Our most recent version of Shu allows a standard Adobe AIR application to have the same AIR install experience but with the benefits of extra commands missing from the AIR runtime.

With this new version, one thing we are often asked is:

“Can I update my Shu application like a normal AIR app?”

While the simple answer is “yes”, a little more explanation is needed to implement.

The first thing to note is that any new version of the application needs shipping as a new Shu Packaged application, not just an updated AIR file.

The application output via the Shu Packager is a installer which installs AIR (if not already present) followed by installing the AIR file. It then performs a little magic to enable the extra commands.
If you just delivered the new AIR file, the last bit of magic would not be performed and you would lose all the Shu commands.

The second thing to note is that in your update descriptor XML file, you need to point the <url> element to the Shu output installer, not to the AIR file.

Lastly its important that we prevent the air.update.ApplicationUpdater from actually attempting to install the downloaded update (after all, its expecting an AIR file not our native installer).
Instead, we want to do this bit ourselves, and luckily, because we are a running Shu based AIR application, we can execute the installer using shu.System.execAsync!

So, I have created a little class to deal with this last step.

It can be used as a direct replacement of ApplicationUpdater.
Whilst this class will be included in the next version of Shu, for now, download here.

Here at CJT, from our experience of commercial software and our use of (and contributions to) open-source, we recognise the importance of a community around a program.

For our latest updates to Shu, released today, we’ve listened to our community and responded.

Many of you have let us know that while you really like Shu and feel it fulfils your application needs, the pricing of Shu has been hard to pass on to
your clients.

As a result, we’ve restructured our prices, and we hope they’re more in line with your needs.  The changes: Shu and Shu SA now cost $185 and Shu SA Lite is a snip at $45.

On top of that, today we also rolled out a very useful update to a couple of our most popular Shu commands — exec and execAsync — to enhance the way they behave when executing GUI vs. non-GUI external applications on Windows.  Our updates let you easily display GUI apps, but without having to worry about the dreaded console window when you do launch a non-GUI utility command.

There’s plenty more updates in the pipeline for Shu.  We love to hear feedback at CJT as to how people are using our software, and their views on how it could be improved, so please keep your comments and suggestions coming to help us know which improvements the community is most interested in.

We have finally got around to releaseing our brand new version of Shu!

It really does complete our product offering for Shu as it allows developers to add extra functionality to their AIR applications whilst still making use of the sanctioned AIR installation model.

Our previous versions of Shu are now renamed Shu SA (standalone) and Shu SA Lite (standalone Lite). These versions of Shu create standalone applications from AIR files.

The new version of Shu works within Adobe’s licensing model of normal AIR applications. We just add the extra power that the AIR runtime lacks (e.g. executing other applications amongst other things).
This also means that developers can sign up for Adobe’s standard AIR runtime redistribution agreement.

This new version also makes it a breeze to create custom installations of the AIR runtime and the AIR application.

So if all thats required is a standalone application with no extra functionality:

Shu SA Lite

If a standalone application is required but with extra functionality not offered in AIR by default:

Shu SA

If the standard AIR installation model is sufficient but extra functionality is required:

Shu!

Check out the Shu website for further details.

So AIR 1.5 has now been released.

Well, apart from the inclusion of the latest Flash Player (version 10) and updated WebKit, what does it really add to the previous version?

Very little in my opinion.

The single most developer requested feature is still surely that of executing external applications.
This really is a must piece of functionality for desktop applications, yet Adobe seem quite content not to add this functionality to AIR.
It is such a shame they are delaying – and I say “delaying” because I am confident they will eventually add this functionality.
I feel they have enough people working on AIR that remember the days of Macromedia Central – and anyone who knows about that technology will know what a flop that was!

Well… its OK for the developers who use our product Shu, as this does at least add this missing feature (among many others).

While talking AIR and Shu, we have a nice new addition coming soon. Watch this space.