Enable Update Notifications Action

InstallAnywhere 2021

InstallAnywhere includes an Enable Update Notifications action. This action deploys the FlexNet Connect Java agent along with your product. The Java agent periodically checks for notifications about your product and automatically notifies your Web-connected end users when patches, updates, and product information for your product are available. FlexNet Connect helps you reduce the number of end users running old releases of your products and prevent them from installing the wrong updates from your Web site.

By default, the Enable Update Notifications action also creates a launcher for the Java agent so that your end users have the option of checking for updates on demand.

Note:The use of the Enable Update Notifications action requires a FlexNet Connect account in either a Revenera–hosted or self-hosted environment. You must create a product on the FlexNet Connect Publisher site with a product code that matches the product code that is configured in your project (in the Advanced Designer, on the Project page, click the General Settings link).

Properties Tab

The Properties tab of the Enable Update Notifications customizer has two subtabs:

• General Settings
• Advanced Settings

General Settings

The Properties > General Settings tab of the Enable Update Notifications customizer includes the following options:

Enable Update Notifications Customizer | Properties > General Settings

Option

Description

Have you registered your product with FlexNet Connect?

Opens the login page for the Revenera-hosted Publisher site. You must register your product with FlexNet Connect to take advantage of the Enable Update Notifications action.

If you have not yet registered your product, click Click Here and register your product at the Publisher site. If you use a self-hosted version of FlexNet Connect, you can manually open your Publisher site to make sure your product is registered.

Destination for FlexNet Connect files

Defines the install location for FlexNet Connect files. This shows where your installer will place the us.jar file (source: <InstallAnywhere>\isus\us.jar).

Click the drop-down list to specify the location you want the FlexNet Connect files to be installed.

Note:The location of the Enable Update Notifications action in the Visual Tree changes to reflect the new destination.

Note:The text box associated with the FlexNet Connect file destination is read-only; however, you can place the Enable Update Notifications action in any folder in the Visual Tree and that change is automatically reflected in the customizer.

Create LaunchAnywhere to execute update check

Select this option to enable or disable the creation of a LaunchAnywhere executable file. By default, this option is selected. If you do not want to include a LaunchAnywhere executable file for this action, clear this check box. Clearing this check box choice disables all subsequent settings on the General Settings tab.

Launcher Name

Enter a name for the LaunchAnywhere executable file that initiates the check for notifications.

Windows Execution Level

Select the execution level that the Update Notifications launcher requires for Windows-based systems. Available options are:

• As Invoker—The launcher is run with the same execution level as its parent process. This execution level is typically standard user privileges, since Windows Explorer runs as a standard user. If the launcher does not require administrative privileges and all users can run it without administrative privileges, select this option.
• Highest Available—The launcher is run with the highest Windows privileges and user rights that are available to the current user. Administrators must authorize it; non-administrators run it without administrative privileges.
• Administrator—The launcher requires local administrative privileges to run. Depending on the privileges of the current user account and the configuration of the target system, this setting may result in a launcher that will not start.

Create Alias, Link, Shortcut

Click this button to generate a link, alias, or shortcut for the Update Notifications launcher.

Launcher Icon

Shows the icon associated with the Enable Update Notifications launcher. Click Change to select a custom icon for this launcher. To revert to the default LaunchAnywhere icon, click Default.

Advanced Settings

The Properties > Advanced Settings tab of the Enable Update Notifications customizer includes the following controls:

Enable Update Notifications Customizer | Properties > Advanced Settings

Control

Description

Language of FlexNet Connect agent

Defines the language setting options for the FlexNet Connect agent you deploy. Click Use installer's runtime language to use the language in which the installer is run. Click Custom to pre-define a single language for the FlexNet Connect agent; then choose the language from the drop-down list.

Version of product used by FlexNet Connect

Define the version FlexNet Connect uses to associate your product with updates and messages. Click Use product's default to make the FlexNet Connect version setting match the version you specify in the General Settings view on the Project page. Click Custom to activate the Version text box and then type the version you want FlexNet Connect to use.

Update check interval (days)

Specify the number of days since the last scheduled check for notifications FlexNet Connect waits before issuing another check.

FlexNet Connect Server Settings

Define the server on which you have a FlexNet Connect account. Choose Use Revenera hosted FlexNet Connect server if you use FlexNet Connect via a Revenera-hosted account. Choose Self-hosted URL to activate the URL text box and then type the URL to your FlexNet Connect server.

FlexNet Connect libraries

Define the FlexNet Connect libraries you want to deploy with your installer. Click Use FlexNet Connect library supplied by InstallAnywhere to install the agent and software manager included with InstallAnywhere. These FlexNet Connect libraries are contained in the us.jar file, which is installed along with InstallAnywhere at <InstallAnywhere>\isus\us.jar.

Click Custom location to activate the Location text box. To specify different libraries, click Choose and navigate to the JAR file you want to use and click Select. This adds the path to the custom FlexNet Connect libraries you chose. (You can also simply type the path and filename to the custom JAR file in the Location text box.)

Rules, Tags, and Rollback Tabs

For information on the other tabs on this customizer, see the following:

• Rules—Use this tab to add rules to the selected action. For more information, see Assigning a Rule to an Action and Rules Reference.
• Tags—Use this tab to add build configuration tags to the selected action. For more information, see Assigning Tags to Project Elements.
• Rollback—Use this tab to specify rollback behavior for the selected action. For more information, see Configuring Installation Rollback Behavior.

Note:For more information, see Preparing Your Installer for Update Notifications.