Programming an autoupdater / launcher application in c# that works with any program
<p>I am making a program updater / launcher that can be used for any program.
I have a config file on the client and a config file on a http server. I get version numbers from both of them and compare them and if they are are not = then update the client.</p>

<p>I have everything working except for when the update starts. What I need is say if someone downloaded my application and do not use if for say a month and in between that time I have 5 or so updates.
The problem is how to I get my program to download the first update , install it and then download the next update untill they have all been downloaded?</p>

<p>I am new to programming and this is the only kind of app I can think of to work on to learn.
Thanks</p>

<p>My settings.conf on http server XML File.</p>

<pre><code>&lt;Table&gt;
&lt;Product&gt;
&lt;Product_id&gt;1&lt;/Product_id&gt;
&lt;Product_name&gt;Infected&lt;/Product_name&gt;
&lt;Product_version&gt;1.0.0.1&lt;/Product_version&gt;
&lt;Product_Url&gt;http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.1.exe&lt;/Product_Url&gt;
&lt;Product_id&gt;2&lt;/Product_id&gt;
&lt;Product_name&gt;Infected&lt;/Product_name&gt;
&lt;Product_version&gt;1.0.0.2&lt;/Product_version&gt;
&lt;Product_Url&gt;http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.2.exe&lt;/Product_Url&gt;

&lt;Product_id&gt;3&lt;/Product_id&gt;
&lt;Product_name&gt;Infected&lt;/Product_name&gt;
&lt;Product_version&gt;1.0.0.3&lt;/Product_version&gt;
&lt;Product_Url&gt;http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.3.exe&lt;/Product_Url&gt;

&lt;Product_id&gt;4&lt;/Product_id&gt;
&lt;Product_name&gt;Infected&lt;/Product_name&gt;
&lt;Product_version&gt;1.0.0.4&lt;/Product_version&gt;
&lt;Product_Url&gt;http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.4.exe&lt;/Product_Url&gt;

&lt;Product_id&gt;5&lt;/Product_id&gt;
&lt;Product_name&gt;Infected&lt;/Product_name&gt;
&lt;Product_version&gt;1.0.0.5&lt;/Product_version&gt;
&lt;Product_Url&gt;http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.5.exe&lt;/Product_Url&gt;


&lt;/Product&gt;
&lt;/Table&gt;
</code></pre>

<p>My Client Config XML file.</p>

<pre><code>&lt;Table&gt;
&lt;Product&gt;
&lt;Product_id&gt;1&lt;/Product_id&gt;
&lt;Product_name&gt;Infected&lt;/Product_name&gt;
&lt;Product_version&gt;1.0.0.0&lt;/Product_version&gt;
&lt;Product_Url&gt;http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.1.exe&lt;/Product_Url&gt;
&lt;/Product&gt;
&lt;/Table&gt;
</code></pre>

<p>My C# Form.</p>

<pre><code>using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Xml;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Runtime.Remoting;

namespace Launcher
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {

        public Form1()
        {

            InitializeComponent();
        }

        public string localversion { get; set; }
        public string remoteversion { get; set; }
        public string UpdateURL { get; set; }

        private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {

            webBrowser1.Navigate("http://www.kceoc.com/");
            webBrowser2.Navigate("http://www.kceoc.com/");

            button1.Enabled = false;    // Disable the launch button untill all updates are completed.
            GetLocalXMLFile();          //Run first xml function to start everything off.


        }

        private void GetLocalXMLFile()
        {
            try     //Start error checking.
            {
                using (XmlTextReader localxml = new XmlTextReader("settings.conf"))  //Load xml file in same folder as launcher.exe
                {
                    while (localxml.Read())  // Start reading the settings.conf file
                    {
                        switch (localxml.NodeType) //Get the Node that we will use.
                        {
                            case XmlNodeType.Text:
                                label1.Text = localxml.Value;  //Change the text of label1 to value of Node.
                                string localversion = localxml.Value;  // Store Node Value in string localversion for latter use.
                                GetRemoteXMLFile(localversion, remoteversion); //Everything went ok and got a value from Node so pass this all to our next function witch is get remote xml.
                                break;
                        }
                    }
                }

            }
            catch (FileNotFoundException)
            {
                label1.Text = "Local Config not found. Reinstall the application"; // Catch error incase file is not there.
            }
        }

        private void GetRemoteXMLFile(string localversion, string remoteversion)
        {
            try  //Start error checking
            {
                using (XmlTextReader remotexml = new XmlTextReader("http://localhost/update/settings.conf"))  //Load up remote xml on web server
                {
                    while (remotexml.Read())  //Start reading xml file from server.
                    {
                        switch (remotexml.NodeType)
                        {
                            case XmlNodeType.Text:
                                label2.Text = remotexml.Value; // Change value of label2 to remote xml node value
                                remoteversion = remotexml.Value; // Set the remoteversion string to remotexml.value
                                CompareXMLFileVersions(localversion, remoteversion); // Everything went ok so send localversion string and remoteversion string to compare function.
                                break;
                        }
                    }
                }

            }
            catch (FileNotFoundException)
            {
                label1.Text = "Remote config not found. Maby website id down?"; // Catch error incase file is not there.
            }
        }


        private void CompareXMLFileVersions(string localversion, string remoteversion)
        {

            label1.Text = localversion;         // Just so we can see the value in the lables to konw if they have value or not.
            label2.Text = remoteversion;         // Just so we can see the value in the lables to konw if they have value or not.

            if (localversion == remoteversion)  // Comparing the values of localversion and remoteversion and if they have same value then
            {                                   // change label3 to You have latest version.
                label3.Text = "You have the latest version";

            }
            else
            {
                label3.Text = "There is a new version. Starting update process here"; // If localversion and remoteversion are diffrent then let user know the files are out of date and start the updating process..
                GetListOfUpdates(remoteversion);  // Starting the updating process function..     

            }
        }

        private void GetListOfUpdates(string remoteversion)
        {

            //WebClient webClient = new WebClient();
            //webClient.DownloadFileCompleted += new AsyncCompletedEventHandler(Completed);
            //webClient.DownloadProgressChanged += new DownloadProgressChangedEventHandler(ProgressChanged);
            //webClient.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri(remoteversion), @"v1.0.0.1.exe");

            string url = "http://localhost/update/v1.0.0.1.exe";
            WebClient downloader = new WebClient();
            downloader.DownloadFileCompleted += new AsyncCompletedEventHandler(downloader_DownloadFileCompleted);
            downloader.DownloadProgressChanged += new DownloadProgressChangedEventHandler(downloader_DownloadProgressChanged);
            downloader.DownloadFileAsync(new Uri(url), "temp.exe");



        }


        void downloader_DownloadProgressChanged(object sender, DownloadProgressChangedEventArgs e)
        {

            label1.Text = e.BytesReceived + " " + e.ProgressPercentage;
        }
        void downloader_DownloadFileCompleted(object sender, AsyncCompletedEventArgs e)
        {
            //if (e.Error != null)
            //    MessageBox.Show(e.Error.Message);
            //else
            //    MessageBox.Show("Completed!!!");
        }


    }
}
</code></pre>

<p>Thanks</p>
