Updating GCA to the Newest Version

GCA can update a lot of the files it uses through the Package Manager in the Check for Updates system. It can even tell you that a new update for itself is available. Unfortunately, GCA can not update its primary program files through this system. To update GCA itself, you have to reinstall it from the setup program available on Warehouse23–the same way you originally installed GCA.

Here’s how you do that.

In the future, SJGames will no longer be updating the GCA available at the OLD store, but for the time being they have graciously updated that download to the current version. If you originally purchased GCA through the NEW store, however, you must download the updated GCA installer from there.

New Way – Using the new Warehouse 23 on Shopify

  1. Go to the new Warehouse23.com.
  2. Log into your account.
  3. Click on the View Downloads button on the left side.
  4. Search for GURPS Character Assistant. (There is no search box for your downloads–the search box here searches the whole store. Use CTRL+F to use your browser’s search or search manually.)
  5. Click on the GURPS Character Assistant (SJG31-4001) link. (Clicking this link does not yet download GCA, it takes you to another page for all the downloads available for that order.)
  6. Find GURPS Character Assistant again on this new page, and click the Download File button to download the ZIP.
  7. The downloaded file will be called SJG31-4001.zip. (If your browser lets you rename the download, you may want to do that before you save it. You may also want to open it immediately once the download ends, because you’re unlikely to remember what this file is called later.)

Tips for the new store:

  • If you have NOT created an account there yet, use the same email address at the new store as you had at the old store, and your account information should be there waiting for you.
  • When logging into the new store, you must use your email address. The old store required you to use an account ‘name’ instead of your email address. This absolutely can trip you up.
  • If you use a password manager to auto-fill login information, you may have problems as it tries to fill in the login info for the OLD store. Be aware that this may be an issue so you can work around it. The OLD store is now at archive.warehouse23.com and you may need to manually update your saved data for each store to get your password manager to work correctly.
  • If you’re having trouble with the new store you can get help from Warehouse 23 staff. I can not help you! At the top of the store page, click Contact Us. That’ll open a new page with some options, such as opening a support ticket. There is also an email address and a phone number you can use.

Old Way – Using the old Warehouse 23

  1. Go to archive.warehouse23.com.
  2. Log into your account.
  3. Click the Downloads item on your My Account menu.
  4. Search for GURPS Character Assistant.
    (The search box here will search your downloads, it just takes a second.)
  5. Click on the entry in the Download Links column for GURPS Character Assistant to download the ZIP.
  6. The downloaded file will be called GURPS_Character_Assistant.zip.

Tip for the old store: Remember that the old store login is a username, not an email address. (Hopefully you still have your password for the old store as well.)

Once You’ve Downloaded the ZIP File

Extract the EXE and run it. You’ll probably have to tell Windows that yes, you really want to run it, same as you did when you first installed it.

Do the Setup thing. It should be a truncated install, because you already have a copy. After that, you should be updated to the newest release version.

I hope this helps to keep your GCA up to date!

5 thoughts on “Updating GCA to the Newest Version

  1. Pingback: Version 5.0.212 Released | Armin's GCA 5 Blog

  2. Ronald Cushing III

    Okay did almost all that yet when i hit Check for updates it gives me a very long error.

    not sure how to make it only showable on a click so if you want the error message let me know.
    This is a fresh install of the New GCA 5 And it seems to hang when trying to download.
    I have manually allowed all the Application files through the firewall and still get this error so not sure whats going on.

    Reply
    1. Armin Post author

      When you click on Check for Updates, GCA launches another program that does the actual package management stuff, and that program is “PackageUpdater.exe” and is found in the GCA install folder. PackageUpdater.exe is the program that makes the Internet access and checks for packages and whatnot, so that’s the one that would need firewall access.

      However, if you get the error message inside GCA when click Check for Updates, then the issue may be that GCA is trying to launch PackageUpdater.exe at all. That may be due to security levels on your OS. Windows has some enhanced security settings that may lock things down so much that it’s not possible for all parts of GCA to operate correctly. This may differ based on how you installed GCA.

      If you want to post a picture of the error message, or follow up where someone else might also have some thoughts, I monitor the #gca-gurps-character-assistant channel on the GURPS Discord here: https://discord.gg/fN4TEvwB

      Armin

      Reply
  3. Pingback: Version 5.0.218 released | Armin's GCA 5 Blog

  4. Pingback: Version 5.0.220 Released | Armin's GCA 5 Blog

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