Blue Iris Update Helper (BiUpdateHelper)

[bp2008]

I have built a simple tool to help with Blue Iris updates. In a nutshell, it automatically builds an archive of update files for you, saving a copy of each update just after Blue Iris installs it.

This tool solves two common problems:

1. Reverting to previous versions. Often, people install updates through the Blue Iris user interface (or allow Blue Iris to update itself automatically), and later discover they wish to revert to a previous update. But they don't have the old update files! This tool will automatically make backups of update files that Blue Iris has downloaded, so you may run the previous update files at any time.
   
   
2. Ensuring that Blue Iris closes itself for the update. In some large systems with many cameras, Blue Iris fails to shut down gracefully during the update process. This tool will automatically kill blueiris.exe whenever Blue Iris updates itself, or when you run any update*.exe within the same directory as BlueIris.exe.

Additionally, this tool can back up Blue Iris's registry settings to aid in restoration of a previous version. Restoring registry settings is not usually necessary, but it is good to have the backups in case you need them.

Since version 1.6, Blue Iris Update Helper automatically submits anonymous performance data to a public database here: Blue Iris Update Helper

Get it here: Releases · bp2008/biupdatehelper · GitHub

The readme, including installation instructions, is here: biupdatehelper/README.md at master · bp2008/biupdatehelper · GitHub

 

[hmjgriffon]

I have built a simple tool to help with Blue Iris updates. In a nutshell, it automatically builds an archive of update files for you, saving a copy of each update just after Blue Iris installs it.

This tool solves two common problems:

1. Reverting to previous versions. Often, people install updates through the Blue Iris user interface (or allow Blue Iris to update itself automatically), and later discover they wish to revert to a previous update. But they don't have the old update files! This tool will automatically make backups of update files that Blue Iris has downloaded, so you may run the previous update files at any time.
   
   
2. Ensuring that Blue Iris closes itself for the update. In some large systems with many cameras, Blue Iris fails to shut down gracefully during the update process. This tool will automatically kill blueiris.exe whenever Blue Iris updates itself, or when you run any update*.exe within the same directory as BlueIris.exe.

Get it here: GitHub - bp2008/biupdatehelper

is BI putting the exe file somewhere in program files when you run the update through BI?

 

[bp2008]

Blue Iris saves the update as "update.exe" in the same folder that BlueIris.exe is in.

My tool looks at the current Blue Iris process to see if it is 32 or 64 bit, and to get the version number, and it renames the update.exe so it doesn't get overwritten by the next update file.

 

[erkme73]

Stupidly simple, yet one of those forehead slapping moments when we ask, why didn't someone think of this any sooner? Great job. I would think with all of Ken's prowess, there's probably a reason he overwrites the update files each time. He probably doesn't want the average guy to have the ability to walk back an update. But if there's a demand, the market will provide it.

 

[105437]

I extracted this and ran the install.bat. I can't find the config file.Docs say it's in the same directory as the .exe. Which .exe... BI? If so, the config file is n't there. Love the idea and would really like to use this! Thanks

 

[randyh]

I have built a simple tool to help with Blue Iris updates. In a nutshell, it automatically builds an archive of update files for you, saving a copy of each update just after Blue Iris installs it.

bp2008 !. Thank you very much. I was manually saving majors, but only minors when I was feeling un-lazy. Your new feature has been needed for so long. Thank you again.

randy

 

[bp2008]

I extracted this and ran the install.bat. I can't find the config file.Docs say it's in the same directory as the .exe. Which .exe... BI? If so, the config file is n't there. Love the idea and would really like to use this! Thanks

Same directory as BiUpdateHelper.exe. This is where a log file should also appear, though it doesn't log much by default, mostly just when it renames an update file and when an unexpected error occurs.

 

[Tinman]

I am having trouble getting service to run. I have ran the installservice.bat and it says it installs service but it wont start.
Great idea !

 

[randyh]

I am having trouble getting service to run. I have ran the installservice.bat and it says it installs service but it wont start.
Great idea !

Did you actually extract the files from the Zip, or just double click the zip file to run the exe's. The services message makes me think the files are not fully extracted.

randy

 

[bp2008]

I have just released version 1.1 on github. It is much more efficient with CPU time. I'd encourage everyone running 1.0 to download 1.1. To update, just stop the service, overwrite all the files with the new version, and start the service again.

Also, @randyh is probably right about the zip file. The files need to be extracted first. If you've broken your service registration by moving the .exe, you should be able to fix it by uninstalling and reinstalling using the provided .bat files.

 

[Tinman]

Did you actually extract the files from the Zip, or just double click the zip file to run the exe's. The services message makes me think the files are not fully extracted.

randy

Yes I extracted the files into the folder and have it on my c:\biupdatehelper-master

 

[bp2008]

If you simply downloaded a copy of the github repository (indicated by the -master tag) then you only have the source code and not the compiled program. Check the releases tab at github.

 

[bp2008]

Actually I guess the released zips were accidentally included in the repository as well ... but what I said still stands ... You want BiUpdateHelper_1.1.zip

 

[Tinman]

That was it....Thanks for your help and for the program too !! I wasn't too familiar with the github site

 

[bp2008]

That was it....Thanks for your help and for the program too !! I wasn't too familiar with the github site

Yeah it takes some getting used to, but with codeplex going away it is the only option anyone uses.

 

[105437]

@bp2008... just downloaded v1.1. Extracted and ran the install .bat. Service won't start for some reason. I did Extract All for the .zip file.

 

[bp2008]

@bp2008... just downloaded v1.1. Extracted and ran the install .bat. Service won't start for some reason.

Same issue as Tinman?

If you go to Control Panel > Administrative tools > Services and look at the properties of the BiUpdateHelper service, it should show you the path to the executable that it is trying to use. If my install batch file is using the wrong path somehow, I'd like to know so I can fix it.

 

[105437]

Same issue as Tinman?

If you go to Control Panel > Administrative tools > Services and look at the properties of the BiUpdateHelper service, it should show you the path to the executable that it is trying to use. If my install batch file is using the wrong path somehow, I'd like to know so I can fix it.

Service has the wrong path. How can I delete the service and try a fresh 1.1 install?

 

[Tinman]

I just used the uninstall_service.bat and then deleted the folder....once I downloaded the correct zip file it worked perfect.

 

[105437]

I just used the uninstall_service.bat and then deleted the folder....once I downloaded the correct zip file it worked perfect.

Service is running now and the path is correct. The .exe won't launch.