Browser Download Utility

[DarkNovaGamer]

Description

This is a tiny portable application is designed to help users download browsers quick and easy. Perfect for those who reinstall Windows a lot, or like to test browsers a lot.​

(screenshot)






Release Candidate Now Available!


Changelog
• Application name changed to Download Browser Utility.
• GUI revamped.
• More bug fixes than we can remember.
• More options added (show all browsers regardless of OS/Architecture).
• Added more browsers.
• Changed the coding from .NET 4.0 to .NET 3.0.


Known Issues
• Browser builds and versions will not auto update themselves. (Working on)


Please inform me of any bugs that may occur via private message or posting on this thread.

 

[Lorien]

Very, very cool DarkNovaGamer! So, I assume that when you start the application you first need to go to File and somewhere in there is an option to update the program to get the most recent versions manually - if so, I'd recommend an "Update" button on the menu bar to simplify things until you get the program doing so automatically. (I haven't downloaded it yet, but I plan to do so when I have a chance.)

I also assume it only covers fully released versions with whatever SPs are available for it already included (so, for example, if I hit Internet Explorer I wouldn't get the option for IE9 beta - or would I)?

Does this program recognize the OS on the computer in case the browser downloads come out in different flavors for different bit-sizes? Will this work only with Windows (and will it work with all versions of Windows say going back to Windows 95) or with any OS (like Mac or Linux or whatever)?

Just out of curiosity, since you've obviously spent a lot of time with all these browsers to get this program working properly, which one do you use most of the time yourself - and why? If it's not IE9 beta (or IE8 if you don't go near beta releases), then what makes the one you do use better (or make IE worse)? I have Firefox installed but only used it once to confirm it worked for backup purposes - otherwise I use IE and have from the very beginning.

I suppose I should try the alternatives, but I'm a "Microsoft person" and have been since DOS 3.1 when I bought my first PC. I've seen posts from people who have had some issues with Chrome though some seem to think it might be the fastest. I've seen nothing bad said about Firefox and even heard some good things from people I respect who prefer and use it (but I didn't particularly care for the setup - possibly because I'm used to the "Microsoft look"). I've heard of Safara and Opera, but never seen them and I hadn't heard of Maxthon until I saw the above screenshot.

Thanks for sharing this. If it works as well as you say and only needs the auto update feature, you should consider putting it on www.tucows.com and www.download.com as either freeware or shareware since I think it may be popular.

Good luck and best wishes!

 

[niemiro]

Very nice, but it took me all of about 30 seconds to find a bug. A big bug

If I open two copies of this application, and then close one of them, it deletes the temporary folder "Installers". This is good. However, when I then try and close the second copy then looks for the same temporary folder to delete, and then fails to find it and fails to close. This is going to cause a problem throughout the program, and is far bigger than a missing Try..Catch. This one bug makes the entire application at all levels unstable. It makes it unstable at close, but it also means that if I use both of the open programs at once, it could try and access things at the same time, and if the first one has closed already, it could try and access a folder that has already been deleted.

So, this needs to get fixed. You could make sure that the first program does not delete this folder, but it only solves some of the massive instability lying just below the surface. You would also need to know the version of the other program running, and if it actually is running. File name is not enough. What if I re-name it, or I re-download it to test(2).exe? A better thing to do would be to:

a) Get this temporary folder out of my profile, I want it in the Temp folder please

b) Give each copy of the program a new folder. Use time and date. Check if the folder already exists, if so, add - 2, - 3 , - 4, etc. Make sure you store this folder name! It cannot be re-generated on the fly!

Also, nothing appears under my Firefox dropdown. Hmmmm.

BTW, would you like me to do security testing, or would that produce serious complications that you don't even want to think about! You also NEED to make sure that the servers are secure. Can I HiJack your servers, point to my .exes, and mass infect the population. I truly hope that the answer is 'no'!

Anyway, good luck!

Richard

 

[niemiro]

Hello!

Me again! You are going to hate me. Especially after I have done some security stuff!

If you run the application without an internet connection, and try to download a browser, it does not crash! It creates a 0Kbyte .exe with the correct name in the installers folder (which I want moved to the Temp folder) and then tries to install it. This produces a standard error. This suggests that you have blanket coded:

try
{

}
catch (Exception e)
{

}

which is not a good practice. I am sure that FXCop would have something to moan about that!

