MirrorSync Tip: Inform Users A New Build Is Available After Sync...

[Ocean West]

When using MirrorSync, backend development doesn't stop and it can be tedious to get the word out to inform all users that a new version of your solution is available to download.

Here is a technique to do just so:

Step 1: Create a table in your solution VERSION this table will have the minimum fields of a UID | version | URL | Time Stamp Create |  Time Stamp Modify

Step 2: Add this layout to your existing mirror sync layouts sync_version and put all fields on the layout as required by MS, and configure the table to sync hub to spoke ignoring changes in spoke and hub always wins conflicts. 

Step 3: Add a record to this table and start the version number at 1 and copy and paste the download link url provided by the MS config tool.

Step 4: Make a cartesian join between this table your your main interface table where your users naturally perform the sync operation. 

Step 5: Add a Script: Version  ( Check | Update ) the two parameters will either check the version and inform you of  a new update, and a way to copy and download the URL.

Step 6: On your main layout add a button that will hide when the variable $$version_update ≠ 1  (and also you can test to see if your not on the live version by testing of host name)

Step 7: Button passes the "update" parameter to the script that simply copies the URL from off the side of the layout and presents a dialog box to the user to close the file and paste the URL into Safari where it will download the file and replace the original. 

How it works is fairly simple. When you have a new build ready, you go to the version table (single record table)  and increment the version number, then open the script and update the version number there.

When the user performs a sync they will be given the newest value from the version table - then you can run this "check" portion of the script to compare the value against  local value from their script version which would be out of sync. The end result will light up a button informing them that a new build is ready to download.

 

[fishtech]

Nice idea.

I recently built a change log into my interface to help keep users informed about changes. The log is shown to the user on the splash screen when the solution is opened. 

For the users, each development change is incremented numerically, given a value from 1-5 for Importance to users, and is given one of the following categories:

New feature
Improved/changed feature
Bug fix
Removed feature

 

Currently each week a server script sends an email to all users to notify them of changes. The email contains the URL to download the file. The user can look over the list and decide whether to upgrade or not.

I might see if I can use your idea to present the updated list of dev changes (implemented since the user's version was downloaded) at the end of each sync. 

Thanks,

ft.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by fishtech

[Jesse Barnum]

Great post, Stephen! I've linked to it from our documentation:

http://docs.360works.com/index.php/MirrorSync_advanced_topics#Can_I_build_my_own_front-end_for_the_download_link_URL_feature.3F

[Ocean West]

And just like that this feature is now native in MirrorSync 4 great work Jesse!

 

[Jesse Barnum]

Thanks Stephen