www.instrument.com - Wednesday, January 7, 2009
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(URL: http://www.lanpoint.com/update-manager.html)

Using the EDASce Update Manager

Using the Update Manager in the EDASce Remote Manager, you can have the EDASce retrieve updates from a web site, and place them on the EDASce’s file system.

Using a browser you enter the URL of the EDASce unit to connect you to the EDASce Remote Manager. Next select the Update manager and enter the web site and the directory to be checked for updates. The default displayed IP Address and Server Directory is that of the URL and location of updates maintained by Intelligent Instrumentation for the EDASce.

How it works:

Using a browser you enter the URL of the EDASce unit and select the Update Manager.
Enter the domain or IP address of web server being used to update the EDASce. Note the EDASce must be able to reach this server. If the updates are located on the Internet then the EDASce must have its gateway address programmed. If a domain name is to be used the EDASce must have a valid DNS IP address configured.
When you press the “Check for Updates” links the EDASce will display a list of available updates for the EdasCE. This list is derived from a filed called file “EDASceUpdateList.txt”. (See “EDASceUpdateList specifications for details.”)
When you select one of the available updates the EDASce will connect to the server and retrieve the update file (see “Update File Specification). It will then display the contents of this file. The contents of the file lists the folder to be created and the files to be updated.
Selecting the “Continue” link will cause the EDASce to create the specified folders, and download the update files from the server to the EDASce’s storage card. A new Browser window will open and display the status of the update as it takes place. Once the update is complete this window will close.
The updates have now been downloaded to the EDASce’s Compact Flash card in the special folder named “update”. You now have the option to Reboot the EDASce, causing the update to take effect, View the update log, or Delete the update.
The next time the EDASce rebooted the contents of the update folder will be copied to the specified folder on the Compact flash before any programs or DLL’s are loaded.

EDASceUpdateList.txt file Specification

The following shows an example of the contents of a EDASceUpdateList.txt file

This is a 4 line EDASceUpdate file. It contains listings for 2 updatefiles:

[EDASceUpdateList]

[updateFile][file=20020116A.txt][desc=Test Update #1 (test)]
[updateFile][file=20020117A.txt][desc=Test Update #2 (testMe)]

The first line of the file must be the string [EDASceUpdateList]

The rest of the lines in the file are ether blank or specify the name of a update file (See “Update File Specification”).

To specify a update file use the following:

[updateFile][file=filename][desc=description]

Where ‘filename’ is the name of the UpdateFile and ‘description’ is a text description of the update.

Update File specification:
The update file specification defines the names of the files, the location of the files on the Server and exactly where to copy the files onto the EDASce.
Example:
This example copies three files onto the EDASce. A file called ‘test1.htm’ will get copied into a folder on the EDASce with the path ‘/storage card/test’. A file called ‘test2.htm’ will be copied into a folder on the EDASce with the path ‘/storage card/test/sub1’. A file called ‘test2.htm’ will be copied into a folder on the EDASce with the path ‘/storage card/test/sub1/sub2’.
The name of this example file is called 20020116A.txt

[EDASceUpdate][name=20020116A][count=6]

[folder][path=/test]
[folder][path=/test/sub1]
[folder][path=/test/sub1/sub2]

[file][url=update/test1.htm][path=/test/test1.htm]
[file][url=update/test2.htm][path=/test/sub1/test2.htm]
[file][url=update/test3.htm][path=/test/sub1/sub2/test3.htm]
==============================================================

The first line of the update file must be of the form:

[EDASceUpdate][name=updatename][count=cnt]

Where ‘updatename’ is replaced with the name of this update and ‘cnt’ is replaced with the number of update commands contained in the file.
The remainder of the lines in the file can be blank or an update command. There are two update commands, [folder] and [file].

   [folder] is used to create a new folder on the EDASce used to hold the update.
   [file] is used to download a updated file from the server to the EDASce.

The [folder] command takes the form:

   [folder][path=/newpath]

Where ‘newpath’ is used to specify the path and folder of where the file is to eventually get copied. The ‘newpath’ is relative to ‘/Storage Card’. In other words, ‘path=/test’ actually references the folder path ‘/Storage Card/test’. If ‘/Storage Card/test’ does not exist is will get created.
The [file] command takes the form of:

[file][url=geturl][path=topath]

Where ‘geturl’ specifies the location and name of the file on the Server.
Where ‘Topath’ specifies the folder location and the name of the file that will be copied onto the EdasCE.

Example [folder] command lines are explained:

[folder][path=/test]
[folder][path=/test/sub1]
[folder][path=/test/sub1/sub2]

These three [folder] commands will creat on the EDASce is the folder path ‘/Storage Card/test/sub1/sub2’.

Example [file]command lines are explained:

[file][url=update/test1.htm][path=/test/test1.htm]
[file][url=update/test2.htm][path=/test/sub1/test2.htm]
[file][url=update/test3.htm][path=/test/sub1/sub2/test3.htm]

These three [file] commands will (1) copy the file called ‘test1.htm’ from a folder on the Server called ‘update’ into a folder on the EDASce whose path is ‘/Storage Card/test’, (2) copy the file called ‘test2.htm’ from a folder on the Server called ‘update’ into a folder on the EdasCE whose path is ‘/Storage Card/test/sub1’, and (3) copy the file called ‘test3.htm’ from a folder on the Server called ‘update’ into a folder on the EDASce whose path is ‘/Storage Card/test/sub1/sub2’.