The network check is very simple:

if (!System.Net.NetworkInformation.NetworkInterface.GetIsNetworkAvailable())
{
System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Why are you trying to download a file without a valid internet connection?");
}

OK, just had a look at your FXCop report. There are several errors there that are very easy to fix, and need doing. If you haven't heard of FXCop, I tell you now that it is amazing. The installer comes bundled with the Windows SDK (V7.1 is good). All Programs > Microsoft Windows SDK 7.1 > Tools > Install Microsoft FXCop

Then All Programs > Microsoft FXCop

Now, give me a few minutes to analyse your actual code

Richard

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

Hello!

Me again! You are going to hate me. Especially after I have done some security stuff!

If you run the application without an internet connection, and try to download a browser, it does not crash! It creates a 0Kbyte .exe with the correct name in the installers folder (which I want moved to the Temp folder) and then tries to install it. This produces a standard error. This suggests that you have blanket coded:

try
{

}
catch (Exception e)
{

}

which is not a good practice. I am sure that FXCop would have something to moan about that!

The network check is very simple:

if (!System.Net.NetworkInformation.NetworkInterface.GetIsNetworkAvailable())
{
System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Why are you trying to download a file without a valid internet connection?");
}

OK, just had a look at your FXCop report. There are several errors there that are very easy to fix, and need doing. If you haven't heard of FXCop, I tell you now that it is amazing. The installer comes bundled with the Windows SDK (V7.1 is good). All Programs > Microsoft Windows SDK 7.1 > Tools > Install Microsoft FXCop

Then All Programs > Microsoft FXCop

Now, give me a few minutes to analyse your actual code

Richard

Thanks a bunch for that. I knew about some of these issues already and was going to fix them in the final release

You will notice some try and catch statements without error checking and other various things in the RC. I wanted to get a release out to people and see what they thought. This is also a chance to figure out any bugs I didn't already know of while also figuring out any features that people may want in the final release

All in all thanks a bunch for taking the time to check out the program and to provide suggestions on how to make it better

It is much appreciated

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

Also I need to note that checking for updates and having the app check for updates automatically is not implemented yet since I haven't got a place to host updates to the app

If anyone has any suggestions on a great way to do that than please let me know

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

Just out of curiosity, since you've obviously spent a lot of time with all these browsers to get this program working properly, which one do you use most of the time yourself - and why? If it's not IE9 beta (or IE8 if you don't go near beta releases), then what makes the one you do use better (or make IE worse)? I have Firefox installed but only used it once to confirm it worked for backup purposes - otherwise I use IE and have from the very beginning.

I suppose I should try the alternatives, but I'm a "Microsoft person" and have been since DOS 3.1 when I bought my first PC. I've seen posts from people who have had some issues with Chrome though some seem to think it might be the fastest. I've seen nothing bad said about Firefox and even heard some good things from people I respect who prefer and use it (but I didn't particularly care for the setup - possibly because I'm used to the "Microsoft look"). I've heard of Safara and Opera, but never seen them and I hadn't heard of Maxthon until I saw the above screenshot.

Good luck and best wishes!

I, at this moment use Internet Explorer 9 as my main browser. I generally use Chrome though but right now Internet Explorer 9 is the fastest on the computers I have.

 

[niemiro]

Also I need to note that checking for updates and having the app check for updates automatically is not implemented yet since I haven't got a place to host updates to the app

If anyone has any suggestions on a great way to do that than please let me know

Don't make me moan! I can do the coding! Let me explain!

Just before I go off on my rant, I am just posting everything I find, because you may not know about one of them!

I am also writing a big tool at the moment, and auto-updating is one of the big things. Some people go to a server (such as Freewebs) download the version.txt, read it, compare it to the version of the currently running file (generated on the fly, look at Assembly.stuff) and then decided whether to download the new .exe and updater.exe. They run updater.exe, and close the currently running program. updater.exe replaces the file, and then runs it. Voila!

This is horrendous! Really slow, and you have to update the version each time. So I wrote some clever asp.net to check the version on the server file, and use POST to get and send results. This then decides whether to download the two .exes or not. Much better! However, one then has to store this asp.net on special servers. Getting such servers is SO difficult. Have tried many asp.net servers, but none of them work. I am planning to try and get paid hosting for my birthday, on the 15th October (a few days)

If I do, I am very willing to share this asp.net, and reusable libraries with you, and also server space. This will give you a complete package. I will also give you write access to my server, so that you don't have to ask me to update things for you, you can do it all yourself. And the best thing is that it is all perfect (I think) It is all downloaded on a separate thread, with a nice UI with a loading bar, with server space, and not much work. You can change any of the code (for example if you want to change the UI) That would be my suggestion. How about it?

I am also currently writing another asp.net page with POST in reverse, for sending complete crash reports (the entire bit of code and message) to the server, and stored as text file on the server for your viewing, and analysis. I have not quite finished this yet, but I am also willing to give you this code when I do?

