This article explains how to distinguish between automatic patching and manual patching, both on the client and server sides.
Automatic vs Manual Patching
| Patching Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Automatic patching | Products that support both downloading and installing patches through the following methods:
|
| Manual patching | Products where GetLatestInstaller is not supported, and only the following methods can be used:
|
In short:
- Automatic patching →
GetLatestInstaller+InstallFromFilesare supported. - Manual patching → only
InstallFromFilesworks for installation, whileGetProductPatchLevelis available in both cases.
By default, for any signature in our database, GetLatestInstaller supports both download values, 0 and 1.
Exceptions apply only to specific signatures that do not support download=0 (i.e., they can’t return a URL but can still be downloaded).
Client-Side Information
At the client side, you can use the patch.dat file to identify which products are supported for third-party patching and how they are categorized.
When you load this file using LoadPatchDatabase, it lists all signatures (products) that are supported for 3rd-party patching.
The following fields help you distinguish between automatic and manual patching:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
details.support_signatures | Lists all third-party signatures where all methods (GetLatestInstaller, InstallFromFiles, and GetProductPatchLevel) are fully supported - automatic patching. |
details.support_install_signatures | Lists signatures where only InstallFromFiles and GetProductPatchLevel are supported - manual patching. |
details.self_update_signatures | Lists signatures where automatic patching is supported, but only for installer download (not URL). |
New: download=2 Parameter
We have recently introduced support for the parameter download=2 in GetLatestInstaller.
This means that for signatures listed in support_signatures and self_update_signatures, the SDK can now return the patch_id that will be used to install the product.
This allows better mapping and handling of installation workflows.
Server-Side Information
At the server side, you can check patching support using the following files from the analog.zip package:
| File | How to Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| products.json | Check if the product has system_patching or 3rd_party_patching set to true. | If either value is true, the product supports automatic patching. If both are false, the product is manual. |
| patch_status.json | Review the field "get_latest_installer":"download_0":"is_supported" (true/false) | This indicates whether the product supports retrieving the installer URL (download_0). If it’s set to false, only installer retrieval is supported. |
If you need more guidance on how to use analog files or interpret patching information, refer to our How_to_use_Analog_files guide or contact OPSWAT Support for assistance.
