Auto FE Updater

Version History

USE THIS UTILITY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Version 1.82  - 2009-11-18

• Corrected several embarrassingly stupid bugs in the Check For Updates logic including the Bad Data Found message the first time you run the utility. 
• Display a message if there is no hotfix available for download
• Fixed the following message that appears if you're using the Set Access 2007 Trusted Location=yes line
  'The following error occurred in procedure Log_Log Action of Module Log
  Object variable or with block variable not set"
• If you lock the users out of running the app then the message screen no longer displays the www.autofeupdater.com URL or the Copy Message to Clipboard command button.

Version 1.81  - 2009-11-14

• Stop the user from seeing the 'Access 2007 Security Warning - Certain content in this database has been disabled' message.. 
  Set Access 2007 Trusted Location=yes can now be specified in the INI file.

• My Documents can now be specified in the MainApps entry

• Check for updates to the Auto FE Updater program.

• Added "Place the CMD launcher line into the clipboard" command button

• Minor bug fixes and better error messages

Version 1.79 - 2009-09-29

• Added ShortCutComment to INI file for the user to see when hovering over a shortcut.
• Fixed bug where if creating both a Program Files shortcut with a folder and a desktop shortcut the utility would attempt to add the shortcut to a folder to the desktop
  - Thanks to Noel Mann of New Zealand for the ShortCutComment suggestion and the above bug report
• Utility will now correct shortcut icon where the user has updated that fielld or the admin wants to change them.
• Fixed various minor bugs and created better error messages mostly in the area of shortcut handling

Version 1.78  - 2009-09-22

• Added ProgramsMenuFolder option to create a folder in your Start >> All Programs menu for such shortcuts.
• Added command buttons to open the server folder or the Main App Folder in Windows Explorer.  If the user gets an error message they only see the button to open the Main App Folder.
• Fixed StartMDB.exe staying in memory
• Changed StartMethod=FileExtension to use a different API call as the API call I chose to use did not handle file extensions longer than 3 characters consistently including ACCDB and ACCDE.
• Remove Startmethod=FileExtensionSimple as it is now the same as StartMethod=FileExtension
• Documented NewINIPathAndFile in the INI pages and updated the FAQ page.  "This line is only used when moving servers or such as this will rewrite the path and name of the StartMDB exe and INI file in the target of the shortcut.   This line is only placed in the old INI file."
• Minor bug fixes, and some better error handling and clearer error messages in a few places.

Version 1.77  - 2009-09-08

• Added FileExtension and FileExtensionSimple to the StartMethod.   This now means the utility can be used for ADP/ADEs or any other file extension really.  This method can be easier for the developer for testing purposes than AutoSelect if  the developer is using Access 2003 on their system and has Access 2007 installed as the AutoSelect starts the newest version of Access.  Thus causing the annoying wait while Access 2007 installs itself.
• Added a debug checkbox to the developers form so you can see what the Auto FE Updater wants to do before you run the utility
• Updated website showing the CreateShortCutOnPrograms and CreateShortCutOnCommonPrograms options which have been available for some considerable length of time but weren't documented on the website.  Oops.

Version 1.76  - 2009-01-26

• Fixed occasional "Type mismatch" error message.  Thanks to Roy-Vidar Steining for being persistent in solving this baffling message.  
• Write date of file copied to local INI file in ISO yyyy-mm-dd format.

Version 1.74 - 2007-11-29

• Added FileNameToStart as an entry in the INI file so the MDB/MDE file name no longer needs to be on the MainApp line.   This will simplify setting up the INI file.
• Using the LowMacroSecurity means of starting Access will now start Access in maximized mode
• UNC paths now supported in MainApp INI file entry. 
• Assorted minor bug fixes.

Version 1.73 - 2007-06-11

• Windows Vista now supported. 
• Starting an exe, such as the Sagekey runtime system, is now supported.
• Fixed the "The MDW account name and password in the INI file weren't valid for opening the MDB to determine the version of the MDB" message when in a mixed operating system work station environment.
• Emphasized using %appdata% as a location for the Front End MDB/MDE in the sample ini files and documentation
• Added error numbers to the messages.  It was getting a bit difficult tracking down specific error messages in the code. 

Version 1.72 - 2007-04-05

• Added LowMacroSecurity to StartMethod options
• Fixed message when A2007 went to open up an Access 2003 or previous version file

Version 1.71 - 2007-03-30

• Handles Access 2007 ACCDBs 
• Fixed improper handling of Shortcut errors when ShortcutErrorMessageHandling was specified.

