Hi. I am really confused by the publishing changes option and the difference between live and design. I am ready to submit my updated version of my app to the app store. When I do this, I want to still be able to tinker with my app in Xcode without it changing the app on the app store (until I am ready to submit another update). By changing the app to live, do any changes i make in Xcode automatically change the app on the appstore (thus negating the point of submitting updates)?? What would happen if I just left the app as design? Once I have finished making the app for iphones, i want to optimize it for androids. This will involve changing file names and stuff (i was stupid and didn't realise eclipse was case sensitive and didn't like numbers as file names). I am worried that by changing for android I will stuff up the iphone version if the changes i make affect the app on the app store. I read another post that said by changing the version number, no published changes get transferred because it is a different version. I think i understand this, but would appreciate if someone could clarify for me (i'm pretty stupid!). Also someone suggested that you could clone your app and then make changes to the copy. Would love to clone the app so I could have an iPhone version and an android version, but I have no idea how to do this. Can anyone help? Sorry for the essay!

Hi. Whatever you do on your xcode never affects an app in the app store. Only changes made in the control panel may affect it. What you should do is the following. Download your package from the control panel. Do all you have to do to perfect it. When its redy for app store. Copy the lasted text from the json file from your control panel to your config file in xcode. Change where it says design, to live. Apply changes to live in the control panel. Submit the app to apple. After this, as long as you don't click on submit changes in the control panel, and as long as you have remembered to change the config file to live, you can do whatever you want in the control panel it won't affect the app. Only when you are finished and click on publish changes, will the apps on the users apply the changes. Keep in mind that if you add a screen in to the app that uses a plugin that is not in the package you submitted to app store, it will crash the app. As for android you should make a separate new app for it. Cause you optimize it for iPhone, and then when you do the same for android and publish the changes, it will affect the IOS apps as well. Hope this helps. Migue

Thanks MadRod, It sounds like if I go live it will change the app on the appstore if I make published changes in my control panel. How do I clone my app to make changes for android? My app has a lot of files and links, etc. and I don't want to rebuild it from scratch. Is there a way to make a copy of the iphone version that I can then edit as the android version? Also, what would happen if I left my app as design when I submitted it to the app store as an update? Regards.

if you check buzztouchmods.com from Mr. David he's got a copy tool. But it doesn't work with all plugins. Other then that there is no way to copy apps. You have to do it manually. As for leaving it as design mode, the problem is that every time you do any small changes in the control panel, even if just for testing, it will affect all the apps that are installed in the devices. The reason for live or design mode is to allow you to make changes and test new stuff in your control panel without affecting the live apps. Miguel

I'm confused. What exactly is a live app? Because I have made a lot of changes to my original app and they don't appear to have affected the app that is on the app store yet.

When I published the mass changes i did change the version number. Is this the only reason why my app on the app store hasn't been stuffed by my meddling?

Live app is an app thats on the app store. How can I explain this. When messing around the control panel, the control panel writes on the json file with design on it. So if you submit the app with the config file with design written in it, that app will be affected. When you click publish in your control panel the design in the json file turns into live. This will affect all apps that have the config file with live written in its config file. Are you following?

I think so. I was confused because when I first published to the app store there wasn't a publish changes option in the control panel (i have no idea what mode the app on the app store is in). So long as i change the version number when I go to publish changes, my live app should remain unaffected because the version doesn't exist on the app store yet (until I update it). Have I got it right?

Yes, things were different. I don't think it matters the version number. I would suggest making changes and changing to live mode and this time submit update to app store, so you have the latest version of the package.

Shall do. Thanks a bunch MadRod!

any time

I hear you. I have a simple little business app, my first one, that went live to today. And I'm scared to touch it for fear of breaking it, lol. I have a similar question about updating the app. So if I add screens, add urls to pull files into the app, I can hit publish in the control panel and the app in the App store gets updated. How do I know when I need to upload a new version to have it approved? Or does adding screens mean I have to upload a new version through X code? But if I change info on the present screens I can update it on the control panel? Hopefully, that makes sense- updating through the control panel vs. uploading a new version. Thanks for any help and insight.

Hi, it makes sense. You only need to update via app store when you're adding screens of a plugin that was not in the package you downloaded. Other then that, you're ok. Miguel

kewl. Thanks.