So, what do you think?

Richard

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

Also I need to note that checking for updates and having the app check for updates automatically is not implemented yet since I haven't got a place to host updates to the app

If anyone has any suggestions on a great way to do that than please let me know

Don't make me moan! I can do the coding! Let me explain!

Just before I go off on my rant, I am just posting everything I find, because you may not know about one of them!

I am also writing a big tool at the moment, and auto-updating is one of the big things. Some people go to a server (such as Freewebs) download the version.txt, read it, compare it to the version of the currently running file (generated on the fly, look at Assembly.stuff) and then decided whether to download the new .exe and updater.exe. They run updater.exe, and close the currently running program. updater.exe replaces the file, and then runs it. Voila!

This is horrendous! Really slow, and you have to update the version each time. So I wrote some clever asp.net to check the version on the server file, and use POST to get and send results. This then decides whether to download the two .exes or not. Much better! However, one then has to store this asp.net on special servers. Getting such servers is SO difficult. Have tried many asp.net servers, but none of them work. I am planning to try and get paid hosting for my birthday, on the 15th October (a few days)

If I do, I am very willing to share this asp.net, and reusable libraries with you, and also server space. This will give you a complete package. I will also give you write access to my server, so that you don't have to ask me to update things for you, you can do it all yourself. And the best thing is that it is all perfect (I think) It is all downloaded on a separate thread, with a nice UI with a loading bar, with server space, and not much work. You can change any of the code (for example if you want to change the UI) That would be my suggestion. How about it?

I am also currently writing another asp.net page with POST in reverse, for sending complete crash reports (the entire bit of code and message) to the server, and stored as text file on the server for your viewing, and analysis. I have not quite finished this yet, but I am also willing to give you this code when I do?

So, what do you think?

Richard

Hey thanks for that much appreciated. The code to check for updates is of no issue....it is the problem with having a place to store the updates (which is what you talk about in your post). I want to thank you for your offer and I will definitely be interested in your proposition....just let me know when it is possible.

Please also send me the code and any concepts you have of your UI as this sounds intriguing and I would love to see them

 

[niemiro]

Also I need to note that checking for updates and having the app check for updates automatically is not implemented yet since I haven't got a place to host updates to the app

If anyone has any suggestions on a great way to do that than please let me know

Don't make me moan! I can do the coding! Let me explain!

Just before I go off on my rant, I am just posting everything I find, because you may not know about one of them!

I am also writing a big tool at the moment, and auto-updating is one of the big things. Some people go to a server (such as Freewebs) download the version.txt, read it, compare it to the version of the currently running file (generated on the fly, look at Assembly.stuff) and then decided whether to download the new .exe and updater.exe. They run updater.exe, and close the currently running program. updater.exe replaces the file, and then runs it. Voila!

This is horrendous! Really slow, and you have to update the version each time. So I wrote some clever asp.net to check the version on the server file, and use POST to get and send results. This then decides whether to download the two .exes or not. Much better! However, one then has to store this asp.net on special servers. Getting such servers is SO difficult. Have tried many asp.net servers, but none of them work. I am planning to try and get paid hosting for my birthday, on the 15th October (a few days)

If I do, I am very willing to share this asp.net, and reusable libraries with you, and also server space. This will give you a complete package. I will also give you write access to my server, so that you don't have to ask me to update things for you, you can do it all yourself. And the best thing is that it is all perfect (I think) It is all downloaded on a separate thread, with a nice UI with a loading bar, with server space, and not much work. You can change any of the code (for example if you want to change the UI) That would be my suggestion. How about it?

I am also currently writing another asp.net page with POST in reverse, for sending complete crash reports (the entire bit of code and message) to the server, and stored as text file on the server for your viewing, and analysis. I have not quite finished this yet, but I am also willing to give you this code when I do?

So, what do you think?

Richard

Hey thanks for that much appreciated. The code to check for updates is of no issue....it is the problem with having a place to store the updates (which is what you talk about in your post). I want to thank you for your offer and I will definitely be interested in your proposition....just let me know when it is possible.

Please also send me the code and any concepts you have of your UI as this sounds intriguing and I would love to see them

To be honest, my UI may not fit with your program (it is only an update downloader, no more) However, if you would like I could offer you storage and an asp.net server soon. If however, you want PHP, there are plenty out there. Orange Serve is good: OrangeServe - Free Unlimited cPanel Web Hosting - Welcome

It claims asp.net, but this is under Mono, so you have to compile your asp.net page to .net 2.0, and even then nothing I tried could get it to work

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

Don't make me moan! I can do the coding! Let me explain!

