Updates

AFDIM can update itself from inside AutoCAD®. The new version installs while AutoCAD stays open, and it runs the next time AutoCAD starts. What changed in each version is on the Release notes page.

Updates are in the settings dialog, in the Updates group of the About tab. Open the dialog with the Settings button on the AFDIM ribbon tab, or type S at the AFDIM selection prompt. The names of the tab and the group follow the interface language of the dialog.

The command line does not print the update status. The only update line there is a hint after a failed run. It is described under Go back to the previous version.

When AFDIM checks

AFDIM checks for a newer version:

in the background when AutoCAD starts: at most once every 24 hours after a successful check, and not sooner than 2 hours after a failed one
once when you open the settings dialog, if AFDIM has not checked yet in this AutoCAD session
whenever you press Check now

The first two happen only while Check for updates automatically is ticked. Check now does not depend on that setting. A check never blocks AutoCAD. It downloads a signed list of releases and sends no drawing data and no licence information.

The orange dot

When there is something for you to do, an orange dot appears:

on the Settings button of the AFDIM ribbon tab. The tooltip of the button gets the line A newer AFDIM is waiting: see the About tab.
on the title of the About tab
on the version chip in the header of the settings dialog. The chip then reads Version <version> available or See updates. Click the chip to open the About tab.

The dot appears for:

an update you can install, including one that comes with new terms of use
a release that must be installed with its installer
an update feed signed with a newer key

The dot does not appear for a network error, a proxy page, an out-of-date update feed on the server, or a release that your perpetual licence does not cover. These show only in the status line. Opening the About tab does not clear the dot. Installing the new version does.

While an update runs, the chip shows Downloading <n>% and Installing…. When the update is installed, the chip reads Updated — restart AutoCAD.

Install an update

Open the settings dialog and go to the About tab.
In the Updates group, press Check now. When an update can be installed, the status line reads Version <version> is available. and the Update now button appears. View changes opens the release notes, when the release has them.
Press Update now. AFDIM installs at once, without a second question, while AutoCAD stays open. The status line shows Downloading <version> — <n>%., then Installing the new version….
When the status line reads Updated. Restart AutoCAD to use the new version., close every AutoCAD window and start AutoCAD again. The new version runs from that start.

While Update now is shown, the dialog says under the buttons: Installs while AutoCAD stays open; the new version runs from the next AutoCAD start. Your settings are kept. When the release comes with new terms of use, Update now asks you to accept them first.

Go back to the previous version

After an in-app update, the version you had before stays on disk. If the new version gives you trouble, you can go back to it:

Open the settings dialog and go to the About tab.
In the Updates group, after Check now, press Go back to <version>.
A window titled Go back to AFDIM <version>? says what will happen. Press Go back, or press Cancel to keep the version you have.
The status line reads Went back to version <version>. Close AutoCAD completely and start it again to use it. The chip in the header of the dialog reads Back on <version> — restart AutoCAD. Close every AutoCAD window and start AutoCAD again.

The AutoCAD session that is open keeps running the newer version until you close it. Your settings and your licence are kept. AFDIM does not offer the version you left again by itself. Check now still finds it, and a newer version is announced as usual.

The button is shown only while the previous version is still whole on disk. It is not shown after an install with the installer, because the installer removes older versions. It is also not shown where in-app updates are off (see Machine-wide installs). If going back fails, the status line reads Could not go back to the previous version; the current one is unchanged. The details are in the log. Create a support zip and send it to support.

When a run fails on a version that an update installed, and that version has not finished a run without errors yet, the command line points you here:

[AFDIM] Version <version> was installed by the last update and has not completed a run yet. If this error started with the update: Settings > About > Go back to <previous>.

<version> is the version that the update installed. <previous> is the version you can go back to. The line stops once a run finishes without errors. Nothing about going back is sent to any server.

New terms of use

A release can come with a new version of the terms of use. The status line then reads Version <version> is available with new terms of use: press "Update now" to read and accept them first.

Update now first opens a window titled Version <version> comes with NEW TERMS OF USE. The window shows the address of the new terms, which you can copy.

Button	What it does
Read the terms	Opens the terms in your browser, then asks again.
I have read and agree	Accepts the terms and installs the update.
I do not agree	Declines. Nothing is installed, and the version you have keeps working.

Pressing Esc or closing the window is the same as I do not agree. You can press Update now again later.

A release that does not change the terms asks nothing.

If a release comes with new terms that have not been published yet, AFDIM does not install it. The status line reads Version <version> is available with new terms of use that have not been published yet — it cannot be installed yet; please contact support., and Update now is not shown. A window titled Version <version> comes with new terms that have not been published yet can also open. It says It cannot be installed until they are. The version you have keeps working; please contact support. Press Close. The version you have keeps working.

What the status line says

The Updates group shows one status line. It is in the interface language of the settings dialog. Text that is not translated yet appears in English.

