B4A Library AppUpdating - automate apps updating from a webserver

udg said:

Hi Marco,
the version currently published is compiled with the Httputils2's release available BEFORE okHttp introduction.
I'm planning a newer version as soon as I have some spare time.
Thank you for your interest in AppUpdating lib.

udg

Click to expand...

Installing file.
Installing file.
PackageAdded: package:b4a.example.appupdate
maininitializeProcessGlobals (java line: 609)
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: anywheresoftware.b4h.okhttp.OkHttpClientWrapper
    at anywheresoftware.b4a.samples.httputils2.httputils2service._process_globals(httputils2service.java:144)
    at b4a.example.appupdate.main.initializeProcessGlobals(main.java:609)
    at b4a.example.appupdate.main.afterFirstLayout(main.java:98)
    at b4a.example.appupdate.main.access$000(main.java:17)
    at b4a.example.appupdate.main$WaitForLayout.run(main.java:80)
    at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:733)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:95)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:146)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5692)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:515)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1291)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1107)
    at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

udg said:

AppUpdating - how to use it
As usual with any contributed library, download its zip (AppUpdating_118.zip, you need just this one), unzip it and place both files (.xml and .jar) in your additional libraries path (see menu option "Tools/Configure paths" in your B4A installation).

Now, for any app that you'd like to use this lib with, go to its Manifest editor ("Project/Manifest Editor") and add the following code:

B4X:

AddReceiverText(eu.dgconsulting.appupdating.newinst2,
  <intent-filter>
  <action android:name="android.intent.action.PACKAGE_REPLACED" />
    <data android:scheme="package" />
  </intent-filter>)

In your app's Main you have to:

0. Put a version number in "#VersionName:" key in Module Attributes. As an example: #VersionName:1.14

1. dim a variable to access the lib's class; do this in Sub Globals

B4X:

Sub Globals
  ... 'your code here
  Dim apkupdt As cl_appupdate
End Sub

2. Add code to Activity_Create to access any desired function in the lib

B4X:

Sub Activity_Create(FirstTime As Boolean)
   If FirstTime Then
     ... 'any specific code for your app initialization
   End If
   Activity.LoadLayout("Main")
   .... 'more stuff
   If FirstTime Then
     apkupdt.Initialize(Me,"tab1")                   'tab1 has no meaning; use any name you like
     'this is yor app's package name (see "Project/Package name")
     apkupdt.PackageName = "eu.dgconsulting.tmb"
     'this is the complete path to the text file holding the newer version number  
     apkupdt.NewVerTxt = "http://umbetest.web44.net/p_apk/tmb.txt" 
     'this is the complete path to your newer apk
     apkupdt.NewVerApk = "http://umbetest.web44.net/p_apk/tmb.apk"
     apkupdt.UserName = "test"         'needed since folder p_apk has access restrictions
     apkupdt.UserPassword = "test"    'as above
     'not needed- just to show use of function GetCurVN
     Log("I am version: " & apkupdt.GetCurVN)
     'use only if you like to show a splash screen while update checking goes on
     apkupdt.SetAndStartSplashScreen(Activity,LoadBitmap(File.DirAssets, "tmb0.png"))
     'this function starts checking for any newer version of the current app
     apkupdt.LookForNewVersion                                                      
  End If
End Sub

3. Receive feedback from the lib

B4X:

Sub tab1_UpdateComplete
   If apkupdt.IsDone Then
     Log("New Ver available: " & apkupdt.NewVerAvailable)
     Log("Status: "  & apkupdt.Status)
     apkupdt.StopSplashScreen
     If apkupdt.Status = 6 Then
       Log(apkupdt.PackageName)
     End If
  End If
End Sub

Note: sub name above is made up by a first part ("tab1") choosen by you (see apkupdt.Initialize in Activity_Create) and a second mandatory substring ("_UpdateComplete") as coded in the class part of the lib.

That's all for blindingly using the lib as is (well, that's all for the coding aspect of it..)!

AppUpdating - set the webserver
This one is easy.
On a webserver (even any free shared service would be ok), create a folder (in the example above, I created folder p_apk on webserver umbetest.web44.net) and eventually restrict access to it (I used the .htaccess method).
Prepare a text file named after your apk (in the example above, you may find tmb.apk and tmb.txt) having one single line of text as follows:
ver=x.yz
where x.yz is the newer apk version. Due to my laziness, currently the lib takes for granted that the version number starts on the 5th char..
Then, using any FTP client, copy both your newer apk's version and its corresponding text file in the folder set before.

That's all.

What the lib does is simply to check whether the version written in the text file is greater then the one showed in the running copy of your app.
If it finds indication of a newer version, it downloads it, then ask the user to install it.
Since we can't know if the user agrees to update the app, we simply go on with our app, knowing that a service burned in the lib will fire when the OS signals that the user accepted to install the newly downloaded copy of the app. In this latter case, the same service will reload the app when ready.

Umberto

Click to expand...

udg said:

Hi Nibbo,

a first test could be to try the download directly from the browser.
This is useful to discover eventual problems with filename not exactly matching or permissions/mime types.

Since ReadWebVN returns the correct values, that means it can read the txt definition file. Next step should be call DownloadApk with same string but the extension changed from txt to apk. Do you show/log any error message?

If you want me to have a look at your code, PM me at any time.

udg

Click to expand...