Just before I go off on my rant, I am just posting everything I find, because you may not know about one of them!

I am also writing a big tool at the moment, and auto-updating is one of the big things. Some people go to a server (such as Freewebs) download the version.txt, read it, compare it to the version of the currently running file (generated on the fly, look at Assembly.stuff) and then decided whether to download the new .exe and updater.exe. They run updater.exe, and close the currently running program. updater.exe replaces the file, and then runs it. Voila!

This is horrendous! Really slow, and you have to update the version each time. So I wrote some clever asp.net to check the version on the server file, and use POST to get and send results. This then decides whether to download the two .exes or not. Much better! However, one then has to store this asp.net on special servers. Getting such servers is SO difficult. Have tried many asp.net servers, but none of them work. I am planning to try and get paid hosting for my birthday, on the 15th October (a few days)

If I do, I am very willing to share this asp.net, and reusable libraries with you, and also server space. This will give you a complete package. I will also give you write access to my server, so that you don't have to ask me to update things for you, you can do it all yourself. And the best thing is that it is all perfect (I think) It is all downloaded on a separate thread, with a nice UI with a loading bar, with server space, and not much work. You can change any of the code (for example if you want to change the UI) That would be my suggestion. How about it?

I am also currently writing another asp.net page with POST in reverse, for sending complete crash reports (the entire bit of code and message) to the server, and stored as text file on the server for your viewing, and analysis. I have not quite finished this yet, but I am also willing to give you this code when I do?

So, what do you think?

Richard

Hey thanks for that much appreciated. The code to check for updates is of no issue....it is the problem with having a place to store the updates (which is what you talk about in your post). I want to thank you for your offer and I will definitely be interested in your proposition....just let me know when it is possible.

Please also send me the code and any concepts you have of your UI as this sounds intriguing and I would love to see them

To be honest, my UI may not fit with your program (it is only an update downloader, no more) However, if you would like I could offer you storage and an asp.net server soon. If however, you want PHP, there are plenty out there. Orange Serve is good: OrangeServe - Free Unlimited cPanel Web Hosting - Welcome

It claims asp.net, but this is under Mono, so you have to compile your asp.net page to .net 2.0, and even then nothing I tried could get it to work

As you said I can change the UI to fit well with my program (if you are indeed willing to allow me to do so).

To be honest I am not leaning any way regarding asp.net, php, or any other alternative. I am not really sure what would be the best as I am new to the programming side of the web game.

As always I appreciate it immensely....and suggestions are always welcomed

 

[niemiro]

As you said I can change the UI to fit well with my program (if you are indeed willing to allow me to do so).

To be honest I am not leaning any way regarding asp.net, php, or any other alternative. I am not really sure what would be the best as I am new to the programming side of the web game.

As always I appreciate it immensely....and suggestions are always welcomed

I was new too. Discovered that it only takes a very few lines of code to do this POST stuff, but OMG were they the most difficult first lines of code I have ever written. They can be turned to any use though, so the same lines of code will basically do anything with some easy C# code padding. Can I just confirm that you are using C#, and VS2010 (Express/Professional)?

Thanks!

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

As you said I can change the UI to fit well with my program (if you are indeed willing to allow me to do so).

To be honest I am not leaning any way regarding asp.net, php, or any other alternative. I am not really sure what would be the best as I am new to the programming side of the web game.

As always I appreciate it immensely....and suggestions are always welcomed

I was new too. Discovered that it only takes a very few lines of code to do this POST stuff, but OMG were they the most difficult first lines of code I have ever written. They can be turned to any use though, so the same lines of code will basically do anything with some easy C# code padding. Can I just confirm that you are using C#, and VS2010 (Express/Professional)?

Thanks!

The Browser Download Utility is programmed in VB.NET 3.0 using VB 2010. C# is so similar to VB.NET and as easy to use so I am not worried about that.

EDIT: That would be Visual Studio 2010 Professional

 

[niemiro]

As you said I can change the UI to fit well with my program (if you are indeed willing to allow me to do so).

To be honest I am not leaning any way regarding asp.net, php, or any other alternative. I am not really sure what would be the best as I am new to the programming side of the web game.

As always I appreciate it immensely....and suggestions are always welcomed

I was new too. Discovered that it only takes a very few lines of code to do this POST stuff, but OMG were they the most difficult first lines of code I have ever written. They can be turned to any use though, so the same lines of code will basically do anything with some easy C# code padding. Can I just confirm that you are using C#, and VS2010 (Express/Professional)?

