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Using ndSync Auto-Updating Features

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Iryna Kuziv

Overview

ndSync for Windows 2.1+ enables users to be notified when a new version is made available by NetDocuments.

IT/system administrators wishing to control their own update schedule and version choice using the built-in auto-update features can do so using the following settings. 

Please note this does not automatically download or update the client, it only makes the user aware that a new version is available through a notification. Users must click on the notification to download and install the update. Local Administration rights are still required to update the application.

Standard view (no update available):  Updated version available:
no_update_prompt.png update_prompt.png

 

How Auto-Update Works

Auto-update is ON by default for users who have not disabled auto-update.

When auto-updates are enabled, ndSync automatically contacts a NetDocuments service-specific URL every 30 minutes to check if there is an updated version available by comparing its version to the published version. The URL varies depending on the actual service you are using as configured in the ndSync Settings and your chosen host. 

ndSync checks for updates by looking at the manifest at:

Service Name Default URL for Auto-Update
 US (Vault)  https://vault.netvoyage.com/neweb2/apps/appversions.xml
 EU  https://eu.netdocuments.com/neweb2/apps/appversions.xml
 AU  https://au.netdocuments.com/neweb2/apps/appversions.xml


So, for Vault this file reads as:

<InstallerPackageInfo>
<id>ndSync-Windows</id>
<url>/neWeb2/apps/ndSyncSetup.exe</url>
<version>2.1.143.857</version>
</InstallerPackageInfo>
</ArrayOfInstallerPackageInfo>

This file says that ndSync is currently at version 2.1.143.857 and that if the client is enabled for auto-update and it finds this manifest and the currently installed version is less than 2.1.143.857 then, in that case, ndSyncSetup.exe will be vended from the NetDocuments apps directory. 

Configuring an Alternative URL for Staging ndSync

Should a NetDocuments customer want to control the timing of the update, and the version of ndSync, they would add these two registry value pairs: 

Value Pair Name String value (REG_SZ)
AlternativeUpdateUrl

https://somelocation.com/AppVersions.xml
AlternativeUpdateUrlEnabled True

Registry key locations for the required keys are outlined below. Registry keys here are all strings (REG_SZ), and HKLM settings will override any HKCU value in the context of this article. 

Registry Locations 64 bit OS (x64)
 HKCU\SOFTWARE\NetVoyage\NetDocuments\
 HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\NetVoyage\NetDocuments\

 

Setting Action Registry Key Value

Disable auto-updates

(ndSync Settings > Updates)

 Controls whether the feature is enabled/disabled. AutoUpdateEnabled
  • True 
  • False

Prompt for automatic updates

(ndSync Settings > Updates)

 Choose whether to show the 'New ndSync version is available' in the ndSync activity window (pictured above). PromptForAutomaticUpdates
  • True 
  • False

Alternative Update URL Enabled

(Not Available in user interface)

 Choose whether to redirect the update check to your own specified appversions.xml file AlternativeUpdateURLEnabled
  • True 
  • False

Alternative Update URL

(Not Available in user interface)

 The URL for the appversions.xml for your environment.  AlternativeUpdateURL

Custom e.g.
https://www.yourfirm.com/appversions.xml

 

To use the alternative URL features you will need a webserver (e.g. IIS) configured with a matching hostname certificate for SSL/TLS with an "appversions.xml" file and directories to host your chosen installation version. Alternative ports can be chosen by specifying the port (e.g. https://www.yourfirm.com:444/appversions.xml) but it must conform to HTTPS using a trusted certificate chain; to this end, self-signed certificates are not recommended. 

An example appversions.XML file content:

<ArrayOfInstallerPackageInfo xmlns="http://schemas.datacontract.org/2004/07/NetDocuments.Rest.Client.DTO" xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<InstallerPackageInfo>
<id>ndSync-Windows</id>
<url>/neWeb2/apps/ndSyncSetup.exe</url>
<version>2.1.143.857</version>
</InstallerPackageInfo>
</ArrayOfInstallerPackageInfo>
 
When making a new version available to users, the path should be updated with the new version of the executable and the version number updated to be higher than your existing installation to trigger the upgrade notification (e.g. your current installed version is 2.1.143.113 and you want to upgrade to 2.1.143.857 then you would update the webserver with the XML above and place the updated executable along side it or whichever local path is specified in the URL tags). If you are not using a local path to the webserver, you should specify the full URL to the update file, e.g. <url>https://www.yourfirm.com/files/ndOfficeSetup.exe</url>.

This will need to be made available externally across the internet should you wish to have users be able to update when out of the office, else they will receive an error when attempting an update check. 

It’s important that the alternative update URL references the manifest and that the manifest then points to the ndSync vending location and instance.

Doing this, and editing the manifest, you can stage an auto-update from a location and time of your choosing to whichever version you want to update.

Refer to our Software Installation Guide for more information about ndSync registry keys.