Checking for New Versions of Common Software with Powershell

In any enterprise environment there will be some common software that you will install on all your computers, and some of these are frequently updated to new versions, such as Adobe Flash Player, or the Java Runtime for example.  So I wrote a little script that runs as a scheduled task every day and checks the internet for the current version of some common software, and sends me an email when a new version is released.

It works by checking an internet URL that contains the current version number of that software, then finds the HTML element in the page that contains that number, and extracts just the number.  Then it compares it with a local file that contains the current (or previous) version number, and if the version number has changed, it will update the local file with the new number and send me an email notification.

Currently it will work for the following software, but can be customized for others.

Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Java Runtime
Notepad++
Paint.net
PDFCreator

Create a Local “Software Versions” file

Create a new text file exactly as in the screenshot below, and save it locally, eg “SoftwareVersions.txt”

Edit the Script

Save and edit the PowerShell script below, entering defaults for the email parameters and the location of the SoftwareVersions.txt file.  You can also enter these parameters when running the script.

Run the Script

The first time you run the script it will populate the text file with the current version numbers of each software, and send you an email for each.  The next time it runs, it will check the version number found online with the version number in the file, and only send an email if something is different.

 

Schedule the Script

Use a Windows Scheduled task to schedule the script and perform regular checks of the current software version.

Adding New Software

You can add new software by copying and pasting a new section of the script, finding a URL that contains the version number, finding the HTML element in the page that contains the version number, then using filters and text manipulation to get just the number itself from the web page.

You also need to add a line to your SoftwareVersions.txt file, and modify the code that uses it to search and update that line of the text file.

For example, once you have your URL, you can output all the HTML elements in the page to the PowerShell GridView, then use the criteria filters to find the element you want:

$URI = "https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$HTML.AllElements | Out-Gridview

Now I use the following code to filter the “innerHTML” element using the filter “Version ..*”, which gives me the string “Version 2015.007.20033”, and using the “Split” method, I trim off the “Version ” part leaving just the number: “2015.007.20033”.

$NewReaderVersion = (($HTML.AllElements | where {$_.innerHTML -like "Version *.*.*"}).innerHTML).Split(" ")[1]

Now I get the content of the SoftwareVersions.txt file, and find the string, or the line, that contains the name of the software.  Using the Substring method, I remove the first 25 characters of the line, to leave me with only the version number.

$CurrentReaderVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC").ToString()).Substring(25)

Next I can compare the two version numbers:

If ($NewReaderVersion -ne $CurrentReaderVersion)

If they are different, I send myself an email, and I also put the new version into the text file, which becomes the reference for the next check.

$Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
$NewContent = $Content.Replace("Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: $CurrentReaderVersion","Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: $NewReaderVersion")
$NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force

Simples 🙂

The Script

<#

.SYNOPSIS
    Checks for the current version of common software and sends an email notification if the version has been updated

.DESCRIPTION
    This script checks for the current version of some common software from their internet URLs.  It then checks a local file for the stored software version.  If the two don't match,
    an email will be sent notifying of the new version number.  The stored version number will then be updated for future version checking.
    Currently software list:
    Adobe Flash Player
    Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
    Java Runtime
    Notepad++
    Paint.net
    PDFCreator

.PARAMETER To
    The "To" email address for notifications

.PARAMETER From
    The "From" email address for notifications

.PARAMETER Smtpserver
    The smtpserver name for email notifications

.PARAMETER SoftwareVersionsFile
    The location of the file used to store the software versions

.EXAMPLE
    Check-SoftwareVersions.ps1
    Checks the internet URLs of common software for the current version number and sends an email if a new version has been released.

.NOTES
    Script name: Check-SoftwareVersions.ps1
    Author:      Trevor Jones
    Contact:     @trevor_smsagent
    DateCreated: 2015-06-11
    Link:        https://smsagent.wordpress.com

#>


[CmdletBinding(SupportsShouldProcess=$True)]
    param
        (
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False, HelpMessage="The 'to' email address")]
            [string]$To="bill.gates@contoso.com",
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False, HelpMessage="The 'from' email address")]
            [string]$From="PowerShell@contoso.com",
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$False, HelpMessage="The 'from' email address")]
            [string]$SmtpServer="myexchangebox",
        [parameter(Mandatory=$False, HelpMessage="The location of the software versions file")]
            [string]$SoftwareVersionsFile="C:\Scripts\temp\SoftwareVersions.txt"
        )


$EmailParams = @{
    To = $To
    From = $From
    Smtpserver = $SmtpServer
    }

# Note: to find the element that contains the version number, output all elements to gridview and search with the filter, eg:
# $URI = "https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/"
# $HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
# $HTML.AllElements | Out-Gridview


######################
# Adobe Flash Player #
######################

Write-Verbose "Checking Adobe Flash Player"
$URI = "http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$NewFlashVersion = (($HTML.AllElements | where {$_.innerHTML -like "Flash Player*Win*"}).innerHTML).Split(" ")[2]
Write-Verbose "Found version: $NewFlashVersion"

$CurrentFlashVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "Adobe Flash Player").ToString()).substring(20)
Write-Verbose "Stored version: $CurrentFlashVersion"

If ($NewFlashVersion -ne $CurrentFlashVersion)
    {
        Write-Verbose "Sending email"
        Send-MailMessage @EmailParams -Subject "Adobe Flash Update" -Body "Adobe Flash Player has been updated from $CurrentFlashVersion to $NewFlashVersion"
        write-verbose "Setting new stored version number for Adobe Flash Player"
        $Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
        $NewContent = $Content.Replace("Adobe Flash Player: $CurrentFlashVersion","Adobe Flash Player: $NewFlashVersion")
        $NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force
    }


