wyUpdate Client System Requirements

This is a concern for me because I chose the language I used to write the game to ensure that the .Net framework was not a requirement for the client as a small but significant part of my target market does not have the .Net framework installed.

Can you confirm that wyUpdate requires the .Net framework to run? And can you give me any additional information on requirements for the client? IE: What version of the .Net framework is required? Are any other files (eg Visual C runtimes ) required on the client's machine in order to check for and perform updates?

The only requirement is .NET Framework 2.0. No other runtimes are needed.

Most windows users have the .NET framework installed by default. It comes included with Vista & Windows 7, and has been in the automatic updates for Windows XP for nearly 4 years.

What installer are you using (NSIS, Inno, InstallShield, ...)? I ask this because there are many scripts that can see if .NET Framework is installed, download & install it if it isn't.

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I haven't made any decision about the installer I'll be using at this point, and it will probably vary between distributors. I'm not really concerned about people finding it difficult to find or install, it's more of a concern that my target audience is a niche market - it's a genre game - and there may be a small but significant number who have made a conscious choice not to install the .Net framework, quite possibly for reasons dogmatic reasons.

I believe I can check for the .Net framework with a registry key so I would probably choose to not install the .Net framework with my game and then simply urge people who do not have it installed to do so when they press the "check for updates" button in the menu. This way, I am not requiring the .Net framework for my game, only if they want the benefits of automatic updates.

Really I identified three major features that I wanted in an autoupdate solution. Firstly, binary patching to ensure the updates are as small as possible. Secondly, the ability to negotiate UAC and user account permissions. Finally, the bare minimum system requirements. Your software fits the first two and I have yet to find a single solution which fits all three, so yours is probably the closest to my idea of perfection. Anyway, I have narrowed it down to three solutions, and since one does not have binary patching (my most important feature) and the other does not answer technical questions very promptly, I will probably end up purchasing WyUpdate.

Again, thanks for your quick and informative reply.

Again, thanks for your quick and informative reply.

It's no problem at all. If you have any other questions or concerns I'm happy to answer them.

Hi,

Apologies for bumping this old topic, but I recently purchased a license for WyBuild - I couldn't say no at the current price - and I wanted to make sure that I get my .Net Framework requirements correct.

Now as I understand it, the Net Framework 2.0 will find the registry key

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v2.0.50727" and set install to 1.

Is that what I need to check for? What happens if, for example, the user has installed the Net Framework 3.0 or 3.5? I understand that they're supposed to be backwards compatible, and so 2.0 should not need to be installed. But will install still be set to 1 in that key? Or should I check for the key that 3.0 and 3.5 use as well, and only refuse to run the update client if ALL of them are not present?

Hi,

Apologies for bumping this old topic, but I recently purchased a license for WyBuild - I couldn't say no at the current price - and I wanted to make sure that I get my .Net Framework requirements correct.

Now as I understand it, the Net Framework 2.0 will find the registry key

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v2.0.50727" and set install to 1.

Is that what I need to check for?

Yep, that should work. Here's an official page on how to detect the .NET Framework 2.0: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315291

But there are many ways to do it.

What happens if, for example, the user has installed the Net Framework 3.0 or 3.5? I understand that they're supposed to be backwards compatible, and so 2.0 should not need to be installed. But will install still be set to 1 in that key? Or should I check for the key that 3.0 and 3.5 use as well, and only refuse to run the update client if ALL of them are not present?

If your users have .NET 3.0, 3.5 or the upcoming 4.0 installed, then they also have .NET 2.0 installed. So all you have to do is check for the .NET Framework 2.0. You don't need to worry about the superset versions.