The Add & Replace Files by Comparison action automatically determines the files that need to be added to an AppLife package by comparing files from a target folder with those from a baseline folder.

The comparison of files between the target folder and the baseline folder is performed during a package build.  Files in the target folder that are identical to the baseline folder are skipped, and not added to the update. Information on skipped files is written to the build output.

To include subfolders, check the Include subdirectories option.  When subfolders are included, the action will operate recursively to analyze each file in the branch for inclusion.  Folders that are not in the baseline folder but in the target folder are created when the update is applied.

Note:  Folder permissions are not analyzed.  New folders will inherit permissions from their parent on the target client.

 

To use this action,

1.  Prepare a baseline folder that represents a snapshot of the deployed application directory. This baseline should represent the lowest possible application version that this package can target.

2.  Prepare a current folder that represents your application directory after this update is applied.  This folder is commonly an output of a software build process.

3.  Set up the action in AppLife Builder to reference these folders.

4.  Build updates.

 

Prepare Stage

During the prepare stage, this action verifies permissions to the target folder.

Execute Stage

Makes a copy of the files that are going to be replaced on the client computer, then adds and replaces the defined list of files on the client.

Cleanup Stage

Removes the backup copies that were made during the prepare stage.

Rollback Stage

Attempts to copy the files that were backed up in the execute stage back to their original location.

 

Add Files By Comparison Action Editor

Action description – Descriptive text that can be used to identify this particular action in the Actions list.

 

Target client folder – The folder on the client to place files that are newer or does not exist in the baseline folder and all previous updates.

 

Subdirectories – The directory below the designated client root folder to place the files.

 

Baseline folder – The folder that is compared to the Current version folder to determine files that should be added to the update.

 

Current version folder – The folder that represents the current version of your software.  The client folder will mirror this folder after the update is completed.

 

Files to ignore in the current folder – Wildcard exclusion filter.  This property allows you to exclude files from the update whose name matches your defined wildcard filter.  Multiple filters can be applied, delimited by a semicolon.  (*.config; *.pdb)

 

Include subdirectories – Checked to indicate that the analysis should include all subassemblies within the current version folder.

 

The files that are included in the update is determined during the update build.  The output window identifies the action taken for each file in the Current version folder.

 

 

Expansion variables can be used to set the target client subdirectory property.