How can a user upgrade app and keep their data?

[MSPJ]

Hi-

I'm developing an app that would be distributed as a run time. The data is not part of what's distributed - user would enter their own data. I'm trying to think ahead to when I want to distribute an improved version of the runtime in the future. How do you get data out of one version and into a modified one?

Some kind of export then re-import?

Right now (early in design) I am not using any external files. Should I be?

Thanks for your help.

Michael

[bcooney]

I'm in the same boat, distributing a runtime and designing the upgrade routine. I've collected many posts, but there doesn't seem to be one "best practice" out there.

Here's what I will try:

1. Use an installer for the runtime so that you know the path of "version 1."

2. User installs "version 2". Have a button on version 2 that lets user "Import from previous version?" I'm thinking of adding a check in the open script that if there are no records, having this dialog come up.

3. Now the fun. The script would find version1 and import into version2 (long import script, table by table, resetting ID counters after import to next serial).

But what if the script can't find version 1? How to handle that? Well, I came upon this link that I thought might help ( http://www.sumware.net/robfm/pickyourpath.php)

If I ask the user to find the version1 file, then I store its path. If they can't find it or pick the wrong file, (I can compare the name of the file that they picked to the name that they should pick, and if it's not correct), give an alert with a choice to pick again or give up on importing.

I also built an export script into version1 that exports the data into .fp7 files into a folder in My Documents just in case the file to file import doesn't work. I wish I had built a show all records in all tables script in version1, but I am hoping that my file to file script will find all records in version1 if I'm careful not to open the version1 file.

All this in a runtime. I'm will be starting to test this in January. I'll keep you posted if you'd like.

[MSPJ]

Thanks - I'd really appreciate your keeping me posted on how it goes.

Michael

[Andreas T.]

I am also interested in this, please keep us updated of your progress.

Cheers,

Andreas

[bcooney]

Hi. I played around today with a test of my import script. Let me know what you think. I have to convert everything to a runtime to see if it works.

Just choose Prompt for Import in File B. Choose Delete All Records to play again.

Upgrade_Import.zip

[bcooney]

Works for me in runtime versions, also.