The location of the configuration file that sets the values for delay and updateURL properties. If this property points to a non-existent file, calling the initialize() method results in an Error being thrown.

Here is a sample configuration file:

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
         <configuration xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/air/framework/update/configuration/1.0" >
           <url>app:/server/update.xml</url>
           <delay>1</delay>
        </configuration>

Instead of loading a configuration file, you can use ActionScript code to set the delay and updateURL properties.

Related API Elements

The internal state of the updater. The property can be set to the following values:

• "UNINITIALIZED"—The updater has not been initialized.

• "INITIALIZING"—The updater is initializing.

• "READY"—The updater has been initialized

• "BEFORE_CHECKING"—The updater has not yet checked for the update descriptor file.

• "CHECKING"—The updater is checking for an update descriptor file.

• "AVAILABLE"—The update descriptor file is available.

• "DOWNLOADING"—The updater is downloading the AIR file.

• "DOWNLOADED"—The updater has downloaded the AIR file.

• "INSTALLING"—The updater is installing the AIR file.

• "PENDING_INSTALLING"—The updater has initialized and there are pending updates.

The current version of the application. This property is set during a call to the initialize() method. It is set to the version from the application descriptor file.

The interval, in days, between periodic checks of new updates.

A value of 0 (the default value) indicates that the timer is not active, so no periodic check is done. This can be set either via this property or via the configuration file. When the value is set using both methods, the value set using the property is used.

The default value is 0.

Whether this is the first run after a successful update (true) or not (false). The updater sets this value during the call to the initialize() method. The developer should check that isFirstRun is set to true if there is a need to migrate data from one version to another.

Related API Elements

A function that the updater should use to perform version comparisons. By default, the update framework does a version comparison to detect whether the version from the remote site is newer than the version of the installed application. However, sometimes the default comparison does not match the developer's versioning scheme. Set this property to provide a new function that does the comparison.

The default comparision function accepts versions like x.y.z, where x, y, and z can contain letters and digits. There are some special conditions that the default comparision function recognizes. If the test function finds "alpha", "beta", or "rc" in the version strings, the order is alpha < beta < rc.

appUpdate.isNewerVersionFunction = customFn; 

function customFn (currentVersion:String, updateVersion:String):Boolean 
{
    return updateVersion > currentVersion;
}

The previous location of the application storage directory, if it changed after an update. The application storage directory location changes after an upgrade with a certificate migration. If there is no certificate migration, the application storage directory does not change when the user updates the application. and this property is set to null. This property is set during a call to the initialize() method.

A developer can sign new version of AIR application with a new certificate if the developer uses the -migrate option when packaging the AIR file with ADT. If a new version of an AIR application uses a new signing certificate, the local storage directory of the application changes when the user installs the new version. Use this property to transfer data from the old application storage directory to the new application storage directory (File.applicationStorageDirectory). For more information, see "Signing an AIR file to change the application certificate" in the "Creating an AIR application using the command line tools" chapter of the Adobe AIR developer's guide.

The previous version of the application. This property is set during a call to the initialize() method. Returns the previous version of the application before the upgrade (set only if isfirstRun is true); otherwise it is set to null.

The content of the update descriptor file downloaded from the update URL. This property is non-null only the updater object dispatches an updateStatus event.

The location of the update descriptor file. Any location valid for a URLRequest path is accepted. This is the only mandatory setting required by the updater. You can set the update URL either via this property or via the configuration file. When the value is set using both methods, the updater uses the value set using this property.

Whether there was a postponed update, even if it failed to install (true); false otherwise. The updater sets this property during a call to the initialize() method. Use the wasPendingUpdate and isFirstRun properties to check if an update failed to install (in which case wasPendingUpdate is set to true and isFirstRun is set to false).

Related API Elements

The constructor function.

Cancels the update process. Calling this method cancels any pending downloads, deleting any incomplete downloaded files, and restarts the periodic check timer.

The update process can be canceled at any time except when the state machine is in "UNINITIALIZED" or "INITIALIZING" state. It does nothing when it is called in one of the "UNINITIALIZED" or "INITIALIZING" states.

