As far as I understand, Google plans something like this for the future (maybe when paid apps start to become possible). For now the developer is left by themselves.
We also initially copied an update checker routine in all of our OI applications, but this has 2 major drawbacks: 1) It requires each application to have the INTERNET permission, even though the app itself won't use it. 2) A lot of code is duplicated in the various applications. We have been developing OI Update, an open source update checker, which is ready to be released soon. We wrote it mainly for our own applications, but it is written generally enough to allow other applications to take advantage of it as well easily. Your application only needs to include a small meta-data in your manifest, and you need to keep a file on a server with update information (which can be compatible to VeeCheck; AndAppStore.com can generate that file on the fly). This inconvenience is necessary, because the Market does not provide version information to 3rd party applications (or at least I'm not aware of how to do it). All the rest is handled by OI Update. It checks every couple of days (as set by the user) for updates, and notifies the user. If the user wishes they are then directly forwarded to the Market where they can download the new version. I hope this could clarify a couple of points. Peli www.openintents.org On Nov 11, 3:48 pm, loty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'm wondering about the same thing. All applications need to have a > simple ability to notify users of new versions. For me 3rd party > updaters/checkers is not an option - I can just as easily add simple > check against my web site and download new APK file directly. > > A much cleaner solution is to query Android Market directly for new > version. > Can anyone illuminate me if this is possible or planned in the future. > > On Nov 10, 10:02 am, G <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > So version checking needs to be done through an outside resource... > > Is there anintentwe can use to launch theAndroidMarketApp > > directly to the listing for our own app, for when an update is > > available? > > > On Nov 10, 4:35 am, friedger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > we have prepared a release version of the OI Updater. There is no need > > > to send intents, but developers only need to add a meta-data node to > > > the application manifest in order to be handled by the updater. > > > > Early feedback welcome! > > > > Description:http://www.openintents.org/en/node/136 > > > Download:http://openintents.googlecode.com/files/UpdateChecker-1.0.0.apk > > > > Cheers, > > > Friedger > > > > On 6 Nov., 20:31, Guillaume Perrot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Because we use a XMPP based application, we chosed Pubsub as a way to > > > > notify new versions to the user. The main advantage is that it uses a > > > > push model. The user is aware of a new version when he launches > > > > the app or in real time if he's online while a new version has just > > > > been released. No timer or service at all in the application code. > > > > > On Nov 5, 11:57 pm, friedger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > Currently, relying on an external resource is the way to do updates, > > > > > this is how it is described in the documentation. > > > > > > If someone is checking againstMarket, please let us know. > > > > > > Friedger > > > > > > On Nov 4, 8:49 pm, "Dan B." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > isn't there some way tocheckthe version against theMarketinstead > > > > > > of having to host version information somewhere else? I know the app > > > > > > Locale somehow knows when anupdateis available, it seems reasonable > > > > > > to query theMarketrather than relying on outside sources :\ > > > > > > > On Nov 1, 1:50 pm,friedger<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > I'd say the package name is the global identifier. > > > > > > > > Maybe you can just provide a VeeCheck url based on the package > > > > > > > name > > > > > > > (as alternative to the app id). So I couldcheckthat url. If you > > > > > > > don't host an app for the package name or if it is not unique you > > > > > > > could return a HTTP 400. > > > > > > > >Friedger > > > > > > > > On 1 Nov., 17:37, Al Sutton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > >Friedger, > > > > > > > > > How are you identifying the apps?, I'd happily add an extra > > > > > > > > field or two > > > > > > > > to the AndAppStore.com