Exchange Apps Store Improved Publisher Workflow: Updating Existing app without Un-publishing

By Saikat Bhattacharya

Sometime this week, we are expecting the Autodesk Exchange Apps Store portal to include a new feature – the ability to update an existing app without having to un-publish the app, first (which is what the current workflow is for editing existing apps). This new enhancement will help avoid an existing app from being taken off-the-shelf, while it is being updated, reviewed and processed.

In this blog-post, we will be describing the steps involved in updating existing app with this new and improved publisher workflow, in details. The information included here is relevant to all the supported Autodesk products in the Exchange Apps Store.

Updating Without Un-Publishing

• To start editing the existing apps, access this URL: http://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/MyUploads.
• You will then be prompted to log in using your Autodesk Single Sign-On (SSO) account.
• After logging in, to edit the app use Edit button corresponding to your application as shown below:

• Clicking the Edit button, loads up the publisher workflow page for the app, as shown in the screenshot below.

App Information Screen





• Edit the information in your app in the textboxes on the form (if required).
• Click Continue to proceed.

File Uploading Screen



• To upload updated files, click Remove button.

  <ul>   <li>Now click <b>Choose File </b>button<b> </b>and select the file you wish to upload, in the dialog that is displayed. The updated app file will be uploaded. </li>    <li>You can use the same procedure to upload new <b>App Logo</b> and <b>Screenshots</b> (if required). </li>    <li>Click <b>Continue</b> to proceed to the next tab. </li> </ul>  <blockquote>   <h5><font style="font-weight: bold">Compatibility Screen</font></h5> </blockquote>  <blockquote>   <p><a href="http://adndevblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0167607c2431970b017ee7cade69970d-pi"><img style="background-image: none;border-bottom: 0px;border-left: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;display: inline;border-top: 0px;border-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002[12]" border="0" alt="clip_image002[12]" src="http://blog.autodesk.io/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mt_imported_image_1759226460.jpg" width="448" height="257" /></a></p> </blockquote>  <ul>   <li>If there are any changes to the list of Autodesk products that your app is compatible with, please make the changes as appropriate, for the new version of the app.      <ul>       <li>For example, if the updated app supports the new version of the Autodesk Product, please ensure that this is captured as shown in the screenshot above. </li>     </ul>   </li>    <li>Click <b>Continue</b> to proceed. </li> </ul>  <blockquote>   <p><a href="http://adndevblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0167607c2431970b017d4056acab970c-pi"><img style="background-image: none;border-bottom: 0px;border-left: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;display: inline;border-top: 0px;border-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image004[9]" border="0" alt="clip_image004[9]" src="http://blog.autodesk.io/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mt_imported_image_1759226461.jpg" width="449" height="260" /></a></p> </blockquote>  <ul>   <li>A list of Categories will be displayed for each Product you selected on the Compatibility Screen. </li>    <li>Select up to 4 the categories that apply to your application for each product it is compatible with, and add a custom category if needed.      <ul>       <li>Don’t spam customers by selecting Categories that are not relevant to your app. </li>     </ul>   </li>    <li>Click <b>Continue</b> to proceed to the Documentation tab. </li> </ul>  <blockquote>   <h5><font style="font-weight: bold">Documentation Screen</font></h5> </blockquote>  <blockquote>   <p><a href="http://adndevblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0167607c2431970b017d4056acb7970c-pi"><img style="background-image: none;border-bottom: 0px;border-left: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;display: inline;border-top: 0px;border-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image006" border="0" alt="clip_image006" src="http://blog.autodesk.io/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mt_imported_image_1759226464.jpg" width="451" height="259" /></a></p> </blockquote>  <ul>   <li>Edit the documentation for your app in the textboxes (if required). </li>    <li>Click <b>Continue </b>to proceed. </li> </ul>  <blockquote>   <h5><font style="font-weight: bold">App Summary screen</font></h5> </blockquote>  <blockquote>   <p><a href="http://adndevblog.typepad.com/.a/6a0167607c2431970b017c36279674970b-pi"><img style="background-image: none;border-bottom: 0px;border-left: 0px;padding-left: 0px;padding-right: 0px;display: inline;border-top: 0px;border-right: 0px;padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image008" border="0" alt="clip_image008" src="http://blog.autodesk.io/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/mt_imported_image_1759226465.jpg" width="445" height="258" /></a></p> </blockquote>  <ul>   <li>This is a summary of the information you entered about your app. </li>    <li>Click the <b>Preview</b> Button to open a new browser tab showing how your app will look in the Exchange Apps Store.       <ul>       <li>Use the Back button to go back through the workflow to change any information that you might want to edit further. </li>     </ul>   </li>    <li>Click the <b>Submit</b> button if you’re happy with the Preview.       <ul>       <li>Please also email <a href="mailto:AppSubmissions@autodesk.com">AppSubmissions@autodesk.com</a> after submitting an app to ensure we proces

s it quickly.

• Once the updated app is submitted for review, the App will have two versions:

1. Live Version.
2. Edited Version.

• Live version will display the status of the app as “Published” as it will be still Live in the Exchange Apps Store along with the date the app was published.

• Edited Version will display the status as “Pending Review” until the resubmitted app has been reviewed, processed and published.

• Once the updated app is pushed live, Live Version will be displayed along with the published date.

If you have any questions or experience any problems with the Exchange Apps Store, please get in touch with us via email at AppSubmissions@autodesk.com

[The steps mentioned in this blog-post has been documented by my colleague, Roopa A.S. Thanks Roopa ! ]