I just downloaded my iphone app, and it still had the old information for me when I installed it from the app store? Is there a way to update the app once its already in the itunes store without having to have people refresh off the first download?

if you want to update whats in the store, you'll have to submit a new binary to apple. if you update it through bt, the user will get the prompt on their device to refresh (even if you just hit save without making any changes).

(however from my experience - unfortunately - after the first install and launch of the app users DO NOT get prompted to update until they close and re-open the app)

yea what would be nice is when users download the app they don't see all the old stuff from when we were making it, like Ive changed headers a bunch of times with new graphics and yet when my testers download the app they get the original header and all the screens are blank, which caused be to get a rejection.

For sure you want to compile the same copy of the BT_config.txt file as you want your end users to see. The app does not prompt for a download the first time because it's important that it work without an interet connection the first time it launches. Apple tests this way almost always. See the docs in the control panel for how the config data is processes. When you're building it's not so important. But, before you submit you'll want to make sure you have the latest copy of the config data in Xcode. This is the reason for the 'show config data' link in your control panel (Core Properties) so you can copy it and paste it in Xcode when you're happy with your design. When the app first launches, it reads the copy you have compiled, if that copy is widly different than the copy on the server you'll probably get rejected.

The app does not prompt for a download the first time because it's important that it work without an internet connection the first time it launches. It would do WONDERS for me if it DID. Could you explain further why it is important that buzz does not do this? Thanks! David.

Apple tests this way almost always. Best practice I've found is to download new code from BuzzTouch when you are done making all your changes. Compile and submit that to Apple. Some people have run into problems (rejection from Apple) because they used their initial download and the initial running of the app did not look anything like their finished app.

@David S: The default setting is to not check the server the first time, like @MGoBlue mentioned. For Apple's sake and just a better user experience over-all sake. Consider this, if the config data contained NO dataURL it would still need to work..right? In this case it would never check anywhere and would rely on the config data in the Xcode project always. So, it uses the Xcode config data, builds it's layout, then goes to the server for a modified dat. Next launch, checks for a newer update, none found, all good. Found, prompt for update. You could easily change this behavior but would probably struggle with Apple's approval process and you will almost certainly get some negative reviews in iTunes. Tons and tons of folks install apps that do not have an internet connect - their computers do. It's hard for use to understand (isn't everyone connected?) but it's true, something like 30% of i devices are NOT connected when they run apps for the first time - crazy. To force a refresh when it launches, just call the downloadAppData method in the app delegate class.

@David I fully understand where your coming from - however I think you might be missing something. I am not saying that we should just submit the first copy of buzztouch and not have to download the latest for upload. I am saying, make it so that when you first install the app - IF - it has internet connection, automatically update it asap (the config from buzz). /// IF NO INTERNET/// - then just go as usual and use whatever was compiled. If apple does not have internet during testing, thats fine, you should have compiled the latest download from buzz and should be fine, but if you happen to update it /// later /// via buzztouch, and want users who install the app for the first time to see that and not the compiled version - then this would work out perfectly. This should then not conflict with apples approval system as long as you do what you always do - submit to them the latest copy of your app downloaded from buzz with the latest config info. If you update later on, a month after approval - then you do not need to worry about first time install users to see the old stuff - they will see the new stuff automatically (if internet). Do you understand where I am coming from? (sorry, I had a hard time explaining this). Anyways, this would be a huge relief for me if this feature were available - right now I just have to edit the itunes descriptions and tell users who install it for the first time to refresh (in the app description). David.

This does make sense...and I do understand what you're saying. I think the only case where this would be useful is if the config data is different on the server because folks installed at a later day, like a month later. Didn't consider this - totally get it. Maybe a control panel option to 'force refresh' on launch or something, and, like you mentioned, use the compiled data if internet not available. Added to list.

Awesome! Looking forward to it. David