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Page Revision: 23/11/2011 10:49 AM
ShowBiz 3 Deployment Process
Overview
This document outlines the actions required for a successful ShowBiz publish. Only the technical aspects of deployment are covered here, and not the development, testing or release-authorisation process that leads up to it.
Step 1 must always be followed. Step 2 (Processes for ClickOnce Publish), and Step 3 (Processes for FTP Publish) should normally both be followed. Step 4 (Post-Publish Actions) should be followed as appropriate.
1. Create a new SHOWBIZ.EXE
1 The following can be done on any PC with VB6:
1.1 VB6: Check-in all ShowBiz 3 files, with relevant check-in comment(s) regarding any work done. Make sure other users' changes have been checked in if required
1.2 VB6: Update the ShowBiz 3 version number via the Project Properties Dialogue, and check-in with the comment: “Check in for build x.y.z”. Make a note of the version number for use below.
2 The following must be done on a Windows XP PC (*1) that has any version of Visual Studio .Net, and VB6 installed:
2.1 Visual Studio .Net (Any version with Source Code Explorer): Do a Get Latest on “C:\Working Folder (username)\ShowBiz\ShowBiz 3 v2\”
2.2 VB6: Open the “ShowBiz.vbp” from “C:\Working Folder (username)\ShowBiz\ShowBiz 3 v2\...”
2.3 VB6: Project > References > Check the Microsoft Excel and Word Libraries are version 8.0
2.4 VB6: Check that the project runs with a full compile (Run > Start With Full Compile).
2.5 VB6: Create the .EXE file (File > Make SHOWBIZ.EXE). Make a note of where the exe file is created. Note that this can take up to 10 minutes.
(*1) The recommended Windows XP PC as of 26/10/2011 is SSDPC0671, which can be accessed via remote desktop, using any Windows credentials (or devadmin and our standard password if required). Please check no one is using it first.
2. Processes for ClickOnce Publish (required for most sites)
1 The following can be done on any PC with Visual Studio 2010:
1.1 Visual Studio 2010: Get Latest, and then open the “Showbiz_Installer.sln” solution from “C:\Working Folder (username)\ShowBiz\Showbiz_Installer\Showbiz_Installer\...”
1.2 Visual Studio 2010: Replace the SHOWBIZ.EXE file in the Showbiz folder with the new SHOWBIZ.EXE (i.e. checkout the file from TFS, delete and replace it using Windows Explorer, check it back in to TFS).
1.3 Visual Studio 2010: Project Properties > Application > Assembly Information > Update “Assembly version” and “File version”.
1.4 Visual Studio 2010: Project Properties > Publish > Updates > Update the minimum required version if critical release, otherwise leave as is (to make optional for users)
1.5 Visual Studio 2010: Project Properties > Publish > Update the Publish Version.
1.6 Visual Studio 2010: Check-in the entire solution, with the comment: “Check in for build x.y.z”.
1.7 Visual Studio 2010: Project Properties > Publish > Publish Now. If prompted for the certificate password (once per PC), enter “marlboro”. The ClickOnce username and password is clickonce/clickonce.
1.8 NOTE: IF THE PUBLISH FAILS, TRY AGAIN BEFORE LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION as sometimes the connection is lost
3. Processes for FTP Publish (required for a few sites)
1 The following can be done on any PC:
1.1 Open Windows Explorer into ftp://graphite-software.co.uk/showbiz/. The FTP username and password (if prompted) is devuploads/banana
1.2 Zip up the previously created “SHOWBIZ.EXE”. Delete the ShowBiz.zip file in the FTP folder and replace it with the new .ZIP file. You can copy/paste/replace, but this seems less reliable than delete/copy.
1.3 Download the ShowBiz.manifest file, open it in notepad and update the version number.
1.4 Replace the ShowBiz.manifest file in the FTP folder with the one revised above.
4. Post-Publish Actions
1 Test that the ClickOnce installation has worked, from: http://clickonce.strident.co.uk/showbiz_installer/
2 Test that the FTP installation has worked, by running any version of the ShowBiz.exe, and clicking the “Update” button on the toolbar
3 Copy the most recent Word Document at G:\SSD\Technical\VMAs\ShowBiz\Release Notes and rename it to the new version
4 Update the document accordingly and save it as a PDF file in the same folder (File > Save As > PDF)
5 Outlook > Public Folders > SSD > Clients > ShowBiz > _ShowBiz Contacts > Right-click on “_Main Showbiz Users” > Create > Email
6 Add relevant colleagues into the BCC field of the email (company directors if critical, support persons etc.)
7 Paste the text from
Appendix 1 into the new email and revise as necessary.
8 Attach the PDF file created above and send the email.
9 Move the email from your Outlook Sent Items, into Outlook > Public Folders > SSD > Clients > ShowBiz
Appendix 1: Email with release notes
Email Subject: ShowBiz Update
Dear ShowBiz users,
(OPTIONAL TEXT: This version contains some critical changes so please update at your earliest convenience.)
We have released a new version of ShowBiz, and attach release notes to describe changes. If your ShowBiz automatically updates when you close it and restart it from the shortcut then there is no action to take, however some users at certain sites will need to click the “Update” button on the ShowBiz toolbar.
Please contact us with any queries regarding this version.
Kind regards,
Strident Colleague