Can I configure WAB online, then customize locally?

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10-28-2014 11:41 AM
ScottThomas1
New Contributor III

I'm just getting started with WAB. I have configured a few test apps online and found that I could get pretty far with that interface, but still needed more customization. I recently got access to Beta 3 and set it up on my server. I can see that customizing every aspect locally will take some time. My question is this: Can I configure the bulk of my app online, then download that code so I can do the final adjustments locally? If so, how do I get access to the code generated using the online interface?

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MichaelJenkins
Occasional Contributor III

Scott, I might know what happened if we did the same thing.   The documentation for the WAB says "The app created by Web AppBuilder can be downloaded and hosted on your web server. Any app that is downloaded must be registered..."

Download app—Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS (Beta) | ArcGIS

Then it proceeds to tell you to search for "web appbuilder" and then download a file called "webappviewer" and then goes on to tell you how to configure it using JSON config files.

I think that is very misleading.  As far as I can tell, the app that you have configured online with WAB cannot then be downloaded.   These instructions have you downloading the unconfigured viewer, not the Web App Builder.    Even though when you search for "web appbuilder" the search results describe what you are going to download as being the WAB, instead you end up with the viewer.  The screenshot even shows the web app builder interface.

http://kingcounty.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=fffd70b754594c54bc58d90d4e897e19

I figured out hat what you really need to do is go here:

https://betacommunity.esri.com/home.html  and download the WebApp Builder (Developer addition).

Download that, unzip it, then run startup.bat and will run a local copy of the WAB.  I did this, then created an app like I had done on AGO and saved it and then I had a local copy of my app pre-configured by the GUI WAB.

So far so good!   Good luck!

- MJ

GISP

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MichaelJenkins
Occasional Contributor III

That's what we'd like to be able to do as well.  I will monitor your question in hopes of getting an answer.  Thanks for asking this!

GISP
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RobertScheitlin__GISP
MVP Emeritus

Scott,

I can see that customizing every aspect locally will take some time

verses what... spending the same amount of time doing this online? The developer version that you have installed on your server allows you to configure your App the same way as the online WAB? Currently I do not know of a way to get the app you configured online downloaded.

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ScottThomas1
New Contributor III

Versus digging through all the values and trying to update all the code.

How do I access a configurable interface for the locally served app?

When I navigate to the test app's URL, I am viewing the application, not an editable interface. I've added the test app as an item in my organization account, but I'm not able to edit it there either, only view it.

I've tried taking all the code from an online configured app and copying it to the config.json (as outlined in the readme.html), but it comes across as one line - a bit difficult to search through and edit.

Some guidance or direction to documentation would be appreciated.

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RobertScheitlin__GISP
MVP Emeritus

So when you said that you

I got access to Beta3 and set it up on your server

Did you not mean that you got the Beta3 Developer version? When you follow the instructions on the WAB Beta website > documentation > Getting Started, it tells you that you launch the WAB GUI by using this url http://[yourmachinename]:3344/webappbuilder. Have you done that?

MichaelJenkins
Occasional Contributor III

Scott, I might know what happened if we did the same thing.   The documentation for the WAB says "The app created by Web AppBuilder can be downloaded and hosted on your web server. Any app that is downloaded must be registered..."

Download app—Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS (Beta) | ArcGIS

Then it proceeds to tell you to search for "web appbuilder" and then download a file called "webappviewer" and then goes on to tell you how to configure it using JSON config files.

I think that is very misleading.  As far as I can tell, the app that you have configured online with WAB cannot then be downloaded.   These instructions have you downloading the unconfigured viewer, not the Web App Builder.    Even though when you search for "web appbuilder" the search results describe what you are going to download as being the WAB, instead you end up with the viewer.  The screenshot even shows the web app builder interface.

http://kingcounty.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=fffd70b754594c54bc58d90d4e897e19

I figured out hat what you really need to do is go here:

https://betacommunity.esri.com/home.html  and download the WebApp Builder (Developer addition).

Download that, unzip it, then run startup.bat and will run a local copy of the WAB.  I did this, then created an app like I had done on AGO and saved it and then I had a local copy of my app pre-configured by the GUI WAB.

So far so good!   Good luck!

- MJ

GISP
ScottThomas1
New Contributor III

Michael,

That's exactly what happened. I was configuring the viewer, thinking it was Webapp Builder. No wonder I could only view it! I've since downloaded the correct file and have it working. So, now I'm even newer to Webapp Builder than I was when I started...

Thanks,

Scott

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MichaelJenkins
Occasional Contributor III

Awesome!

GISP
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