How to code the checking of the version of an App ?

Hello,

I made an App via AppDesigner. The App is shared via App Installer.

I woud like to code the following:

When the app is running, I would like to check the current version of the app, and check if more recent version of app exists.

How to code this ?

Many thanks

[Adam Danz]

Great question. I also would like a way to programmatically access the version number set in "App Details" in the Designer tab. There should be a way to access all of the fields in App Details but I haven't been able to figure that out in the recent past.

[Marc Servagent]

Thanks for your comment! Indeed your request is close of mine.

[Adam Danz]

You could make a feature request ('Create service request').

[Marc Servagent]

done

[Wolf Blecher]

Is it possible to upvote this feature request?

Answer 1

[Marc Servagent]

The technical support team indicated me the answer, which allow to update the answer to my own question!

Attached is the function which allow to check the new version of the app, and hereafter is an example provided by the technical support team:

>> checkForNewVersion('C:\Users\%username%\Documents\MATLAB\Clock.mlappinstall','Clock')

ans =

logical 0

greetings!

[Adam Danz]

Did they provide a description of what the two inputs should be?

Answer 2

[Brian]

I developed the below yesterday and it has seemed to work so far.

function ver = CheckVersion(~)
    if isdeployed % If compiled and deployed
        [~, result] = system('path');
        p = char(regexpi(result, 'Path=(.*?);', 'tokens', 'once')); % Get run path
        
        myDir=dir(fullfile(p,'..','appdata','components')); % Move to components folder and get all files
        myDir=myDir(3:end); % Exclude '.' and '..'
        
        validFile=myDir(datetime({myDir.date})==max(datetime({myDir.date}))); % Only look at most recent install, includes 'common' and 'platform'
        appInfo=xml2struct(fullfile(validFile(1).folder,validFile(1).name)); % Import 'common' as struct from xml (requires xml2struct download)
        ver=appInfo.componentData.component.componentVersion.Text; % Grab the version number as a char array
    else
        fullpath=mfilename('fullpath'); % Get run path
        s=settings;
        
        if ~isempty(strfind(fullpath,s.matlab.addons.InstallationFolder.ActiveValue)) % If the run path includes the addons install folder, it is run from the app bar
            [p,~]=fileparts(fullpath); % Get the path
            
            if isfolder(fullfile(p,'resources'))
                xmlLocation=fullfile(p,'resources','addons_core.xml'); % Go to resources folder
                appInfo=xml2struct(xmlLocation); % Import addons_core.xml as struct
                ver=appInfo.addonCore.version.Text; % Grab the version number as a char array
            else
                ver='debug'; % This may be redundant with below. Left in to prevent errors just in case...
            end
        else % If run from MATLAB mlapp file
            ver='debug';
        end
    end
end

[Alon Zaharony]

Hi

Has anyone found a way to do what Adam Danz described ("programmatically access the version number set in "App Details" in the Designer tab")?

[Adam Danz]

As far as I'm aware of, there is not an option to programmatically access the apps version number (as of R2022a). Users are encouraged to make a feature request for this feature to help build support.

Contact Us - MATLAB & Simulink

[Brian]

Check my comment above. It accesses the *.xml file that is created when you either compile the app into a *.exe or distribute it as an app for the app bar. From there it pulls the version number that was set in the App Details (or more specifically in the Share App window).

[Francisco Sacchetti]

I cannot make this work in the webbappserver