FileUpdater FAQ

Why do I need to publish files with the FileUpdater Admin module?

As an admin you can have control of content that users in your organisation can use in their internal and external documents.

The FileUpdater Admin module creates a settings file, which contains information about its repository. The file helps ensure that the end users get relevant on-brand files on their computers and that the FileUpdater Client quickly can check for updates in its repository and only downloads the updated files.

How should an administrator get started?

1. Choose a site/server for hosting the repository
2. Install the FileUpdater Admin module
3. Configure the FileUpdater Admin module
4. Place the relevant files in the Profile folder
5. Publish the files to the site/server
6. Generate a custom installer (MSI+bat-file) for the FileUpdater Client
7. Install the FileUpdater Client to test on the same machine on which the FileUpdater Admin Module is installed
8. Verify that the FileUpddater Client successfully receives the desired set of templates etc.
9. Distribute the FileUpdater Client to users

What if the users are all over the world – which kind of repository is recommended?

Our customers have very good experiences using DFS.

How many admins can we have?

We recommend a maximum of three administrators to reduce complexity and the risk of human error.

How can we keep track of our changes?

We recommend using a subversion client such as TortoiseSVN to keep a log of changes and be able to revert to an earlier file set if neccesary.  

FileUpdater will not publish. What to do?

1. You can only right click and publish selecting the Profile folder itself or somewhere within it – in a white space. It is not possible for example to publish from the folder that contains the Profile folder in a white space.

2. Check if Profile contains a profile.xml one level in.
3. Check if there is a valid repository URL in Connection settings. Right click on Profile and select Connection Settings… There must be a repository URL, which the original administrator has chosen.
4. Check if the license file, clf.slf, is loaded.
5. Have you placed the new or edited file(s) in the right folder(s)? If you publish and there is no new or edited files in Profile the status indicator will show the message: No changes detected. no content was uploaded!

FileUpdater fails when updating. What to do?

1. Check if all Office applications affected by SkabelonDesign are closed when updating. Especially Word can run in the background while not visible in the taskbar. Check by opening the task manager. Choose it and select End task if it is open.
2. Locate the FileUpdater icon in the notification area, right click and choose Cancel update. Then right click and choose Update again.

Now a status indicator will show ending with a success or error message.

If an error occurs an error message will briefly appear in the blue message area before it dissapears again. The error message can then be found in the log files.

Further troubleshooting:

3. Check if user has connection to Profile_Published e.g. via File Explorer.
4. Check if the configuration values (parameters) are merged in the registry (Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SkabelonDesign\SDUP)
5. Check if the file set is downloadable if a http/ftp connection is used. Be mindful of case sensitivity and extensions that cannot be downloaded from the server.
6. If the above has not solved the problem delete the folders: %LocalAppData%\Local\SkabelonDesign, %AppData%\SkabelonDesign, %ProgramData%\SkabelonDesign and other files that may be in use for your solution. Then run and update with the FileUpdater Client. All files will be downloaded and synchronized again. This may take a minute or two depending on the connection and size of the file set. This may amend any files that could have been corrupted including the synchrosation XML files.

Why do I have to close Outlook/Word/PowerPoint for some updates?

Some files being updated can be in use by various Office applications. When these files are updated, they cannot be in use at the same time. If it happens the user will be prompted to close the application via the error message. Usually the files will be updated before the user has opened the Office application.

Where can I find the logs?

The logs for FileUpdater are located in C:\ProgramData\SkabelonDesign\SDUP\Logs.

How often does FileUpdater run updates?

The FileUpdater client checks for changes automatically when logging into Windows and every 24 hours thereafter. If there is a change it will synchronize accordingly.  

Can FileUpdater also distribute other files and registry entries not related to SkabelonDesign?

Yes, FileUpdater can distribute any files where the has read and write access to. FileUpdater can add registry entries to Current User and remove them again. It cannot delete registry entries it did not add first.

Are there any restrictions to number of files or file sizes?

No but we encourage admins to be mindful of how much bandwidth their users around the world have available and how much they want FileUpdater to use.

I have an issue with FileUpdater and need support!

If the issue is not covered in these articles please send a description with log files if available and end user contact information; name, email and phone number, if applicable to our support team via the form at omnidocs.com/support.