Asynchronously downloads and interprets the update descriptor file. Calling this method advances the updater state to "CHECKING". Call this method only if the checkForUpdate event was cancelled.

This method only executes when the updater is in the "BEFORE_CHECKING" state.

Starts the update process. Calling this method does not stop the periodic timer; however, the method detects that an update process is running and will skip the current iteration.

This method only executes if the current state is "READY".

This method can result in the updater object dispatching the following event:

Asynchronously downloads the update file. Calling this method advances the state machine to "DOWNLOADING". This method needs to be called only if the StatusUpdateEvent.UPDATE_STATUS event was cancelled when the available property of the event was true.

This method only executes if the current state is "AVAILABLE".

Initializes the updater. Calling this method does the following:

1. It initializes the update framework, silently (and synchronously) installing any pending updates. You should call this method during application startup, since it may restart the application.

2. It checks if there is a postponed update and installs it.

3. If something went wrong with a prior update, it clears the update file and version information from the storage area.

4. If the periodic timer delay has expired, it starts the update process; otherwise it starts the periodic timer. However, when testing an application using the AIR Debug Launcher (ADL) application, attempting to update the application results in a IllegalOperationError exception.

Starts the update process using a local AIR file.

Calling this method has no effect if an update process is running (if the state is not "DOWNLOADED").

This function is useful for an application that has the customUpdateUI element set to true in the application descriptor file.

When testing an application using the AIR Debug Launcher (ADL) application, calling this method results in an IllegalOperationError exception.

Parameters

Installs the update file. Calling the method advances the state machine to "INSTALLING" and needs to be called only if the downLoadComplete event was cancelled.

Call this method when the updater is in the "DOWNLOADED" state. Calling it in any other state will do nothing.

When testing an application using the AIR Debug Launcher (ADL) application, calling this method results in an IllegalOperationError exception.

Dispatched just before installing the update, after the installUpdate() method was called. Sometimes, it is useful to prevent the installation of the update at this time, because the user could lose all current work when the runtime exits the application to install the update.

Calling this event's preventDefault() method postpones the installation until the next restart. If you call the preventDefault() method, no additional update process can be started during this application session (via a call to the installUpdate() method or because of the periodic check).

The default behavior for ApplicationUpdater library is to download the update descriptor file. You can call the preventDefault() method to cancel this behavior.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched before the update process begins, just before the updater tries to download the update descriptor file. The updater can dispatch this event as a result of directly calling the checkNow() method or because the periodic check timer expired.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched when the download of the update file is complete.

Usually this event is used to display a message asking if the user wants to proceed with the installation of the update.

The default behavior for the the ApplicationUpdater library is to automatically call the installUpdate() method.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched if there is an error while connecting or downloading the update file. It is also dispatched for invalid HTTP statuses (such as 404 - File not found).

When this event is dispatched the periodic timer is automatically restarted (if the delay is greater than 0).

The errorID property of a DownloadErrorEvent object is an integer defining error information (see the following table). An additional subErrorID property may contain more error information.

Dispatched after a call to the downloadUpdate() method and the connection to the server is established. When using ApplicationUpdater library, you may want the event handler for this event to display a progress bar to report the download progress to the user.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched when an error occurred either during initialization or during the update process (if something unexpected happens).

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched when an error occurs validating the file passed as the airFile parameter in a call to the installFromAIRFile() method.

Dispatched after the updater successfully validates the file in the call to the installFromAIRFile() method.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched after the initialization is complete.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched as the update file is downloaded.

This event has the following properties:

Dispatched if an error occurs while trying to download or parse the update descriptor file.

When the updater dispatches this event, the periodic timer is automatically restarted (if the delay setting is greater than 0). The application should consider hiding any error dialog boxes when the updater dispatches a new checkForUpdate event.

Dispatched after the updater successfully downloads and interprets the update descriptor file.

The default behavior is to start downloading the update if the available of the available property of the StatusUpdateEvent object is set to true. The default behavior can be prevented only when using the ApplicationUpdater class, not when using the ApplicationUpdatorUI class..

This event has the following properties: