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FTAnalyzer latest version will not install

Discussion in 'Family Tree Analyzer' started by At home in NZ, Apr 16, 2020.

  1. This is what I get when I open my installed version:
    upload_2020-4-16_17-55-28.png

    I clicked on the blue link, it took me to the Microsoft store and made me sign in before I could go any further. I know I didn't have to do that for previous versions of FTA.
    The Install button in the screen below is not working:
    upload_2020-4-16_17-57-0.png

    EDIT: i have manually loaded it from here:
    FTA
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 16, 2020
  2. Bob Spiers

    Bob Spiers LostCousins Superstar

    I have no problems when accessing FTA -which as that is quite infrequently often reports an update is required and then proceeds to update. However, after updating I receive a peculiar (Brown coloured) intervention notice headed "Windows Protected your PC" and then tells me 'FTA is an unrecognised App..." and goes on to say 'running this App might put your PC at risk' . It offers a 'More information' button with two options "Run anyway" or "Don't run", which would be enough to scare most people into not running, although I know from experience it is perfectly safe to run, and do so.

    The strange thing is the notice names the miscreant App as FTAnalyzer.exe and shows the Publishers name as 'Aberdeen Harbour Board! At this point I usually smile because I know Alexander Bisset (who as most Forum members know wrote the program and is a staff member of the Forum) originates from Aberdeen. I keep meaning to PM him about the notice but have not yet got around to it. Perhaps Alexander will read it here and no doubt comment.

    Edit: I think I may have hit on the reason for the Microsoft intervention notice as this time after the 'run anyway' it takes me to the same page as posted by 'at home in NZ' requiring me to download the Microsoft store version..which explains why it dislikes the non Microsoft version. The difference for me however was the install button worked and I now have the update version...but what a palaver!
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2020
  3. I got that notice but it was in blue, Microsoft blue I think. I'm running Windows 10, whether that has any bearing on it I don't know.
    I wrote this just so anybody else who gets the notice and it's not brown knows it might be a different colour.

    Agree, it would be good if Shammy Leva aka Alexander Bisset aka Aberdeen Harbour Board sees this.
     
  4. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    Hi All,

    Tim alerted me to this thread.

    Ok few things...

    The old Microsoft Click Once installer that I've used for years has been playing up lately and as Bob rightly says Windows Defender has been suggesting EVERY update needs you to confirm it's ok to run. So how to fix Microsoft saying Microsoft's installer might not be safe....Hmm annoying. This is the message that "At Home in NZ" got too Microsoft complaining their own installer might not be safe (they don't say it isn't safe they just say they don't know because they haven't seen the app enough times and I've not paid them a fee to make it show as safe).

    Well given Windows 7 is officially dead and I only now need to support Windows 10 (yes there's 8.0 and 8.1 but to be honest they are so horrendously bad I cannot for a minute imagine why anyone running them wouldn't this instant upgrade to Windows 10 for FREE) so I decided to see if I could get the app to run on the Windows 10 Store.

    A Windows 10 Store app comes with a lot of advantages,
    • Microsoft automatically check it for issues and certify it as safe and signed by Microsoft as safe - thus making it trusted by Windows Defender and all Internet Security applications
    • Windows 10 store is how Microsoft are pushing all application installs so it is likely to be the way more and more people get applications in Windows 10
    • Windows 10 store auto updates applications without the user having to do anything or even need to be aware it's updated
    • The store back-end website auto uploads any crash logs so that I have diagnostics of what caused the app to crash - thus avoiding having to have users report issues
    • There is prestige and wider visibility in the genealogy community from having a store app that can be easily publicised
    So that's the route I've gone down. I've launched a new version on the Windows 10 store.

    There's a few issues that's arisen around how the store installs things. This has highlighted a couple of problems...
    • Store apps by default need you to login to the store. Most PCs will have already been logged in automatically as part of Windows 10 login but some have not - you get a prompt to login if this is the case
    • Some users would be on an old version and won't have upgraded because they aren't a member of the Facebook user group or they aren't on this forum
      • To fix this I created a dummy upgrade called v7.6.3.9999 which has the annoyingly large warning message saying stop using this version
      • I then redirected people to using the Microsoft store version - as this old version using a click once installer would NEVER be updated in future
      • Manually loading it from the releases folder is a bad idea because I ACTIVELY want to stop creating those they are a right royal pain to create and I hate it.
      • It means users are locked on old versions if you use a release version from GitHub
    • Some other minor issues about the store app installing in a slightly different place have arisen causing me to need to issue some tweaks
    • The biggest issue :) has been the store doesn't create a desktop icon so you need to manually create one by dragging the icon to the desktop
    I have seen one other person saying the install button showed the app was owned but the install button didn't do anything. So this is the second report of the problem. I'll need to do more research but my gut feeling is it's a login issue. It says you own it but the PC isn't on that account I think. There will be a reason so I'll investigate and get back to you.

    Meantime v7.6.6 is the current version I'll stick out a release version soon (it does take me 20-30 minutes to manually create which is why I hate doing it) so that anyone who is on an older release can be on the latest version. As v7.6.4 has a few show stopping bugs to do with duplicates.

    Hope this helps.
     
