Running Flex2B GUI on a Windows Workstation.

Flex2B is available for multiple Operating Systems. One particular version is the Flex2B Classic Windows GUI.

The environment is typical configured in a HOME folder of Flex2B on a shared resource or SMB file server.

Under that repository there is typical a sub directory called 'Programs', with some .DLL files and the Flex2B.executables.

SMB shares have the typical behaviour not to delete or move an in-use executable away. This makes it hard to make inline update.

To overcome this element that makes deployments hard, we have some built-in mechanisms.

When crucial updates are needed, there is an 'abortNow' functionality that invokes running client applications to terminate themselves. The trigger is a setting in CSSYS.AbortNow that is evaluated ever X minutes by idle Flex2B applications.

File format Flex2B binaries for the Windows GUI:

A new build is typical deployed as 

Flex2B-x.ww.xx.yy.zz.EXE 

where zz is representing the build number.

This executable is installed on the programs folder and once executed, it will compare its own build number with the current running one. If it detects it is newer, it will auto-update the version number and the name of itself as associated application. 

On the Windows Workstation (desktop), there is no direct link to the Flex2B application but one to the Flex2BControlCenter.exe

When this application is launched, it will look for the latest deployed build and associated application, and auto-launch that latest version.

Running Flex2B applications will also regularly check when idle, if there is an available update. The user will be warned if an update exists. The user can decide to stop and start the new version.

A secondary mechanism is in place in case the update is a major update. A Flex2B administrator can (manual) enter the minimum needed build on Flex2B. In case the minimum build is entered, an auto-stop will be triggered.

Security, Firewall, Anti-

Please define your security rules in such a way that Flex2B related binaries, executables, configurations are not blocked by your definitions.