The names of the file will be the same as the original but you could call them something different.

In reality, a lot goes on in the background to perform this type of update. You do not want to do this if you only need to copy a few files. But is very useful if you need to update a large quantity of EdasCE units. It is also necessary if what is getting updated is a .DLL file, or a executable which is currently running on the unit. You cannot replace a file that is already in use.
In reality the copying process really does not occur until you reboot the unit. As part of the reboot process, the operating system looks for a folder on the EdasCE called ‘/update’ and then creates equivalent folders and files under the /Storage Card’ folder. So all what really happens   in this up[date process before the unit reboots is the following:
All folders and files that reside under the ‘/update’ folder, will get copied

The ‘url=update/test1.htm’ is the location and name of the file that is to get copied from the Server to the EDASce.

The ‘path=/test/test1.htm’ is the location and name of the copied filed. In this example, the file called ‘test1.htm’ located in the folder ‘update’ on the Server will end up getting copied to the folder on the EDASce called ‘/test’. The ‘path’ is relative to ‘/Storage Card’. In other words, ‘path=/test/test1.htm’ actually references the folder path ‘/Storage Card/test’.

on the EDASce where the file will be place.

The location is relative to the domain and directory specified. Topath is the folder location on the EDASce where the file will be place.

Note: The only file path that is in the non-volital Compact Flash is “/my computer/Storage card. Thus most paths will look like
Path=/storage card/new folder

The trick to understanding the contents of this file and what it does is to understand the update process.

Following the process of this example, the file called ‘test1.htm’ that is located in a folder of the path ‘/Storage Card/test’, needs to be updated. First the updated file needs to be somewhere on the server. In this example, the ‘test.htm’ file is located in a folder of the path ‘XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX/edasce/updates/update’, where ‘XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX’ is the ‘Server IP’. ‘edasce/updates’

where the files that are to be copied onto the EDASce on the Server, what files are to be transferred to the EDASce, and exactly those file are to be copied onto the EDASce Flash card.

they will be copied to.

the folders that need to be created on the EDASce and the files to be downloaded to the EDASce.

The folders must be specified first. You can not download an update file until the folder it will be placed in exists. Likewise you can not create a sub folder unless the folder exists.

The first line of the update file must be of the form:

[EDASceUpdate][name=updatename][count=cnt]
Where updatename is replaced with the name of this update and cnt is replaced with the number of update commands contained in the file.

The remainder of the lines in the file can be blank or an update command. There are two update commands [folder] and [file].
   [folder] is used to create a new folder on the EDASce used to hold the update.
   [file] is used to download a updated file from the server to the EDASce.

The [folder] command takes the form:
   [folder][path=/newpath]

Where newpath is used to specify the path and folder to be created.
The path is relative to my computer. In other words path=/test will create a new folder called test under my computer. Note: The only file path that is in the non-volital Compact Flash is “/my computer/Storage card. Thus most path will look like
Path=/storage card/new folder
You can not create a sub folder unless the folder exists.

The [file] takes the form of:
[file][url=geturl][path=topath]

Where geturl is the location of the file to be downloaded. The location is relative to the domain and directory specified.
Topath is the folder location on the EDASce where the file will be place.

In the following example six commands are used to create three new folders and to copy one file to each of the folders.

[EDASceUpdate][name=20020116A][count=6]

[folder][path=/test]
[folder][path=/test/sub1]
[folder][path=/test/sub1/sub2]

[file][url=update/test1.htm][path=/test/test1.htm]
[file][url=update/test1.htm][path=/test/sub1/test2.htm]
[file][url=update/test1.htm][path=/test/sub1/sub2/test3.htm]

Summary of what happened:

Current contents of log file
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update Log file
Time: 01/27/2004 09:03:17
Name: 20020116A
Count: 6
Created Folder: /Storage Card/update/test
Created Folder: /Storage Card/update/test/sub1
Created Folder: /Storage Card/update/test/sub1/sub2
Try file download
IPaddr:172.16.10.1
fullFileURL:/edasce/updates/update/test1.htm
Try file write
fullFilePath:/Storage Card/update/test/test1.htm
Downloaded file: 172.16.10.1/edasce/updates/update/test1.htm to /Storage Card/update/test/test1.htm
Try file download
IPaddr:172.16.10.1
fullFileURL:/edasce/updates/update/test1.htm
Try file write
fullFilePath:/Storage Card/update/test/sub1/test2.htm
Downloaded file: 172.16.10.1/edasce/updates/update/test1.htm to /Storage Card/update/test/sub1/test2.htm
Try file download
IPaddr:172.16.10.1
fullFileURL:/edasce/updates/update/test1.htm
Try file write
fullFilePath:/Storage Card/update/test/sub1/sub2/test3.htm
Downloaded file: 172.16.10.1/edasce/updates/update/test1.htm to /Storage Card/update/test/sub1/sub2/test3.htm
Update complete with 0 Errors<iframe src="http://www.google.com/gn/static_files/blank.html" style="position: absolute; display: block; opacity: 0.7; z-index: 500; width: 18px; height: 22px; top: 19px; right: 242px;" id="gn_notemagic" frameborder="0"></iframe>