Is Click-Once available/compatible with .NETCF?

Question

I develop and manage about 45 WindowsCE5 devices. Updating applications on the devices is a nightmare. Is it possible/feasible to do Click-Once on the CF?

I take the lack of answers to be "No". :)

EDIT: This is a duplicate of question 116713

Answer 1

Not sure, if not you could always try something like http://www.modaco.com/category/332/apptodate/

Answer 2

We do a lot of work with CF apps here. If your devices are wireless capable, you can build auto-update functionality into your app without a lot of trouble. Basically when the app starts up, it checks a predefined URL for a manifest file, parses it to find out what version of the .exe is sitting on the server and compares it with the version of the .exe installed on the device. When a newer version is available, it pulls it down from the server and drops it into the correct location on the device. All the user has to do at this point is restart the app to get the most recent version.

We based the logic on code found in this article, and revised as needed. http://www.codeproject.com/KB/vb/Auto_Update_Revisited.aspx

Answer 3

To avoid the restart that Tim's solution gives, roll your own autoupdater that is run in place of the app.

Have it check a predefined url and pull down the latest, then install and run it.

For completeness, get the application to check for an updated autoupdater :)

This is what I've implemented with a 50 device installation and it's working a treat.

I added functionality to allow sql ce scripts to be run as part of the update, you get most of the same scripting functionality as you do on the desktop. (Albeit without the generation)