WABD version upgrade custom widgets

[BrianLeroux]

Hi. I am looking to upgrade to WABD 2.23 and I am trying to figure out the proper way to do this. The documentation seems somewhat incomplete on this topic. The instructions for upgrading the apps is clear and works fine. Updating custom widgets is where the confusion starts. In one section is states the following:

If you have custom widgets and themes in the app that were created in the previous version of Web AppBuilder, the command utility will import them into the new version as well, without automatically checking them. You need to make sure these custom widgets are compiled with the version of ArcGIS API for JavaScript and version of Web AppBuilder to which you import the app. See the version comparison chart.

I do not understand what they mean by making sure it is compiled with JS API that matches WAB version. I know 2.23 will use API version 3.39 but I do not see where you are able to change that. I have assumed that the widget will try to use the version that WAB was build from. Any ideas?

To add to the confusion there is another part of the documentation that states that custom widgets can be upgraded by WAB.

Upgrade custom widgets and themes

Although there is no function to upgrade a custom widget and theme directly, you can follow the steps below.

I follow the steps which is simply importing a map from old WAB to the new version. It brings the widgets in but I am not seeing changes suggesting there was any "upgrade" that occurred. The manifest on those still show the old version. Does anyone know what this suggested process actually does?

I appreciate any help.

[RobertScheitlin__GISP · Accepted solution]

@BrianLeroux 

What that text is actually telling you is that WAB will use the version of the JS API that it is designed to use for that release of WAB so if the custom widget is developed to use something that is no longer available in that API version then it could not function or not function properly. For the majority of cases this is never an issue though.

[BrianLeroux]

Thanks Robert. That makes sense. I think it was the use of "compile" that had me thinking there was more to it. I am still curious on the second part though that talks about upgrading custom widgets and themes. I am not sure what we are achieving by following their import steps.

[RobertScheitlin__GISP]

@BrianLeroux 

I am not really sure about that part either. I assume that it is dealing with those situations when that app fails to upgrade due to a custom widget issue.

[BrianLeroux]

OK Thanks. I will run the custom widget upgrade process just to be through. Can't imagine it will hurt anything.