Thanks!

The Browser Download Utility is programmed in VB.NET 3.0 using VB 2010. C# is so similar to VB.NET and as easy to use so I am not worried about that.

EDIT: That would be Visual Studio 2010 Professional

Yes, or Express edition, or Premium, or Ultimate, or Team Viewer, or about three more different versions!

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

I was new too. Discovered that it only takes a very few lines of code to do this POST stuff, but OMG were they the most difficult first lines of code I have ever written. They can be turned to any use though, so the same lines of code will basically do anything with some easy C# code padding. Can I just confirm that you are using C#, and VS2010 (Express/Professional)?

Thanks!

The Browser Download Utility is programmed in VB.NET 3.0 using VB 2010. C# is so similar to VB.NET and as easy to use so I am not worried about that.

EDIT: That would be Visual Studio 2010 Professional

Yes, or Express edition, or Premium, or Ultimate, or Team Viewer, or about three more different versions!

Yeah....MS has put out quite a few versions of this app

Will release a new version of the app later tonight/tomorrow. I'll call it Release Candidate 2

 

[niemiro]

The Browser Download Utility is programmed in VB.NET 3.0 using VB 2010. C# is so similar to VB.NET and as easy to use so I am not worried about that.

EDIT: That would be Visual Studio 2010 Professional

Yes, or Express edition, or Premium, or Ultimate, or Team Viewer, or about three more different versions!

Yeah....MS has put out quite a few versions of this app

Will release a new version of the app later tonight/tomorrow. I'll call it Release Candidate 2

Nice naming convention. Very...sensible!

 

[DarkNovaGamer]

Yes, or Express edition, or Premium, or Ultimate, or Team Viewer, or about three more different versions!

Yeah....MS has put out quite a few versions of this app

Will release a new version of the app later tonight/tomorrow. I'll call it Release Candidate 2

Nice naming convention. Very...sensible!

Indeed.....its pretty incredible how many developers tend to give their app releases non standard names (RTW for example) or developers that will insist on bumping up their app an incredible amount of version numbers in a short amount of time....

Mine will be 1.0 at its first release....unlike what some people would do.

Development plan is as follows....

Beta
RC
RC2
Release - 1.0
Beta - 2.0

...and so on

 

[Lorien]

And here is Richard taking on yet another project to somehow squeeze into his already too busy schedule - but it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. :eek: Go for it! DarkNovaGamer, you're lucky he's taken an active interest in your program - he'll be of immense help (and it seems he already has helped with his feedback). I know next to nothing about programming (limited Office Macros are about the extent of that) so I'm sorry but I can't be of any real help. But I wish you all the best and will watch with interest from the sidelines.

Good luck!

 

[niemiro]

Yeah....MS has put out quite a few versions of this app

Will release a new version of the app later tonight/tomorrow. I'll call it Release Candidate 2

Nice naming convention. Very...sensible!

Indeed.....its pretty incredible how many developers tend to give their app releases non standard names (RTW for example) or developers that will insist on bumping up their app an incredible amount of version numbers in a short amount of time....

Mine will be 1.0 at its first release....unlike what some people would do.

Development plan is as follows....

Beta
RC
RC2
Release - 1.0
Beta - 2.0

...and so on

'tis a good convention. I personally use:

0.0.x.x
0.1.x.x
0.2.x.x
0.3.x.x

The Xs are build strings, done by VS. I then increment by 0.1 whenever I hit a big milestone (maybe removed the last known bug from the engine, or completed the UI) These are all alphas, or pre-alphas.

I then do 0.9.0.0 (Beta, and I manually increment the last digits, depending on how big a change each one is. Some are given extra titles, such as Beta 2, but the version is what matters to me)

I then do 1.0

I then add back on the final digits for big projects after the second release, and increment according to how big a change (ie the next release might be 1.0.1.0)

For small programs I would move straight to 1.1

Eventually, if there is a really good reason to do so, and there have been big underlying changes, I may move to 2.0.

I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER do 1.13 (One.Thirteen) How much I hate this I cannot express!

Richard

P.S. Yours is very good, this is just what I use.

 

[niemiro]

And here is Richard taking on yet another project to somehow squeeze into his already too busy schedule - but it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. :eek: Go for it! DarkNovaGamer, you're lucky he's taken an active interest in your program - he'll be of immense help (and it seems he already has helped with his feedback). I know next to nothing about programming (limited Office Macros are about the extent of that) so I'm sorry but I can't be of any real help. But I wish you all the best and will watch with interest from the sidelines.

Good luck!

Macros are coding! See, you could be the next coding legend!