Version 1.69 - 2005-02-15

• Fixed different MDW passwords being saved due to different operating systems.  You will have to resave the MDW password in the INI file.   Note that the encryption common to all 32 bit operating systems is only 40 bit thus quite weak.  However the passwords are relatively short and Access security isn't the greatest anyhow. 
• Removed "Directory on server '\\server_name\share_name' does not exist or you have a permissions problem." message.   This was causing problems when only the server name and share name was present.  It worked fine if there was also a folder name present.  The next check is for the actual file name so the above is really a redundant message. 

Version 1.68 - 2004-12-02

• Added the missing files such as the sample INI files to the zip file.
• Fixed obscure bug when encrypting passwords. 

Version 1.66 - 2004-09-13.  

• Added support for secured MDB/MDEs.

Version 1.65 - 2004-08-03

• Added OS version, user id and work station name to text copied to clipboard for debugging purposes.
• Improved redisplay of INI file list after locking/unlocking users from INI files
• Added CopyShortCutFromServer option for workaround for NT 4.0 bug when creating shortcuts with UNC paths on server.  Thanks to Christopher C for notifying me.
• Fixed bug "The following error occurred while attempting to determine the Access/Jet version of the file - 3050 Could not lock file. Database or network share may be read only."  Also thanks to Christopher C.
• Fixed bug "The StartMethod is FilePath but there is no Shell line present in the INI file."  Thanks to Simon K.

Version 1.64 - 2004-07-22

• Fixed bug where if command line was present it would put in the shortcut line instead.  Thanks to Ian P for notifying me.

Version 1.63 - 2004-07-20

• Added lockout, un-lockout and un-lockout all buttons and About screen.
• Fixed bug where if CreateShortCutOnDesktop=Yes then it gave you a message even when ShortCutName was present.  "Either CreateShortCutOnDesktop or CreateShortCutOnCommonDesktop values are set to 'yes' in INI file but ShortCutName is not present."  Thanks for Dorci R for notifying me.

Version 1.61 - 2004-07-17

• Fixed bug where debugging message box came up titled "Auto FE Updater", with a message of "R drive" and an OK button and you are using the StartMethod=FilePath option.  Thanks to Stephen H of Australia for notifying me.

Version 1.6 - 2004-07-17 

• If no command line passed to utility then display form listing INI files
• Select icon file and specific icon (specifically resource file and resource id)
• Create shortcut on server, desktop, desktop and quick launch including the icon
• Verify that shortcut(s) specified hasn't been changed by user
• Create .bat/.cmd files on server with comment lines
• Added optional LauncherEXEPath to INI file due to VB behavior change for app.path
• Added AutoFEUPDater.INI on server file with master1-5 logic
• Removed Master line from detail INI files with a warning message if still found
• Removed ShortCut line from detail INI files with a warning message if still found

Version 1.58 - 2004/06/15

• StartMethod=AutoSelect, FileExtension, FilePath   (Optional, default is AutoSelect)  This option choose the method which starts the MDB file.   AutoSelect determines the version of Access of the MDB file and then locates that version of Access using the registry.   Or if the MDB is in Access 2000 or newer it will look for a compatible version of Access. 
• DoubleQuotesOnShell=Yes (Optional) If running Access 2.0 MDB then set this to No.

Bug:  If you are using the StartMethod=AutoSelect and the user is a regular user, not a power or Admin user, then the utility couldn't determine what versions of Access were installed on the target system.  Fixed in newer versions.

Version 1.55 - 2004/05/31

• Fixed bug where command line didn't have ""s after the 'inifile:' and also at the end of the command line
• Added Copy to Clipboard command button to error message screen to make it easier for users to send the error message and their current INI file to the support personnel.   Or for implementers to email me with details of the problem. 

Version 1.51 - 2004/05/24

• Added DspMsgBox form
• better error handling and file existence checks (to reduce your confusion and emails to me.  <smile>)
• environment variables support
• %user%, %workstn% and environment variables supported in command line
• UNC paths support
• Master workstation INI file entry to allow you the developer to have a button which you click to open the INI file if an error message is displayed
• CreateShortCutOnCommonDesktop option

Version 1.4 - 2002/04/12  (Yes, it does say V1.3.  My mistake.)

• Added the option for putting user name or work station name in the directory name.  This allows for better integration with Terminal Server/Citrix or keeping individual front ends on the server.
• Added WindowStyle option
• Fixed bug where Shell was defaulting the WindowStyle option to Hide.  Thanks to AC for reporting this.

Version 1.3 - 2002/04/10

• Use Shell command to explicitly point to a MSACCESS.EXE file (to handle multiple versions of access on the work station.)
• This then allowed the CommandLine option to properly work
• Tested Lockout logic
• Added CreateShortCutOnDesktop

Version 1.0 - 2000/06/04

• Initial Version