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Resolved Powerclient Update strategy

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  1. Dexter Madrinan
    Dexter Madrinan
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. Friday, 5 May 2023 02:24 AM UTC

Hi Guys,

 

Our application crashes when powerclient updates are applied to the server during the patching process. This happens when our application is running and patches is happening in server.

 

What caused this and which update strategy is most appropriate to apply?

 

Need your advice.

 

Best Regards,

 

Dexter Madrinan

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Responses (5)
Steen Jakobsen
Steen Jakobsen Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Wednesday, 10 May 2023 04:43 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 1

Hi Armeen,

 

I do not understand completely.

Why does Appeon not recommend this approach of downloading all at start up. Does it not work well ?

Also, is it possible to somehow have multiple versions deployed and then have a single "boot" application that directs to the url holding the latest version at start up.  or something like that :-)  .. again excuse my lack of deep insight into this topic.

I would really like an in depth description of the exact workings and deployment scenarios with pro/con descriptions.

(I have read the current one that talks about the individual objects etc.. may extend that article)

It is way to much time to invest into PowerClient or PowerServer just for trying it out and finding out how it works.

To me the important thing is : What happens when the app is upgraded and what are the recommended strategies by Appeon for doing the upgrades that in our case happens once a week.

The "just do it when no-one is using the app" is NOT in any way a viable solution as people are using the app across the world in different time zones and some are not closing it for weeks or moths. So I really would like a good and recommended strategy. Otherwise I would just have to leave the PowerClient and for that matter PowerServer on the doorstep for now.

 

//Steen

 

Comment
mike S
  1. mike S
  2. Wednesday, 10 May 2023 13:11 PM UTC
Hi Steen,

Sorry for jumping in here, but have you looked into the use of deployment version, min version, available/expire times?

powerclient: https://docs.appeon.com/pb2022/pbug/creating_a_powerclient_project.html#defining_an_ica_project

powerserver: https://docs.appeon.com/ps2022/Manage_app_versions_and_updates.html



For powerserver, there is the additional issue of the webapi version having to be compatible with the deployed/running version of the downloaded PB parts. I do believe this is manageable, but for this thread (powerclient) it is off topic.
  1. Helpful 3
Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Wednesday, 10 May 2023 19:05 PM UTC
Hi Steen, I think some misunderstanding. I didn't mean to imply we don't recommend downloading all files at startup. What we don't recommend is trying to update the app on the Web server while the app is actively being used by the end users.
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Dexter Madrinan
Dexter Madrinan Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Tuesday, 9 May 2023 06:59 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 2

Hi Armeen,

 

What is your recommended method to work without crashing on client machine? We need to follow what is proper on this.

 

Thank you.

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Steen Jakobsen
  1. Steen Jakobsen
  2. Thursday, 11 May 2023 04:03 AM UTC
In other words .. it is a 100% showstopper for us using PowerClinet and also our plan to move to PowerServer.

There must be a way to upgrade the application without having to contact every single user and ask them to logout.



  1. Helpful
Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Thursday, 11 May 2023 14:31 PM UTC
Oh you don't have to do that. You can just send email or post notice on company portal or whatever way information is disseminated to employees that app is going to be unusable during this scheduled maintenance time. For PowerServer, when you stop IIS Web server it automatically kicks off all the users since it is Internet-based app. For PowerClient, it is client/server architecture so stopping IIS Web server is not enough. If you were to stop the database then all users are kicked off. Yes, you could also do the approach of each version having its own distinct URL then the users don't have to be kicked out at all. But it would be hassle to manage keep switching URLs.
  1. Helpful 1
Steen Jakobsen
  1. Steen Jakobsen
  2. Friday, 12 May 2023 02:58 AM UTC
Thanks Armeen.



I really appreciate the work you and your team is doing.
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mike S
mike S Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Tuesday, 9 May 2023 03:26 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 3

Have you used the deployment versions and set the available times (UTC time)?  that should allow you to deploy without it being available until after the deployment is done, and allow your users the option to update it until the min version has expired.  

 

= no crash

 

Comment
Dexter Madrinan
  1. Dexter Madrinan
  2. Wednesday, 10 May 2023 00:06 AM UTC
Hi Mike,



In this case once the min. version has expired, will the updates be available without accessing the URL by the browser?
  1. Helpful
mike S
  1. mike S
  2. Wednesday, 10 May 2023 12:59 PM UTC
the update works the same regardless of whether you use the deployment version settings or not
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Dexter Madrinan
  1. Dexter Madrinan
  2. Thursday, 11 May 2023 13:17 PM UTC
Do you mean doublicking the shortcut will work?
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Armeen Mazda @Appeon
Armeen Mazda @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 5 May 2023 13:46 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 4

Updates to production server should be done when the app is not actively in use, but you can try to set the download options to "Download all the app files at startup" and "Update when connected".  You will need to do a full build/deploy after this setting change and every single user will need to start the app after you do this so it downloads everything one time on same consistent version. After that you should be good to go, but again Appeon does not recommend doing this.

 

 

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Steen Jakobsen
  1. Steen Jakobsen
  2. Tuesday, 9 May 2023 04:42 AM UTC
Thanks Armeen.

I think the concept is brilliant!
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Steen Jakobsen
  1. Steen Jakobsen
  2. Tuesday, 9 May 2023 04:52 AM UTC
Armeen,

Can you recommend a good strategy for updating an application that is running on multiple machines.

Maybe a forced shutdown (not so nice) or even better a changed URL to the new version so that they continue to run unaffected and then the next time they start the app they will run the new updated version.

The latter I think could be very cool.

//Steen

ps. please excuse my lack of knowledge in this field.
  1. Helpful
Dexter Madrinan
  1. Dexter Madrinan
  2. Wednesday, 10 May 2023 00:11 AM UTC
Hi Armeen,



What is the recommended deployment method which you can suggest without crashing the application?Actually, users are used to do double clicking the application shortcut and updates will downloaded to their local machines. They don't want to download the updates through the URL (web browser). What to do?
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Chris Pollach @Appeon
Chris Pollach @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Friday, 5 May 2023 02:48 AM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 5

Hi Dexter;

  What version & build if PB are you using for PowerClient Apps?

Regards ... Chris 

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Dexter Madrinan
  1. Dexter Madrinan
  2. Friday, 5 May 2023 03:08 AM UTC
PB22 R2 Runtime ver. 1900
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Chris Pollach @Appeon
  1. Chris Pollach @Appeon
  2. Friday, 5 May 2023 14:21 PM UTC
Thanks .. BTW: that would be the latest MR release. R2 is not yet even out in Beta.
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