebooks & Resources 📚 ▬▬▬▬▬▬
Check out MSI Packaging Free Ebook: www.advancedin...
MSIX Packaging Fundamentals: www.advancedin...
▬▬▬▬▬▬ Follow us on✨ ▬▬▬▬▬▬
✔ T W I T T E R ‣ / advinst
✔ F A C E B O O K ‣ / advancedinstaller
✔ L I N K E D I N ‣ / advancedinstaller
✨Advanced Installer is an all-in-one Application Packaging Tool for Software Developers and IT Professionals.
Designed for building MSI, MSIX AppX, and App-V packages, deploying applications updates, repackaging, and MSI/MST editing.
▬▬▬▬▬▬ For more information 🚀 ▬▬▬▬▬▬
‣ Learn more: www.advancedin...
‣ Try it out: www.advancedin...
‣ User Guide: www.advancedin...
‣ Contact us: www.advancedin...
✨We hope you enjoyed this video! Thank you for watching!
#windowsforms #visualstudio #automaticupdates #advancedinstaller
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Find our written, step-by-step guide about the Windows Forms Application automatic updating here: www.advancedinstaller.com/automatic-updates-windows-forms-application.html
i need this right now. thanks for the video. new subscriber here
Thank you very much, we are delighted that our content is so helpful and appreciated!
when i open my application it does show the message box but when i click yes it just load into the application instead of installing
Hello! Probably, the zip archive is not successfully downloaded, which might be due to an issue with the Dropbox link. Ensure that it is correct and ends with dl=1 to enable file download. If the problem persists, let us know so we can investigate further.
Thank you very much, your guidance saved my lots of time.
You are welcome! We are glad it helped!
thank for video it help me a lot also
We are glad that you found value in our video!
@@advancedinstaller can i know the vb net language how to write?
thanks bruh
You are welcome!
Great
Thank you, we are glad that you appreciate our content! Please subscribe to our channel for even more useful content we produce regularly.
I have an error saying "The name 'ZipFile' does not exist in the current context" which is refering to the line: ZipFile.ExtractToDirectory(zipPath, extractPath); can anyone please explain how I can fix this?
You need to add references to System.IO.Compression and System.IO.Compression.FileSystem. To do this, right-click on your project, select 'Add' -> 'Reference,' and then check the boxes next to these assemblies. Once added, include the following line at the beginning of your file: using System.IO.Compression;
Hi, thank you for greatful video. I tried this for my app. But I used github instead of dropbox. When I open the last version the box apear “there is new version” but after I click yes, it isn’t update my app. Can you help me?
Hello! The problem could be due to GitHub's restrictions or the way files are served and downloaded, which differs from Dropbox. Try to ensure that the download link you're using is publicly accessible without requiring any redirection or authentication.
hi when i rebuild and already upload the new version in dropbox both zip and txt file with the new version
and when i try to open the application it doesnt appear the prompt "a new version is available do you want to install?" i just need first to run the msi installer before the application install the new version but in the video when you launch the application it appears the wizard form in order to update the new version
Hello! Ensure your code compares the version numbers correctly to trigger the update prompt. Also, check that the version in the .txt file is formatted correctly and set higher than the current version. Good luck!
Hi, I hace an issue, everything is correct except for the shortcut, when I open it it doesn't execute my app, all that it does is open a menu and Windows tell me "Which app do you want tu use to open .dll", .dll is not an executable choice, my doubt is just to resolve it, thank you
Hello! The issue is because your project was created as a .NET Core application instead of a .NET Framework one. To fix this, when adding the project output, make sure you select 'Publish Items' instead of 'Primary Output' in the 'Add Project Output Group' dialog. Hope this helps, good luck!
Thank you very much.
When installing a new msi, is there any way to have the application automatically reselect the installed folder?
for example my old app is installing at "D:\ABC
Hello! You can achieve this by setting the INSTALLLOCATION property through command line arguments. Thus, you can dynamically provide the install location without prompting the user to select the directory during installation. Hope this helps, good luck!
Is there a way for the app to automatically install an update when the user selects "yes" for update? Rather than having to go through the setup wizard every time?
Yes, you can silently install the update. All you need to do is add the '/qn' argument to the process.StartInfo.Arguments line. '/qn' specifies there is no UI during the installation process. Hope this helps!
@@advancedinstaller tôi đã thêm '/qn' nhưng ứng dụng vẫn hiển thị cho người dùng cài đặt
@@advancedinstaller doasnt work for me, can you elaborate?
@@01themichael Replace the arguments with */i MyAppSetup.msi /qn* - if the error persists after replacing the arguments with "/i MyAppSetup.msi /qn", the problem could be related to the path of the MSI file.
thank u for this video , do u know if this tuto works for a windows service ?
Hi Arturo! This tutorial doesn't work for a Windows service. For a Windows service, some additional steps are required.
help me please : every time upload the link is changed
The link changes with every upload, so you need to replace it in the code with every update. To avoid this, consider hosting your files on a service that provides static download links.
This might be work with net 6/7 on all operating systems?
Hello! It will work on all operating systems where the .NET version is supported.
Are we able to change the GUI of the installer to give it a certain theme?
No. Unfortunately, Visual Studio has significant limitations when it comes to customization capabilities. You need to use other tools to create and fully customize your installer.
What if you have multiple forms?
Hello, the automatic update process remains the same in this case.
It doesn't update when I don't start it as administrator. Is there a solution for this
Hello! You can add an application manifest to your updater to request elevation, or install the app in a user-writable directory to avoid needing elevated permissions.
Does this code also works for a WPF app
Yes, you can also use the code for a WPF app.
@@advancedinstaller not working for me
😥
hey theres an error with the startinfo
Hello, if you encounter an error with process.StartInfo ensure that the path to the MSI file is correct and the arguments passed to it are valid.
how to us for python files?
Hello! Can you please be more specific with your question? Let us know in more detail about your needs for the Python files. Thank you!
@@advancedinstaller notification for upgrade to latest version
Bro Not Working For me
Hello, we need more details in what didn't actually work for you. Many users confirmed the method, so it is valid. For your specific case, please address to our support team at support@advancedinstaller.com and you will receive guidance.
I am trying the same steps for NetCore Wpf App but does not work. I can not add reference of System.IO.Compression to my NetCore app. This is the only step which is not same with the vide. I'd appreciate any help.
Hello! It should be included by default in later versions of .NET Core. If it's not included in your project, you can manually add it by opening the project file (.csproj) and adding the element within the section. Then, restore the packages by running the 'dotnet restore' command in the terminal. Hope this helps, good luck!
Thank you for this tutorial but am having a bit of a problem when the setup file is big. The code get to this part ( string zipPath = @".\MyAppSetup.rar";) before the new setup has been downloaded and i get file does not exist error.
Hi Peter! To address the issue in your scenario, you should use asynchronous programming to ensure that the download completes before moving on to the next step. Hope this helps!