If your current version is numbered less than 4.1, FF&EZ will use this earlier version of the update process. Any version from the 3.2.33 to 3.2.134 will use this method (if your version is even earlier, you need to contact technical support for instructions).

The primary difference between this update procedure and that used in the 4.1 version is that the incoming FF&EZ update uses a new installer and installs the software (not the data) into a different folder from previous versions. This means that 1) the installer will create a new, different icon to run FF&EZ and 2) you will want to uninstall the old version once the new one is in place.

To save time, you can download the update file (see below) into your "Documents\FF&EZ-Import" "staging" folder. Otherwise it will download into your "Downloads" folder.

Once this preliminary step is done, you run the Update Software option (accessed with the Utilities command on the main FF&EZ screen) Full instructions are below:

The Pre-4.1 Procedure

1. As mentioned above, this method requires that you download the update file using a link provided to you (typically in an email). This will place the file in the standard "Downloads" folder unless you use your browser's "Save as" option to download it to the "Documents\FF&EZ-Import folder where FF&EZ will look first. Do not open or run the file. The update procedure will do this.
   
   Update files have FF&EZ's standard "FDZ" extension ("FF&EZ Data Zip") and are standard "zip" format compressed archive files. Note: Some browsers will change the "FDZ" extension to "ZIP" without telling you! As of version 3.2.61, the utility can handle either extension, but it will help if you know that this has happened.
2. Close FF&EZ (important) and then close or minimize all other software (the shortcut for this is to hold down the Windows key while you press the "D" key). This is important to make sure that you see any prompts that appear when the update and installation process runs.
3. Restart FF&EZ and from its main screen, select Utilities, then Update Software. The screen will appear as it does in the image above.
4. Run the Backup command to back up your current version and data.
5. If you saved the update file into "Documents\FF&EZ-Import," the utility will have found it and enabled the Load Update button. If not, use Browse to locate the file. When you click on Load Update, the system will extract the contents to the proper locations. 
6. Since the Load Update command also extracts a new workstation installer, it will then activate the Run Installer button to use to install it. Note that some versions of Windows (or users with limited privileges) may not be able to directly run the installer from FF&EZ.  In those cases, the button will read "Locate Installer" instead (or the "run" process will terminate and then give you the option of locating the file).  Locating is done automatically and then a standard Windows "explore" window will open with the file already highlighted.  All you have to do is double-click it or press the [Enter] key:
7. When FF&EZ offers to "locate" a file for you, the file will be automatically highlighted in the folder window that it opens.

When FF&EZ offers to "locate" a file for you, the file will be automatically highlighted in the folder window that it opens.

When the installation is complete, you will see a new icon on your Desktop, in addition to the old one. The new icon will be named either "FF&EZ 4 Design" or "FF&EZ 4 Design Purchasing" depending on your license. The old version still exists, but you will not be able to run it once the update is complete. Be sure to start FF&EZ with the new icon! See below for instructions for removing the old one.

Important: If you have previously "pinned" the old icon to your Taskbar or the Start menu, you must "unpin" it and then pin the new icon.  Do not use any old "pinned" versions until you do this, since they point to the old version (or nothing, if the old version is uninstalled).

Most updates include some final changes that are done the next time FF&EZ runs.  If you are on a multi-user system, be sure to run FF&EZ as soon as possible after installing an update, otherwise other users may see unfamiliar messages as the update happens.

Note: The "Step 4" shown on the screen image is not needed on single user systems nor on "terminal server" or "cloud server" systems accessed through the Windows "remote desktop" service (see "Older Network Versions" below for the situation for which it is needed).

After installing an update to the software and verifying that you can access it, we recommend that you do another full backup to a separate storage device. This will create a backup file with the new installer, which will be useful if you ever have a hardware failure.

Removing the Previous Version and Icon

Since versions 4.1 and later create a new "FF&EZ 4" icon and install the software in a new "programs" folder, you will want to eventually remove the old version to avoid confusion. This is the procedure:

1. Make sure all instances of FF&EZ are closed.
2. Right-click on the Windows "start" icon in the lower left corner of your screen.
3. From the context menu that appears, select Apps and Features.
4. Wait for the list of applications to populate, then look for one entitled either "FF&EZ Design" or "FF&EZ Design/Purchasing." Do not select any labeled "FF&EZ 4," no matter what else is in the label. 
5. Click on the old FF&E software entry, then choose Uninstall (or "Remove")

When the uninstall process completes, the old icon should be gone from the Desktop.

Older Network Versions

On older local area network multi-user versions of FF&EZ, the presence of the new installer triggers a flag on the other workstations, which will display a button that those users can use to install the workstation software (again, they do not need to do all the steps above—just run the "SETUP" installer using the button that appears). Note: this configuration is now rare.