topic Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update? in ArcGIS Web AppBuilder Questions

web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

PhilBeilin1 — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 21:27:09 GMT

I created an application using Web AppBuilder Developer's Edition. The app was deployed onto the companies web server (SDE) and then added to AGOL using the Create + -> An Application.

What is the best way to update the application in the future? I will be leaving this application behind and want to know the best workflow to leave in my documentation for the people responsible for updating it.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 21:29:58 GMT

Phil,

They would have to use AGOL Assistant to update any configuration files.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

PhilBeilin1 — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 22:52:03 GMT

Could you elaborate more on this?
When I bring it up I can only find options to edit the Description Page.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 13:50:54 GMT

Phil,

When you login to AGOL Assistant you have the "I want to...", choose "View an item's JSON", then find the WAB app in the right pane and select it, in the left pane scroll down to the data section (it is right under the description pane). There you will find the apps main config.json that you can click on the edit button in this panes header and now you can edit the json and save your changes.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

PhilBeilin1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:21:45 GMT

There is nothing under the description pane for me.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RebeccaStrauch__GISP — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:25:38 GMT

Can you make sure you are logged in as an administrator for the AGOL site?

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 16:26:04 GMT

So you are sure you are choosing your WAB app and not some other item named similarly?

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

PhilBeilin1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:03:53 GMT

This is it. It's not there and I'm assuming that the app has to be registered first.

As for registering the application, it is on one of our servers, will this change how create the URI's of the application?

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:18:01 GMT

Phil,

OK let me go back an review your original post (because I made some assumptions).

The app was deployed onto the companies web server (SDE) and then added to AGOL using the Create + -> An Application.

Correct me if any of the steps below are not correct.

So you created a WAB Application using WAB Dev.
You then exported the app so that you had a zip file of the app
You extracted that zipped app to a web server "The app was deployed onto the companies web server (SDE)" Not sure why you say SDE unless the SDE server is also the web server.
You then took that url for the app and added it to the companies AGOL content using Add Item?.. You said Create > App...?

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

PhilBeilin1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:46:41 GMT

That is all correct, except I made a mistake - it's not SDE, but an ArcGIS Server.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:51:38 GMT

Phil,

In that case then all the updates to the apps configuration will happen manually (directly editing the json files) on the web server. The other option is for them to have WAB Dev and import the app to make changes.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

PhilBeilin1 — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 19:15:22 GMT

Thank you Robert,

again I apologize for misstating the nature of the server.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

StevenE — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 19:30:09 GMT

Hi Robert,

When you say to import the app into WAB Dev to make changes, is this possible to do with apps that have been created using WAB Dev, extracted from a zip and placed on the server, and have been added to a federated Portal?

I have an app that I only get the options to 'view details' or 'view application' while in Portal, and also I am not able to import the app back into WAB Dev to edit. I have the web app that I configured in WAB Dev, but it obviously doesn't update the downloaded and imported app now under a URL alias.

Is there a workflow that allows one to edit the web app of an app imported into the server from WAB Dev that doesn't call for directly editing the JSON?

Thanks

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 19:58:31 GMT

Steven,

I am not aware of a workflow for your situation then.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

StevenE — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 20:23:17 GMT

Robert,

Thank you for the quick reply.

This statement is confusing me: "The other option is for them to have WAB Dev and import the app to make changes." Does this statement only apply if the app was deployed on the server and then added to ArcGIS Online? Maybe I'm misunderstanding. I am using the free version of WAB Dev, so maybe you are meaning that with one of the paid tiers one can import the deployed app back into WAB Dev and edit the JSON using the developer tools not available on the free version?

Thanks again,

Steven

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 20:45:00 GMT

Steven,

That suggestion is for when people started with WAB Dev downloaded and deployed to their own web server and then want to update the app. It is suppose to be possible to zip the site and import it back into WAB Dev to make your changes, but this would only need to be considered if you did not still have that app in your WAB dev already so you could just make changes there.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

StevenE — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 21:08:36 GMT

Robert,

For example, I created a web app using WAB Dev called "ex" for example. This web app was at the URL: (https://server.domain.com:3344/webappbuilder/apps/5.) After configuration, I extracted the zipped file named "ex" onto the arcgis server, gave it the URL alias of "DevelopTest" and added the app to Portal. Now the URL is: (https://server.domain.com/DevelopTest). The app named "DevelopTest" cannot be added back into WAB Dev, and cannot be edited in Portal either. The app "ex" is still located in the WAB Dev and can be edited there, but the changes do not reflect the DevelopTest app.

I attempted to add the zipped folder "ex" from the app back into WAB Dev to try to edit, but it simply made a copy of the "ex" app.

What is the simplest option to update/edit the widget and web app configurations for the "DevelopTest" app that will show up live on the URL? I know I'm misunderstanding a step or two in the workflow, as I know others have to update deployed web apps regularly.

Again, thank you for your help, and I apologize for my confusion.

Steven

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

RobertScheitlin__GISP — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 21:36:01 GMT

Steven,

So when you say

I extracted the zipped file named "ex" onto the arcgis server

That just means that you added it your Web Server as an application right? If that is the case then you have deployed your app to web server. So to update this app you have two options.

Make your changes back in WAB Dev and re-download and re-deploy to your web server.
Or you make manual changes to the files on your web server (like changing the widget json file or something).

If Your Portal is just referencing your app then your Portal should now reflect your changes.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

AndresCastillo — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 21:42:03 GMT

To add to Robert's response:

I believe that the portal would reference the app if the web app url was added as an item to the portal as 'An Application'

You could replace the app being served by your web server as many times as you want with an updated app.

As long as it contains the same name and directory location, it will continue to be served to the web with the same url.

Your portal will see changes made to the app file because it is simply reading the app's url.

Re: web app builder developer application once deployed and added as An Application, what is the best way to update?

StevenE — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 13:26:45 GMT

Robert,

Yes, I added the "ex" application to the web server. I think you've cleared things up for me. I was unsure if it would cause an error if I re-downloaded the app after editing in WAB Dev and overwrote the existing application files on the web server with the updated files.

Thank you for all your responses, they've been a big help.

Steven