Question

I have essentially two programs:

1. main.exe
2. update.exe

Update creates a flag file (update.inprogress) so that main cannot run while the update is in progress.

If main opens and that file exists, it immediately exits to prevent a program in use conflict.

I’m only having one issue. If the update is in process, the main program closes without and reason when they try to go in. I need to tell them the program is updating to keep them from calling us that the world has come to an end…

My question is, how can I issue a message that the update is in progress without tying up the main.exe? If I issue it from main.exe, then it will be in use and cannot be updated.

I was thinking of opening up notepad and putting a message in there but that just seems like a bad way of doing it.

I could also create another exe that only displays this message, but, if I have to update it, it will be in use too.. kind of defeats my purpose.

Anyone have a better idea?

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Clarification:

This is a peer-to-peer network. The update could be run on workstation XYZ and someone could attempt to get into the main.exe at workstation ABC. This is why I am using a flag file. I have to way to check the process running on another workstation.

Answer 1

I assume that when update.exe runs, it does not need to update itself? If that is the case, you can modify update.exe to invoke main.exe if no updates are necessary.

For instance, if an update is necessary(you can accomplish this via a adding a version number to your main.exe and checking it), update.exe will create your update.inprogress file and run the updates. Then if another instance of update.exe runs, it will see the update.inprogress file and alert the user that update is in progress and terminate itself without tying up main.exe. If update.exe runs when no updates are necessary and update.inprogress does not exist, it will invoke main.exe programmatically.