Program Update

The program FamilyTreeFactory has an automatic search for program updates. If in the Program Options, Automatic Functions tab, Automatic Functions After Starting the Program, the checkbox Search for program updates has been marked, the search will be performed automatically after the starting of the program. Otherwise the search can be triggered manually in the Help/Info menu using the function Search for Program Updates....

Note 1: In newer Windows versions the update functions are available only if you logged in as an administrator.

The search for updates is only performed if there is an internet connection. The FamilyTreeFactory does not build up any connection to the internet itself. At the search no information is transmitted to the server of the FamilyTreeFactory; only files are downloaded and processed by the program.

Note 2 regarding the Firewall: For the program update function the FamilyTreeFactory has to download files from the internet. This must be permitted by the firewall. Firewalls react to internet access of programs differently depending on the adjusted options: Some firewalls configure themselves automatically, some enquire, and some prevent the connection and perhaps block the further program progress without any message.

If the FamilyTreeFactory does not show any window after the start, the firewall probably has prevented the internet connection for the automatic program update function and the further program progress; in such a case the program must be exited with the task manager. The FamilyTreeFactory recognizes if it was exited with the task manager in the start phase and then the automatic program update function is turned off at the next start to be on the safe side. Then the firewall must be configured manually so that an internet connection going out to the server http://update.familytreefactory.com is permitted to the FamilyTreeFactory. After that the automatic program update function may be switched on again in the Program Options dialog, Automatic Functions tab, Automatic Functions After Starting the Program.

You can check the treatment of the program update function by the firewall at any time: At first make sure that your computer is connected to the internet, for example by starting your internet browser. To be sure that the server of the FamilyTreeFactory is available, open the home page of the FamilyTreeFactory in the browser. Then trigger the program update function in the Help/Info menu manually: After a short download a message must appear about the current program version and perhaps about an available update. If no message appears, the FamilyTreeFactory could not download the required file. Check the firewall in such a case; firewalls frequently offer a protocol of their activities from which you can gather details.

The automatic search at the program start is not performed if there is no internet connection. In the Program Options dialog, Automatic Functions tab, Automatic Functions After Starting the Program, there are three radio buttons to adjust the frequency: Daily, weekly or monthly. Only if a new version was found a message will be shown with details and the choice to continue or to cancel.

The search triggered manually will show a message if there is no internet connection. After searching you will get a message whether a new version was found or not. If a new version was found the message will include details and the choice to continue or to cancel.

If the previous license should be no longer valid for a future program version, this is mentioned in the message.

As a rule, the program update is performed with patch files. Patch files contain only information about the changed parts of the program files; they are therefore considerably smaller than setup files.

To be able to change the executable program file FamilyTreeFactory.exe, the program must be exited before the update. During the update (application of patch files) dialogs may be shown for user confirmations. After the update the FamilyTreeFactory is restarted automatically.

Under certain conditions the computer must be restarted after the update; then a dialog will ask for the restart.