    • Thanks! Thanks! x 1
  5. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    Ok it seems the issue of "You own this app" but the install button does nothing is a known issue down to how the cache think's it's not installed but it is (something to do with version conflicts). The fix is to clear the Store cache using a Microsoft supplied tool called WSReset.

    From the search bar (or right click start button and select search) enter WSReset to find the Store reset app. Click the arrow or right click and select "run as administrator" - you need to run as administrator to give it the permission to clear the store cache. Note this ONLY clears the cache to fix the issue it does NOT lose your settings NOR any apps you have installed.

    [​IMG]

    When WSReset runs it will open the Microsoft Store app. The Microsoft Store app screen will reset a couple times while the tool is emptying the app's cache and then it's done.
    [​IMG]

    Once it's done you can open the store app and it should now allow you to install the program.
     
    • Thanks! Thanks! x 1
  6. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    That's the annoying to create "release" version it's out of date.
     
  7. I would suggest you alter the instructions in FTA by deleting the words or you can manually download it from here.
    And, remove the green link which says to view FTA on GitHub.
    Then, you won't have to get annoyed again.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 18, 2020
  8. Bryman

    Bryman LostCousins Megastar

    Just to confirm that works a treat.
    Earlier today, I noticed that I was running v7.6.5.0 and closed it down while I did something else. A couple of hours later, I invoked FTA again and noticed that I was then running v7.6.6.0 without knowingly having done anything other than restart FTA. Very convenient. Thank you Alexander.
     
  9. It doesn't seem to be working for me. It's still on 7.6.5. the gap between usage hasn't been as long as yours but i don't think it matters.
     
  10. Bob Spiers

    Bob Spiers LostCousins Superstar

    Well done Alexander, haven't follow through yet but I will clear the Microsoft store app as you advise. Keep up the good work
     
  11. PhilGee

    PhilGee LostCousins Member

    Installed the App yesterday, which went smoothly even though I don't have a Microsoft "account". A quick test run picked up a few 1911 census reference errors - recently accepted Ancestry hints with schedule numbers missing and quickly corrected.

    The only annoyance was getting a link on my "Classic Shell" menu (I cannot tolerate inappropriate "mobile phone touch screen interfaces"), but eventually added a desktop icon, pinned that to the menu and then deleted it (I also like a clean desktop!).
     
  12. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    Thanks good suggestion.
     
  13. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    There are 241 different country specific Windows Stores around the world and Microsoft rolls out updates over 24 hours to those "markets". When your country's store gets an update is out of my control with using the Store. However you can manually update by going to the Store app clicking the three dots top right and selecting download and updates then Get Updates. That then causes it to search for updates and install them, it works similar to Windows updates in that respect. ie: Normally they just work but you can force an update it you want it.
     
    • Thanks! Thanks! x 1
  14. CeeJay

    CeeJay LostCousins Star

    I could not get this new version to install, digging around it appears that my computer is X86, and FTAnalyzer now needs x64. Can someone more computer literate than myself confirm I'm wasting my time trying to install it.
    Thanks
     
  15. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    The release version works on 32 bit as well as 64bit.
     
  16. Alexander, you have removed the words that I suggested you should but there are still 2 green links to GitHub. very tempting.o_O
     
  17. Alexander Bisset

    Alexander Bisset Administrator Staff Member

    Nothing I can do about that it's default built into GitHub. There HAS to be a link to the source code pages it's part of the GitHub requirements to host on the site.
     
    • Thanks! Thanks! x 1
  18. All I get when I click the 3 dots is 'Add to cart'. My FTA is still version 7.6.6. Launching from the store also gives me 7.6.6. I honestly do not understand why microsoft.com would be region specific. I could understand if, for instance, it was microsft.au or microsoft.nz
    It's now 3 days since was supposed to be available.
    I know I can manually install but it's a pain having to uninstall, reinstall etc.
     
  19. Bob Spiers

    Bob Spiers LostCousins Superstar

    The gremlins certainly seem to be following you around, and I hope Alexander will be able to help.

    I have a much more innocuous problem in getting my device to realise I do have the latest version installed (having downloaded previously from the Store). When I click on the FTA icon in the taskbar instead of launching FTA it takes me again to the old chestnut ..."you have version x.9999 installed" and when I (again) accept the invitation to get the later version from the store, it goes through the motions only to announce the program is installed and offers to Launch same.

    The same thing happens if I use the Start Menu to find FTA icon, it still takes me to the Store and offers to 'Get' the program and after a moment or two, tells me what I already know..the program is already installed and just needs to be launched.

    Perhaps the days of just getting FTA to open from a pinned icon is over. Now it seems it has to check with the store and although one gets there in the end, it seems such a 'round the houses' way of going about things. Perhaps Alexander can advise whether this is now the set routine, or am I not doing something I should.
     
  20. PhilGee

    PhilGee LostCousins Member

    Bob, if you are getting "you have version x.9999 installed" then (for those who do not know) you need to remove any link that does that and then go to "Settings", select "Apps" then, at the right, select "Programs and features"; right click FTAnalyser and select uninstall. Finally, pin the App version to the taskbar and menu if you wish.

    Phil
     

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