autoupgrader Upgrade Information File (InfoFile)
AutoUpgrader component
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What is the information file (InfoFile) and what for we need it?
This file contains the information about latest version of your application. This is the server-side part of AutoUpgrader component, small text-file, stored on your website, and InfoFileURL property must point to its location.  
 
On detecting the Internet connection (if AutoCheck = True), or after calling the CheckUpdate method, the AutoUpgrader downloads this file from your website to check for an application updates.  
 
If VersionControl property is byDate — it compares the date specified in VersionDate property with the date of latest version, specified in #date variable of the .Info-file (see example of real file below). If value of #date variable higher than date specified in VersionDate property, then AutoUpgrader will show the dialog which notify user that newer version already available and whether he(she) would like to upgrade the software (see screenshot).  
 
The optional text for this dialog box (release notes, new features etc) specified in #message variable (see example below). #message is not obligatory parameter, feel free to leave it empty.  
 
If user press "Yes" button, then AutoUpgrader will attempt to download the updated files from locations specified in #urlX variables, for further updating of these files locally. However there is two alternative options: 1) if you wish to download just setup-file for further manual installation — set #method value to 1 or, 2) if you wish to just redirect user to download site — set #method to 2 and the AutoUpgrader will just redirect user to first listed #url (see UpgradeMethod property for more details).  
 
In case if you are using VersionNumber for version control, then before upgrading, the AutoUpgrader will compare value in #version variable with value specified in VersionNumber property. If values is equal then AutoUpgrader will try to auto-upgrade software same way.  

Example of information file
# --- Begin  
#date=09/19/2001  
#version=2.0.1b  
#message={Version 2.0 contains following features:  
 * Feature 1  
 * Feature 2  
 * Feature 3  
and so on...}  
#url1=http://www.yourdomain.com/download/cool/CoolProgram.exe  
#method=0 (self-upgrade)  
# ---  End  

Info-file Format
#date=MM/DD/YYYY  
#version=any string  
 
#url1=http://www.mydomain.com/download/MyApp.exe  
#url2=http://www.mydomain.com/download/MyApp.dll  
...  
#urlN=http://www.mydomain.com/download/ReleaseNotes.txt  
 
#method=0, 1 or 2 (see UpgradeMethod property)  
 
(#message begins with "{" and ends with "}" characters)  
#message={long message  
another line  
line 3}  

How to create Info-files?
Double-click the component icon on your form, or…  
Right-click the icon and select "Edit Info-file…" menu item", or…  
Click "…" button on InfoFile property in Object Inspector, or…  
Open "NotePad" or any other text-editor and create this file manually<g>.  

New feature!
The AutoUpgrader can download files to different specified locations, not only to main program directory. You can specify the location where downloaded file should be stored in the Info-file. The URLs in the Info-file listed as:  
 #url1=http://www.mydomain.com/myfile1.exe  
 #url2=http://www.mydomain.com/myfile2.dll  
 #url3=http://www.mydomain.com/myfile3.doc  
 
In previous versions these files (myfile1.exe, myfile2.dll and myfile3.doc) could be downloaded only to the main program directory (where an EXE are running). In current version you can specify separate locations to each file, if required, after next "=" character. For example:  
 #url1=http://www.mydomain.com/myfile1.exe  
 #url2=http://www.mydomain.com/myfile2.dll=%system%\myfile2.dll  
 #url3=http://www.mydomain.com/myfile3.doc=docs\myfile3.doc  
 
So, the "myfile2" will be stored to the Windows\System directory (Windows\System32 for NT-family machines), and myfile3 will be downloaded to the subfolder named "docs", under main program directory (alternatively you can specify "%current%\docs\myfile3.doc" after "=" sign).  

Some real Info-files on our website

http://www.appcontrols.com/download/exe/AutoUpgraderPro.inf  
http://www.appcontrols.com/software/upgrades/colorpicker.inf  
http://www.appcontrols.com/software/upgrades/startupman.inf  
http://www.appcontrols.com/software/upgrades/virtualdrives.inf  
http://www.appcontrols.com/software/upgrades/wallpaperman.inf  
File not found.