The Updating Solution for Windows Software

Powerful tooling to create and deploy software updates for any Windows platform.

Overview | Features

AppLife Update Product Features

Iterate new features and publish changes. That’s the modern software development process. Today, literally all software needs to be updateable. AppLife Update helps by providing the tools to create and publish software updates for virtually any Windows software.

The following is list of some of the noteworthy features of the AppLife Update solution.

  • No source code changes required

    More... Deploy and update your applications without modifying application source code. The AppLife client software will detect and install updates on behalf of your software applications.

  • Deploy new applications

    More... The AppLife client software detects new applications published to AppLife Server and will automatically download and install them.

  • Update existing applications

    Integrate an AppLife Update based update process into existing deployed applications and seamlessly start publishing updates for them.

  • Elevate permissions during the update

    Updates will succeed while limited-rights users are running your applications, without administrative assistance.

  • Run custom code during an update

    More... Easily create customized update activity using C# or Visual Basic.Net. Your code is automatically compiled and packaged with your published update, then executed on your clients as the update is applied.

  • Modify SQL database schemes

    SQL Server specific actions supports both transacted and non-transacted database work. Open SQL Connections for exclusive access, Backup your database, Begin and Commit SQL transactions, Run GO separated sql files and queries, and Close your connection using built-in update actions.

  • Conditionally perform update actions

    More... Add true/false expressions to conditionally perform update actions during an update.

  • Install the .Net Framework during an update

    This action checks for the presence of the .Net Framework, then installs the framework during the update, if necessary.

  • Auto-include new/changed files

    Compare a current application directory with a baseline application directory and include any changed files in a new update.

  • Resume previous downloads

    Downloaded update packages are cached, enabling resumes on previous downloads upon network errors.

  • Create shortcuts during updates

    Place .lnk shortcuts to new files while your update executes.

  • Modify Xml config files

    Xml configuration files cannot usually be replaced during software updates. They must be edited in-place with necessary changes. AppLife Update features update actions to edit Xml config files.

  • Built-In shutdown coordination

    Built-In Inter-Process communications (IPC) provides the functionality to coordinate the shutdown of all instances of your host application, as well as any supporting processes.

  • Maintain Asp.Net applications

    Update on-premises Asp.Net applications using AppLife Update actions.

  • Maintain Windows services

    Start/stop services and replace files during updates.

  • Run Windows Installer (Msi) files

    Include Windows Installers with your application updates.

  • Replace Files on Restart

    Replace locked files during an update by registering them to be replaced at the next operating system restart.

  • Extensive API

    The AppLife Update API provides the ability to customize the maintenance process to fit your requirements.

  • Unattended updating

    Updates can be configured for automated detection and installation, with no user interaction required.

  • Transacted update engine

    More... AppLife Update will not leave an update half completed. The update work finishes successfully, or all work gets rolled back, leaving the system in the same state as when the update started.

  • Public-Private key validation

    Update package integrity is validated using cryptographic signatures. Each update package is signed with your own private key when its created and verified with the associated public key before it is applied.

  • Access list control to updates

    More... Control distribution of individual update packages by assigning groups of client tokens to updates and applications.

  • Fine grain versioning control

    AppLife Update provides fine control over the specific software versions that can apply your updates.

  • Extensive update engine logging

    A detailed log is written as an update is executed, providing extensive technical and troubleshooting insight into the operation of your updates. View a Log

  • Update log viewer utility

    AppLife Update includes a log viewer utility that lets you quickly verify your updates are performing as expected and helps identify the root cause of failures.

  • Create custom update actions

    Perform application specific custom update activities with AppLife Update custom actions. Create custom actions in your favorite .Net language. Patterned after the .Net custom control architecture, building custom actions for AppLife Update is extremely intuitive to .Net developers.

  • Expansion variables

    Share information between actions with Shared Property expansion variables.

  • Controlled rollout

    Avoid server and network congestion by staggering update rollout over a period of hours with controlled rollouts.

  • Documented API

    Complete and thorough documentation on all of the customizable features of AppLife Update.

  • Write summaries with rich text

    Write update summary text using rich text. All built-in user interfaces support displaying rich text, and the Update Controller API exposes rich text to your application as HTML.

  • Add & replace files

    Files and assemblies can be added and replaced during updates.

  • File patching action

    The Patch Existing File Action utilizes the Microsoft Delta Compression API to generate a patch file, and then re-create the new file from an existing file during an update. Using this action can significantly reduce update package sizes.

  • Add and remove GAC assemblies

    Add and remove assemblies from the global assembly cache (GAC) during updates.

  • RegAsm Action

    Register .Net interop assemblies during updates.

  • Command Line Action

    Perform command line activity during updates.

  • Pre/Post Build Batch Scripting

    Move/Copy files and take other actions before and after an update is built. Pre and post build scripts add additional automation options and improve the ease with which update creation can be integrated into automatic and continuous build processes.