Status line	What to do
`Checking for updates…`	Wait. The check runs in the background.
`Current version: <version>.`	No check has run in this AutoCAD session. Press Check now.
`You are on the latest version (<version>).`	Nothing.
`Version <version> is available.`	Press Update now. The line ends with `(This update is mandatory.)` when the release is marked mandatory.
`Version <version> is available with new terms of use: press "Update now" to read and accept them first.`	Press Update now. See New terms of use.
`Version <version> is available with new terms of use that have not been published yet — it cannot be installed yet; please contact support.`	Contact support. The Update now button is not shown. The version you have keeps working. See New terms of use.
`Downloading <version> — <n>%.` or `Installing the new version…`	Wait. AutoCAD stays open.
`Updated. Restart AutoCAD to use the new version.`	Close every AutoCAD window and start AutoCAD again.
`Went back to version <version>. Close AutoCAD completely and start it again to use it.`	Close every AutoCAD window and start AutoCAD again. See Go back to the previous version.
`Could not go back to the previous version; the current one is unchanged. The details are in the log.`	Press Create support zip… in the Support group and send the zip to support.
`Could not reach the update server. Check the network connection and try again.`	Check the internet connection or the proxy, then press Check now.
`The update server returned something that could not be read. Try again later.`	Press Check now later.
`The update feed on the server is out of date, so no check was possible. Try again later.`	Press Check now later.
`This computer's date and time are behind the update server. Correct them and try again.`	Correct the date and time in Windows, then press Check now.
`The update check failed unexpectedly; the details are in the log.`	Press Check now later. If it keeps failing, press Create support zip… in the Support group and send the zip to support.
`The update feed could not be verified. If a newer AFDIM has been released, download its installer from https://afdim.com/download/`	Download the installer from Download and run it over your install.
`Version <version> is available but does not run on this computer (unsupported CAD or Windows version).`	Keep the version you have. See When an update is not offered.
`Version <version> is available, but your perpetual licence covers the versions released up to <date>. Renew updates at afdim.com ("Buy / Renew") to get it; the version you have keeps working.`	Keep the version you have, or renew the updates of your licence. See When an update is not offered.
`Version <version> is available but must be installed with its installer. Download it from https://afdim.com/download/`	Download the installer from Download and run it over your install.
`This installation cannot update itself: it was installed for all users, updates were turned off at install time, or its folder is read-only.`	See Machine-wide installs.
`Version <version> could not be installed. Try again; if it keeps failing, press "Create support zip" below and send it to support.`	Press Update now again. If it fails again, press Create support zip… in the Support group and send the zip to support.
`The new version comes with new terms of use, which must be read and accepted before updating.`	Press Update now and accept the terms with I have read and agree.

A short summary of the release can appear under the status line.

Update channel

AFDIM has no update channel to choose. Every release comes through the same update feed.

When an update is not offered

AFDIM checks whether a release suits this computer before it offers the release. AFDIM does not install a release that is built for another AutoCAD version, for a newer Windows, or for another CAD product. The status line then reads Version <version> is available but does not run on this computer (unsupported CAD or Windows version). Keep working with the version you have.

Some releases cannot be reached by an in-app update. The status line then reads Version <version> is available but must be installed with its installer. Download it from https://afdim.com/download/, and the orange dot appears. Download the installer from Download and run it over your current install.

A perpetual licence covers the versions released up to the end of its update period. The Licence group shows this date as perpetual · updates until <date>. AFDIM does not offer a release published after that date, because the release would not run with that licence. The status line reads Version <version> is available, but your perpetual licence covers the versions released up to <date>. Renew updates at afdim.com ("Buy / Renew") to get it; the version you have keeps working., with no orange dot. To get the release, renew the updates.

If you install such a release anyway, for example with its installer, it refuses to run. See Troubleshooting.

An in-app update keeps the AutoCAD versions that your previous install covered. To add an AutoCAD version that you installed later, run the installer from Download over your install.

Machine-wide installs

In-app updates are off when:

AFDIM was installed for all users (/ALLUSERS)
the installer was run with /NOAUTOUPDATE
the Windows user cannot write to the AFDIM plugin folder

When a newer version is available, the status line then reads This installation cannot update itself: it was installed for all users, updates were turned off at install time, or its folder is read-only. and Update now is not shown. Your IT department updates these computers by running the new installer. See Deployment.

What an update keeps

An update replaces only the plugin. Your settings and saved standards (%APPDATA%\AFDIM) and your licence are not touched. The same is true when you run a newer installer over an existing install.

If the AFDIM ribbon tab is missing after an update, an antivirus may have quarantined the new Afdim.dll. See Troubleshooting.

Update by installer

Running a newer AFDIM_Setup_<version>.exe over an existing install is a supported upgrade. Use it when in-app updates are off, or when the status line tells you to download the installer. After the installer finishes, restart AutoCAD. The new version runs from the next AutoCAD start.