.NET framework version check

[pitaridis]

Is there a way to check if the necessary version of .NET framework has installed and if it has not installed to display a custom message explaining the user what is the problem and how to download the required version of .NET framework in order to make the application work?

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

That's what an installer is for

 

[pitaridis]

I know about installers but I want my application to be able to auto download a new version and in this case I have to make it myself. I will download from my site the new version and replace the old version with the new version automatically. In this case I want to check if everything is OK before I start the updated version of the application. I do not want the user to update the application and after the update everything crashes.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

Which would be a great thing for your app's installer to do.

Reason being, if your app requires a certain version the framework then your app's already crashed before it can even tell the user it's time to upgrade.

 

[pitaridis]

Can you suggest a way to do what I want to do? I want to be able to upload the exe for the updated version, and the application will be able to download and setup it. I can handle the download thing as a command in my application but I can not handle the version checking. Can I do it using the installer? Is there a way to do it?

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

What I would do is each version has an installer so when your app does dl the new version it can launch the installer and close itself.

As for checking the version, what I would do is have an xml file on your web host somewhere that holds the current version info so your app can periodically download it and compare the version info. The xml file can also hold the link to the latest installer too, in case you decide to re-structure the folders on the site later on.

 

[pitaridis]

It looks like a good idea. What about the old version. If I have installed the old version and I start the installation of the new version I think that the installer asks first to manually uninstall the old version before start the installation of the new version.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

MSI's have the ability to remove previous versions when updating it to a newer one.

 

[pitaridis]

Can you give me some instructions? I have tried it some times but always the MSI was displaying a message asking me to remove the previous version before I start the installation of the new app.

 

[JohnH]

RemovePreviousVersions Property