###########################
# Adobe Acrobat Reader DC #
###########################

Write-Verbose "Checking Adobe Acrobet Reader DC"
$URI = "https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$NewReaderVersion = (($HTML.AllElements | where {$_.innerHTML -like "Version *.*.*"}).innerHTML).Split(" ")[1]
Write-Verbose "Found version: $NewReaderVersion"

$CurrentReaderVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC").ToString()).Substring(25)
Write-Verbose "Stored version: $CurrentReaderVersion"

If ($NewReaderVersion -ne $CurrentReaderVersion)
    {
        Write-Verbose "Sending email"
        Send-MailMessage @EmailParams -Subject "Adobe Acrobat Reader Update" -Body "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC has been updated from $CurrentReaderVersion to $NewReaderVersion"
        write-verbose "Setting new stored version number for Adobe Acrobat Reader DC"
        $Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
        $NewContent = $Content.Replace("Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: $CurrentReaderVersion","Adobe Acrobat Reader DC: $NewReaderVersion")
        $NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force
    }


################
# Java Runtime #
################

Write-Verbose "Checking Java Runtime"
$URI = "http://www.java.com/en/download/windows_offline.jsp"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$NewJavaVersion = (($HTML.AllElements | where {$_.innerHTML -like "Recommended Version * Update *"}).innerHTML).Substring(20).Split("(")[0]
Write-Verbose "Found version: $NewJavaVersion"

$CurrentJavaVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "Java Runtime").ToString()).Substring(14)
Write-Verbose "Stored version: $CurrentJavaVersion"

If ($NewJavaVersion -ne $CurrentJavaVersion)
    {
        Write-Verbose "Sending email"
        Send-MailMessage @EmailParams -Subject "Java Runtime Update" -Body "Java Runtime has been updated from $CurrentJavaVersion to $NewJavaVersion"
        write-verbose "Setting new stored version number for Java Runtime"
        $Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
        $NewContent = $Content.Replace("Java Runtime: $CurrentJavaVersion","Java Runtime: $NewJavaVersion")
        $NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force
    }


##############
# Notepad ++ #
##############

Write-Verbose "Checking Notepad++"
$URI = "http://notepad-plus-plus.org/"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$NewNotepadVersion = (($HTML.AllElements | where {$_.outerText -like "Download*" -and $_.tagName -eq "P"}).innerText).Split(":")[1].Substring(1)
Write-Verbose "Found version: $NewNotepadVersion"

$CurrentNotepadVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "Notepad\+\+").ToString()).Substring(11)
Write-Verbose "Stored version: $CurrentNotepadVersion"

If ($NewNotepadVersion -ne $CurrentNotepadVersion)
    {
        Write-Verbose "Sending email"
        Send-MailMessage @EmailParams -Subject "Notepad++ Update" -Body "Notepad++ has been updated from $CurrentNotepadVersion to $NewNotepadVersion"
        write-verbose "Setting new stored version number for Notepad++"
        $Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
        $NewContent = $Content.Replace("Notepad++: $CurrentNotepadVersion","Notepad++: $NewNotepadVersion")
        $NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force
    }


##############
# Paint.net  #
##############

Write-Verbose "Checking Paint.net"
$URI = "http://www.getpaint.net/index.html"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$NewPaintVersion = (($HTML.AllElements | where {$_.innerHTML -clike "paint.net*.*.*"}).innerHTML).Substring(10)
Write-Verbose "Found version: $NewPaintVersion"

$CurrentPaintVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "Paint.net").ToString()).Substring(11)
Write-Verbose "Stored version: $CurrentPaintVersion"

If ($NewPaintVersion -ne $CurrentPaintVersion)
    {
        Write-Verbose "Sending email"
        Send-MailMessage @EmailParams -Subject "Paint.Net Update" -Body "Paint.Net has been updated from $CurrentPaintVersion to $NewPaintVersion"
        write-verbose "Setting new stored version number for Paint.net"
        $Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
        $NewContent = $Content.Replace("Paint.net: $CurrentPaintVersion","Paint.net: $NewPaintVersion")
        $NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force
    }


##############
# PDFCreator #
##############

Write-Verbose "Checking PDFCreator"
$URI = "http://www.pdfforge.org/blog"
$HTML = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $URI
$NewPDFCreatorVersion = ($HTML.AllElements | where {($_.innerHTML -eq $_.innerText) -and $_.tagName -eq "A" -and $_.innerHTML -like "PDFCreator*"})[0].innerHTML.Split(" ")[1]
Write-Verbose "Found version: $NewPDFCreatorVersion"

$CurrentPDFCreatorVersion = ((Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile | Select-string "PDFCreator").ToString()).Substring(12)
Write-Verbose "Stored version: $NewPDFCreatorVersion"

If ($NewPDFCreatorVersion -ne $CurrentPDFCreatorVersion)
    {
        Write-Verbose "Sending email"
        Send-MailMessage @EmailParams -Subject "PDFCreator Update" -Body "PDFCreator has been updated from $CurrentPDFCreatorVersion to $NewPDFCreatorVersion"
        write-verbose "Setting new stored version number for PDFCreator"
        $Content = Get-Content $SoftwareVersionsFile
        $NewContent = $Content.Replace("PDFCreator: $CurrentPDFCreatorVersion","PDFCreator: $NewPDFCreatorVersion")
        $NewContent | Out-File $SoftwareVersionsFile -Force
    }