Previously, I showed you how to automatically update your Adobe AIR 1.5 application using Adobe's ApplicationUpdaterUI. What if you don't need (or want) to rely on user interaction at all? While the ApplicationUpdaterUI class provides basic updating functionality and a default user interface, ApplicationUpdater provides update functionality while letting you handle the UI yourself, or providing no update-related UI at all.

    <script type="text/javascript" src="lib/air/AIRAliases.js"></script>
    <script type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="lib/air/applicationupdater.swf"></script>
    
    <!-- This is the file described below. -->
    <script type="text/javascript" src="Updater.js"></script>

    <!-- Include the rest of your application however you normally would. -->
    <script type="text/javascript" src="your-application-files.js"></script>

If you're using the Aptana or Dreamweaver extensions for Adobe AIR, applicationupdater.swf should be automatically generated as part of a new Adobe AIR project. You may have to check an option to create it.

// _Updater.js
Updater = function() {
    var _ = {
        /**
         * Don't change these directly!
         * Instead, use Updater.init("http://your.web.site/path/to/version.xml");
         */
        url     : false,
        updater : false
    };
    function error(e) {
        air.trace(e); // handle this error as necessary for your app
    }
    function checkComplete(e) {
        if (e.available) {
            /**
             * The application is now updating, notify other components here if necessary.
             */
        } else {
            MyApp.start(); // call your application entry point
        }
    }
    return {
        init  : function(ns, url) {
            _.url = (typeof url == "string") ? url : false;
            _.updater = (_.url) ? new runtime.air.update.ApplicationUpdater() : false;
            this.check();
        },
        check : function() {
            if (_.updater) {
                _.updater.delay = 1; // how many days between checks, can be a fraction
                _.updater.updateURL = _.url;
                assignHandler(runtime.air.update.events.UpdateEvent.INITIALIZED, function() {
                    _.updater.checkNow(); // have to call the first check manually
                });
                assignHandler(runtime.flash.events.ErrorEvent.ERROR, error);
                assignHandler(runtime.air.update.events.DownloadErrorEvent.DOWNLOAD_ERROR, error);
                assignHandler(runtime.air.update.events.StatusUpdateErrorEvent.UPDATE_ERROR, error);
                assignHandler(runtime.air.update.events.StatusUpdateEvent.UPDATE_STATUS, checkComplete);
                _.updater.initialize();
            }
        }
    };
}();

Simply include the above file in a script tag in your application's main HTML file, then call _Updater.init("http://your.web.site/path/to/version.xml"). The target XML file should follow the format below, as per the Adobe example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <update xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/air/framework/update/description/1.0">
        <version>1.23</version>
        <url>http://your.web.site/path/to/YourApplication.air</url>
        <description><![CDATA[
            This version has fixes for the
            following known issues:
            *First issue
            *Second issue 
        ]]></description>
    </update> 

Enjoy!