Upgrading Controls

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Most of our products are updated with new versions periodically, due to new features being introduced and normal bug fixes. Update cycles vary depending on the age of the product and activity regarding new features, but may be anything from a couple of weeks to a few months apart. When they do happen, it's important to know how to correctly update the version of a control you are already using.

These steps are a general how-to and apply to any .NET component upgrade. Following the steps should ensure a hassle-free upgrade process.

1. Close Visual Studio and related programs

   It's important to make sure the existing control binaries are not in use. If you intend to install the product to a directory other than the one it was installed in before, you should remove the product from your Visual Studio toolbox.

2. Uninstall the old version

   You can access the uninstaller from the Add/Remove programs utility in the control panel.

3. Install the new version

   Most of our products include an install utility which will create entries in the Visual Studio toolbox and any designer templates, if necessary.

4. Open your solution and recompile

   You will need to ensure your solution still builds correctly. Sometimes it is necessary to make changes to a control that could make certain members obsolete, and at this point you will be warned if any such changes have occured.

5. Reload designers

   It is also a good idea to open any forms/controls using the component in question, and force a resave by changing a property and saving. This will ensure that the designer-generated code is using the most recent and appropriate members of the component.