data that you can search for if it would > > > > > > > > be useful. > > > > > > > > > Al. > > > > > > > > >friedgerwrote: > > > > > > > > > The idea is that the Updater will also be ablecheckall > > > > > > > > > applications > > > > > > > > > it knows about by a single button clicked or scheduled task. > > > > > > > > > So, once > > > > > > > > > theintentfrom one application is processed by theUpdateit is > > > > > > > > > possible to include this application to the periodicupdate. > > > > > > > > > > A more general solution that includes all installed > > > > > > > > > applications is > > > > > > > > > currently not possible as I can't determine the location of > > > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > >versioninfo file. > > > > > > > > > > The apk mentioned above is provided for developers to test. > > > > > > > > > In the > > > > > > > > > releaseversionthe interval between two checks will be at > > > > > > > > > least 24 > > > > > > > > > hours, so you can start the service as often as you like but > > > > > > > > > thecheck > > > > > > > > > is only performed once every 24 hours. Furthermore, only the > > > > > > > > > log cat > > > > > > > > > shows whether the installedversionis up-to-date or not. In > > > > > > > > > both > > > > > > > > > cases the notification is show (this is to simplify the > > > > > > > > > tests). > > > > > > > > > > Would you like to have a different Notification text? Any > > > > > > > > > ideas for > > > > > > > > > icons? > > > > > > > > > >Friedger > > > > > > > > > > On 1 Nov., 13:18, Al Sutton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > >> HiFriedger, > > > > > > > > > >> I've updated AndAppStore.com to provide a versionCode in > > > > > > > > >> theupdate.xml > > > > > > > > >> as you requested. > > > > > > > > > >> At the moment anyone with applications listed will find that > > > > > > > > >> they can > > > > > > > > >> specify the versionCode in the details about a > > > > > > > > >> releasedversion(not the > > > > > > > > >> application details page, the release details page). > > > > > > > > > >> I am working on code to pull the information from the > > > > > > > > >> manifest included > > > > > > > > >> in the apk, but this is a little way off yet. > > > > > > > > > >> Thanks for making this available. > > > > > > > > > >> Al. > > > > > > > > > >>friedgerwrote: > > > > > > > > > >>> Hi, > > > > > > > > > >>> we are preparing the OI Updater that checks a given info > > > > > > > > >>> file for new > > > > > > > > >>> updates as described in theAndroiddocumentation. > > > > > > > > > >>> You can find the current build (rev 1284) at > > > > > > > > >>>http://openintents.googlecode.com/files/UpdateChecker.apk > > > > > > > > > >>> In order to initiate theupdatecheckyou just have to add the > > > > > > > > >>> following code: > > > > > > > > > >>> Intentservice = newIntent(); > > > > > > > > >>> service.setAction(ACTION_CHECK_VERSION); > > > > > > > > >>> String uri= "http://uri-to-update-file.txt"; > > > > > > > > > >>> service.setData(Uri.parse(link)); > > > > > > > > >>> service.putExtra("package_name", > > > > > > > > >>> context.getPackageName()); > > > > > > > > >>> service.putExtra("app_name", > > > > > > > > >>> context.getString(org.openintents.notepad.R.string.app_name)); > > > > > > > > > >>> int currentVersion = -1; > > > > > > > > >>> PackageInfo pi = > > > > > > > > >>> context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo( > > > > > > > > >>> > > > > > > > > >>> context.getPackageName(), 0); > > > > > > > > >>> currentVersion = pi.versionCode; > > > > > > > > >>> service.putExtra("current_version", > > > > > > > > >>> currentVersion); > > > > > > > > >>> context.startService(service ); > > > > > > > > > >>> You can also put current_version_name if youcheckagainst the > > > > > > > > >>> veecheck url at AndAppStore. > > > > > > > > > >>> It is still alpha, but we would appreciate early feedback. > > > > > > > > >>> How do you like it? Would you include it in your code? > > > > > > > > >>> More/other > > > > > > > > >>> features?... > > > > > > > > > >>> Cheers, > > > > > > > > >>>Friedger > > > > > > > > > >> -- > > > > > > > > >> Al Sutton > > > > > > > > > >> W:www.alsutton.com > > > > > > > > >> B: alsutton.wordpress.com > > > > > > > > >> T: twitter.com/alsutton > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > > Al Sutton > > > > > > > > > W:www.alsutton.com > > > > > > > > B: alsutton.wordpress.com > > > > > > > > T: twitter.com/alsutton- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
