Introduction

This post is intended to provide some general guidelines on updating/upgrading your Channergy software.  There are two process that this post will cover here, updating a build and upgrading to a new version.

• Updating: This is the process of updating the build of the current version of Channergy you are currently using.  Throughout the year we frequently release updates to the current version of the software.  These updates are free.
• Upgrading: This is the process of installing a new version of the software, for instance moving from Channergy 2016 to Channergy 2017.  Upgrades are not free but they are not required either.

In both cases, you always upgrade/update on the server first and then run the installer on the client systems.

On the Server

Before you can install an update or upgrade on your server, there are some steps that you need to take before hand.

Client Server Installations

To make sure that the database gets properly updated when the new version/build is installed, you have to make sure that the copy of Channergy on the server is connected directly to the database and not through the Client Server engine.  To check this, open Channergy on the server, if you get the client server login prompt like the one below you will need to change the direct connection.

If this is the case, log in as you would normally and then go to File->Open Database and select the direct path to the database, usually it is something like DriveLetter:\Channergy\Data

Close All Copies of Channergy

Make sure that all users are out of Channergy

Stop Services

There are a number of services that may be installed on the server that connect to the Channergy database.  We have developed a tool for managing those services called the Channergy Service Manager that will enable you to check the status of your installed services and optionally start and stop them.

Updating The Server Installation

You will get an email announcing an update to your current build.  However, you can always get the most current build of your version from https://channergy.com/pub/ChannergyXXXXUpdate.exe where XXXX is the version of Channergy you are using.  If you have multiple users that are going to be updated, it is advisable that you place the update file into a folder that is shared with other workstations so that you do not have to download the file for each workstation update.  Once you have downloaded the installer from the web site,  you will need to have all of the users exit Channergy and shut down the services you are using before running the update.  The details are below.

1. Open the Channergy Service Manager and select stop services.
2. Run the ChannergyXXXSetup.exe installer and follow the default prompts.
3. When Channergy opens after the update, it may require a database update, allow the database to update.
4. Using the Channergy Service Manager start the Channergy services.

Updating the Clients

Updating the client systems is a straightforward process.  Simply run the ChannergyXXXUpdate.exe file that you downloaded onto your server and let it update the build version of Channergy.

Upgrading The Server Installation

When upgrading to a new version, there are a number of factors that come into play including whether or not you are upgrading from Mailware to Channergy or simply upgrading to a new version of Channergy.  In all cases it is highly advisable that you create a backup of your data before proceeding.

Creating a backup

To create a valid backup of your database do the following

1. Make sure that you are connected to the data directly, not through the Client Server engine
2. Use the Channergy Service Manager to shut down all of the services.
3. Go to Tools->Backup Database… to create a backup of your data.

Install the New Version

You can download the version that you are upgrading to from https://channergy.com/pub/ChannergyXXXXSetup.exe.  When the file downloads, save it to a location that is shared on your network to allow easier installation on the client systems.

Copy the license files that you received from us into the Channergy data folder.

Run the installer and make sure that you select your current data folder when prompted for the database folder.  This will ensure that your version of the MCM is also upgraded.

When the installer is complete, Channergy will open and you will be prompted to update the database, let the database update take place.

Migrating the Settings from Mailware

If you are upgrading from Mailware, there are some database settings that need to be migrated over to the Channergy settings file (ChannergyGlobal.ini).  We have written a small utility that will do that for you.  Here is the process

1. Close Channergy
2. If you had previously used Mailware with the client server do the following
   1. Download the following file https://channergy.com/pub/UpdateIniFiles.exe and save it to your client server folder.
   2. Locate the UpdateInifiles.exe in the client server folder, right-click on the file and select Run As Administrator.
3. If you did not have Mailware set up to run through the client server, do the following
   1. Download the following file https://channergy.com/pub/UpdateIniFiles.exe and save it to your data folder.
   2. Locate the UpdateInifiles.exe in the data folder, right-click on the file and select Run As Administrator.

Migrating the Settings from Channergy

The only settings that you need to migrate is to copy the Channergy.ini file that is located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Channergy 20XX (where XX is the previous year version that you were using) to C:\Program Files (x86)\Channergy 20YY (where YY is the version that you are upgrading to).

Restart the Services

At this time all you need to do is go to the Channergy Service Manager and restart the services.

Upgrading the Client Systems

Once the server has been set up, setting up the clients is straightforward.

Installing the New Version (not migrating from Mailware)

Navigate to the location where you saved the Channergy setup file in the server and run the installer.  Select the default options.  When the installer completes, Channergy will open pointing to the default database on the client system.  To set it to point to the correct database folder do the following:

1. Close Channergy
2. Locate the Channergy.ini file in  C:\Program Files (x86)\Channergy 20XX (where XX is the previous year version that you were using) and copy the file to the clipboard.
3. Navigate to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Channergy 20YY (where YY is the version that you are upgrading to) and paste the Channergy.ini file from the clipboard to the new location.

Migrating from Mailware on Client Systems

Navigate to the location where you saved the Channergy setup file in the server and run the installer.  Select the default options.  When the installer completes, Channergy will open pointing to the default database on the client system.

1. Go to File->Open Database select the Network database radio button and then click on the Add… button.
2. Click on the ellipses (…) and navigate to the proper folder on the server.
3. Click on the Save button.
4. You will know if you selected the right folder if your company address information is displayed in the Company Information fields.
5. Click OK to save the database location settings.
6. Click OK to close the Open Database window.