In addition to using the Automatic Updates dialog, you can configure
automatic updates on both the server computer and client computers via Microsoft Windows registry settings. For the changes to take effect, you must restart the M-Files Server service. For more information on automatic
updates, see Updating M-Files.
Note: If automatic updates are disabled, you must have
local administrator permissions on your computer to install an available
update.
Tip: In Microsoft Windows, you can use Group Policy Objects to
distribute registry settings to multiple computers.
Disabling or enabling automatic updates
Value name |
Enabled |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
If the value is set to
0, automatic updates are disabled on the target
computer, including manual update checks by using the
Automatic Updates dialog. You can
update the software by downloading and running the installation
package by hand. |
Valid values |
0 |
Updates are disabled on the computer. |
1 |
Updates are enabled on the computer. |
Disabling or enabling the setting for automatic update installation
Value name |
AllowToUseAutoInstallationFeature |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
If the value is set to
0, installing automatic updates is disabled and
only the Download updates automatically
option is visible on the Settings tab in
the Automatic Updates dialog. You can still
install updates via the Installation tab in
the Automatic Updates dialog. |
Valid values |
1 |
The setting Install updates
automatically is shown on the
Settings tab. |
0 |
The setting Install updates
automatically is not shown and updates are not
automatically installed. |
Disabling or enabling automatic update installation
Value name |
EnableAutoInstallation |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
With this setting, you can
specify whether the Install updates
automatically option is enabled on the
Settings tab of the Automatic
Updates dialog. If the setting AllowToUseAutoInstallationFeature is set to 0, this setting has no effect. |
Valid values |
1 |
Install updates automatically is
enabled. |
0 |
Install updates automatically is
disabled. |
Disabling or enabling automatic update downloads
Value name |
EnableUpdates |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
If the value is set to
0, M-Files no longer
downloads updates automatically, but you can run the update
check manually via the Installation tab in
the Automatic Updates dialog. |
Valid values |
0 |
M-Files does not check for new
versions automatically. |
1 |
M-Files automatically checks for
updates and downloads a new version if one is available. |
Disabling or enabling automatic update options in the user interface
Value name |
CanConfigureAutoInstallingViaUi |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
If the value is set to
0, the settings shown on the
Settings tab in the Automatic
Updates dialog cannot be changed. |
Valid values |
1 |
Settings shown on the Settings tab in
the Automatic Updates dialog can be
changed. |
0 |
Settings shown on the Settings tab in
the Automatic Updates dialog cannot be
changed. |
Controlling the installation deadline
If need be, you can adjust the installation deadline and the amount of time by which
users can delay the installation. Add the following registry settings on the target
computer to adjust the installation deadline:
Value name |
PostponeDurationInHours |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
Users can delay the
installation process once before it is started. Modify this
value to change the number of hours by which users can delay the
installation process by selecting Update
Later in the options dialog. |
Default value |
10
|
The default value for the additional delay is 10
hours. |
Valid values |
Any number of hours. |
Defining the installation schedule
You may select the preferred days and time of installing M-Files updates. It is recommended that you select a date
and time that is outside working hours so that installing updates does not interrupt
daily M-Files tasks in the organization.
Note that the computer must be running and not in sleep or hibernate mode when the
update is scheduled to be installed. If the computer is not running when the
scheduled installation time occurs, the update is attempted to be installed or
scheduled the next time the computer is started.
Add the following registry settings on the target computer to define an installation
schedule:
Value name |
AutoInstallDays |
Value type |
REG_SZ |
Description |
One or more days when automatic
updates are attempted to be installed. Separate multiple values
with a semicolon. |
Default value |
mon;tue;wed;thu;fri;sat;sun
|
Valid values |
mon |
Monday |
tue |
Tuesday |
wed |
Wednesday |
thu |
Thursday |
fri |
Friday |
sat |
Saturday |
sun |
Sunday |
Value name |
AutoInstallTimeOfDay |
Value type |
REG_SZ |
Description |
The time of day in 24-hour
format when automatic updates are attempted to be
installed. |
Default value |
02:00
|
By default, automatic updates are attempted to be installed
at 02:00. |
Valid values |
Any valid time of day. |
Defining the maximum random added delay before the update
You can add random delay to the beginning of the automatic updates by adding the
following registry setting on the target computer:
Value name |
AdditionalMaxRandomSleepingPeriod |
Value type |
REG_DWORD |
Description |
The maximum value for the random
delay (in other words sleeping) added to the main sleeping period
(default: one hour) at the beginning of the automatic updates
poll-download-install cycle. The randomness establishes a crude form
of load balancing in a network. When defining the value, take into
consideration that too large values may impact polling frequency and
that also several other registry settings affect the sleeping period
and installation. Their combined effect can result in unwanted
consequences, such as preventing a user from postponing the
installation during office hours or delaying the download to occur
only after a weekly installation day. With the default settings, the
poll-download-install cycle restarts every 1-2 hours with a mean
value of 1.5 hours. |
Default value |
3600
|
The default maximum added delay value is one hour (3600
seconds). |
Valid values |
0 |
No random added delay. |
<1-86400> |
Maximum random added delay in seconds. |