Setting up the Auto Updater in Tour deForce

 

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide users with an overview of the Auto Updater and how the Auto Updater is used to update client machines to the most recent version of Tour de Force.

 

The Auto Updater is used to automatically update the Tour de Force client version to the most current version available.  Before the Auto Updater can be used on a user’s computer to update Tour de Force, the Auto Updater must be configured correctly in the utility in the Tour de Force Administration Console.  The initial set up is typically performed by a Tour de Force Environment Consultant, and is configured based on the specifications provided by the company.

 

This technical bulletin contains the following sections:

 

1. Overview of the Auto Updater
2. Setting a Share Path for a Tour de Force User
3. Using the Auto Updater

 

Note: Read the documentation completely before using the Auto Updater.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Overview of the Auto Updater

The Auto Updater is used to update the client version of Tour de Force to the most up-to-date version of Tour de Force available.  When a new update is available the install file is copied the share folder that has been set up for the Auto Updater and then is then pushed to client machines using the Auto Updater utility.

 

This utility is used by Tour de Force to set the install path to the install file where the update files are located.  The folder that contains these files can be located in any number of different places and is usually decided upon by the company and not Tour de Force.  This folder that contains the install fields needs to be a company share folder that all users have access to.  Some companies use the same share folder that was set up during the initial implementation of Tour de Force, while other companies set up a completely new company share folder specifically used for the install files.  The folder that is used is dependent upon company policies and practices rather than any set standard.

 

Once the file has been added to the share folder, the file path needs to be set in the Auto Updater utility located in the Tour de Force Administration Console.  This utility is located in the Company Preferences section and is called TDF Client Install.

 

 

There are four fields in the TDF Client Install section that users need to take note of:

 

• Share Name
• Share Path
• Version
• Default Share

 

 

 

 

Share Name – The Share Name field is a text field that is used to enter in a unique name for the share path selected in the Share Path field.  There are no standard naming conventions and this name is dependent upon company policies and practices.  Having a unique name is useful when a company has multiple share folders set up.

 

Share Path – The Share Path field is used to set the path to the install file located in the share folder.  Note that this is not the path to the folder but to the .msi file.

 

Version – This field shows the version number of the install file selected in the Share Path field.

 

Default Share – This field is used to designate the default share folder for any new user that is entered into Tour de Force.  Since multiple share paths can be created, a default path needs to be set for any new user that is entered into Tour de Force.  After the share paths have been set up, go to the User Permissions Wizard and set the share path for each user in Tour de Force.  If no path is set then the share path that is marked as the default share path is used.  See Section B – Setting a Share Path for a Tour de Force User.

 

Note: If Tour de Force is running on a Terminal server or a Citrix server then manually update the machines running the servers first before setting the new install file in the Administration Console. This needs to be done for every new update available. Please contact Tour de Force support before using the Auto Updater for the first time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The initial set up of the Auto Updater is typically configured by Tour de Force during the initial implementation of Tour de Force or during the upgrade when the Auto Updater was first available for use.  However, if any changes need to be made, Administrators of Tour de Force can change the share folder or change which share folder is the default share folder used by that company or branch.

 

Use the following procedures to set up Auto Updater for Tour de Force:

 

Note:  The setup of the Auto Updater should have already been performed by Tour de Force.

 

1. Open the Tour de Force Administration Console.

 

2. Expand the System Settings option.

 

 

3. Select the Company Preferences option and click the Launch: Company Preferences button.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Select the TdF Client Install option.

 

 

5. Click the Browse button and locate the file path that contains the client installation file. This location should be a company shared folder. The file path must follow the UNC format and look like: \\server\companyname\\tdfinstall\tdfclient.msi.

 

 

After the Client Install File field has been set, Tour de Force needs to be updated using the Auto Updater utility.

 

 

2. Setting the Share Path for a Tour de Force User

After the share paths have been set, each user in Tour de Force should be assigned to a specific share path.  The share path that these users should be assigned to is going to be based on a number of factors.  The first factor is going to be the server’s location and the location of the user in relation to that server.  For example, if a company has a server located in Nevada, and a salesperson does most of their traveling in the west or central area of the United States, then that user would be assigned to that server.  The easiest way to tell which server is which is to give each share path a unique identifier in the Share Name field.  In this example, the server could simply be given the identifier of “Nevada”.  

 

Use the following procedures to set a share path for each user in Tour de Force:

 

1. Click the Admin Utilities button on the Tour de Force toolbar.

 

 

2. Select User, Permissions, and Organizational Structure and then click User Permissions.

 

3. In the User Permissions Wizard select User Permissions.

 

 

4. In the Users grid select the user that needs to have a share path set.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. In the Default Install Share field, select the default share path to use for that user.

 

 

6. Assign a share path to as many users as needed and then close the User Permissions Wizard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Using the Auto Updater Utility

After the new client install file has been added in the Administration Console, the next time Microsoft Outlook is opened a pop up window displays and notifies the user that a new update is available for Tour de Force. The Auto Updater runs as a background program and requires little input for the user while the installation process runs.

 

Use the following procedures to use the Auto Updater to install the latest version of Tour de Force:

 

1. Open Microsoft Outlook.

 

2. Click the Click here link in the Tour de Force Client Updater window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Let the Auto Updater download the update.

 

 

4. Follow the instructions on the dialog window that displays after the update has been downloaded. Click the OK button.

 

Note: Make sure that the Offlince Sync process is not ran when closing Microsoft Outlook.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Let the installation process finish.

 

 

6. Open Microsoft Outlook.