Re: app config file downloading (not) for winform deployment model

From: Mike Moore [MS] (michmo@online.microsoft.com)
Date: 12/20/02 

From: michmo@online.microsoft.com ("Mike Moore [MS]")
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 23:48:20 GMT

Hi Norm,

In my previous posts, I was trying to answer your specific question. I just
realized that I failed to also explain other options. I apologize for that.

** No. You cannot remotely clear the config file from the download cache.
Once downloaded, it's essentially permanent. Therefore, using the config
file so the web service location is "dynamic" is totally useless if you use
this method of deployment which will never update the config file.

** An alternative is to make the web service address static. Then it will
be compiled into your EXE. To update it, have the users browse to the EXE
again to download a new copy.

** Another alternative is to have the EXE point to some location which
contains the real location. The load on this intermediate location will be
relatively low since it can process requests rapidly, merely returning the
location of the real web service. There is a toolkit which can help you
setup this type of functionality (watch out for line breaks in the URL):
- Web Services Development Kit Technology Preview
http://msdn.microsoft.com/downloads/default.asp?URL=/downloads
/sample.asp?url=/MSDN-FILES/027/001/997/msdncompositedoc.xml

I'm sorry that the config file will not meet your needs. I hope the
workarounds work well for you.

Thank you, Mike Moore
Microsoft, ASP.NET

This posting is provided "AS IS", with no warranties, and confers no rights.

--------------------
>From: normd@knorrassociates.com (Norm Dotti)
>Subject: Re: app config file downloading (not) for winform deployment model
>Date: 19 Dec 2002 05:32:56 -0800
>Organization: http://groups.google.com/
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>Thanks Mike. Is there a way to remotely flush out the download cache?
>Let's say I'm using an app that has web services where the reference
>is defined to be dynamic, thus the url is in the app config file.
>1000's of users have used the app and thus have the app config file on
>their machine. The server is overloaded so IT decides to stick the web
>services on another web server (a different url that can't be
>redirected to for whatever reason). How can I flush out the 1000's of
>users' download cache so the next time they hit the site it will go
>and fetch the new config file?
>
>
>michmo@online.microsoft.com ("Mike Moore [MS]") wrote in message
news:<5wP01FvpCHA.896@cpmsftngxa09>...
>> Hi Norm,
>>
>> Currently there is no better method. That's why the white paper which
>> includes commentary on downloaded config files explicitly states that
care
>> should be taken that the config file never needs to be updated as it
will
>> never be updated even if a newer version is available.
>>
>> I'm sorry that this is not the preferred answer. I'd very much like to
say,
>> just do this or that. Unfortunately, that is the only answer I have at
this
>> time.
>>
>> Thank you, Mike Moore
>> Microsoft, ASP.NET
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS", with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>>
>> --------------------
>> >Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
>> >From: "Norm Dotti" <normd@knorrassociates.com>
>> >Sender: "Norm Dotti" <normd@knorrassociates.com>
>> >References: <020201c2a20e$4af9ec50$d2f82ecf@TK2MSFTNGXA09>
>> <uvhmlkelkp69b1@corp.supernews.com>
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>> <uvhsc0jvfc4c99@corp.supernews.com>
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>> <oDfSwEUpCHA.2276@cpmsftngxa09>
>> >Subject: Re: app config file downloading (not) for winform deployment
model
>> >Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 07:35:23 -0800
>> >Lines: 81
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>> >Xref: cpmsftngxa09
microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.aspnet.security:3429
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>> >
>> >It answers my question but the issue I have is how do I
>> >know that the config file got downloaded if I have no way
>> >of "seeing" it? Putting a test config file out there and
>> >testing it from a machine with only the .NET Framework on
>> >it (the typical deployment model) is a pain because after
>> >the test I'd want to flush the client's download cache,
>> >which I need to do with GacUtil, which doesn't come with
>> >the .NET Framework. Is there a more elegant way to see if
>> >the config file did in fact get downloaded?
>> >
>> >>-----Original Message-----
>> >>Hi Norm,
>> >>
>> >>QUESTION
>> >>I placed a .NET Windows application in an IIS directory.
>> When a user
>> >>browses directly to my EXE, the application downloads to
>> the user's local
>> >>machine and runs. However, what happens to the
>> application.config file?
>> >>
>> >>I'm expecting this file to show up in my .NET download
>> directory (by
>> >>default, this is c:\winnt\assembly\Download). however, I
>> don't see it there.
>> >>
>> >>ANSWER
>> >>I found an article that talks about this. The article
>> states that the
>> >>config file does get downloaded. I, and several others,
>> wrote sample apps
>> >>that use the config file. We browsed the EXE and it got
>> downloaded and ran.
>> >>It ran correctly, even after disconnecting from the web
>> site. So, we know
>> >>the config file got downloaded. However, we all noticed
>> that our standard
>> >>tools for looking at the contents of directories did not
>> show the file
>> >>(just as you mentioned). It's there, but not visible.
>> >>
>> >>The Download "directory" is a special directory. It is
>> not part of the
>> >>regular file system. Instead, whenever Windows Explorer,
>> or other
>> >>utilities, view the contents of this folder, it goes
>> through a special
>> >>function called a shell extension. If you use a command
>> prompt, it will
>> >>tell you that the Download directory does not exist.
>> That's because the
>> >>command prompt is not aware of this shell extension.
>> >>
>> >>Next, please note, this article specifically mentions
>> that the config file
>> >>only gets downloaded once, even if a newer version is
>> posted on the server.
>> >>
>> >>ARTICLE:
>> >>Security and Versioning Models in the Windows Forms
>> Engine Help You Create
>> >>and Deploy Smart Clients
>> >>http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/07/NetSmartCli
>> ents/default.aspx
>> >>
>> >>The sections in the article that you want are:
>> >>* Application Download
>> >>* Versioning
>> >>* Related Files
>> >>
>> >>---
>> >>Does this answer your question?
>> >>
>> >>Thank you, Mike Moore
>> >>Microsoft, ASP.NET
>> >>
>> >>This posting is provided "AS IS", with no warranties, and
>> confers no rights.
>> >>
>> >>.
>> >>
>> >
>

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