Issues with app copying

[Evendo]

Hello,

I want to make a blank copy version of the app that I created last year for demonstration purpose.

My copy setting is as below image.

From what I know (referenced from other articles here, such as https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/AppSheet-Q-A/Copy-app-without-copying-data-AND-without-linki...), I can't just simple make a blank data app from copying, so I intend to create a blank file and mount it to the copied app later. It's OK for me.

The problem is, even if I already choose "Make a copy of file data for the new app", the new created app folder is totally blank and all the images, logos, etc of the new app are linked directly to copied-source app (as shown below).

I don't know what's happening here. It's very confusing, and it will consume a lot of time to mount all the resource files one by one. How can I solve it?

I believe the demand for copy an app to make template (or demonstration) or to reuse is legal and popular, but if the new app all linked to the old app, and then the old app is deleted, all linked resources will be vanished and making a disaster to users of the new app, right?

Moreover, when I copy an app, the new app is saved in my own Google Drive account by default, is there a way to move it into my company shared Google Drive folder instead?

[WillowMobileSys · Accepted solution]

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@Evendo wrote:

and all the images, logos, etc of the new app are linked directly to copied-source app (as shown below).

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I don't understand what this means.

AppSheet should copy any folders from the source app default folder  into the copied app default folder.  For example, typically you would have the folder "appsheet/data/MYSourcApp-1234567" and then under this you might have one or more Images folders and/or Files folders.  All these should get copied.

However, if you have folders OUTSIDE the default app folder, these would not be copied because:

1)  They are potentially shared amongst several apps and the App Creator needs to control which physical files get included with the copied app
2)  The folders are in a custom structure and the person copying the app, which can be anyone with editing privileges, does NOT have that custom structure. 

AppSheet leaves these decisions to the App Creator to handle.

I hope this helps!!

[WillowMobileSys · Accepted solution]

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@Evendo wrote:

and all the images, logos, etc of the new app are linked directly to copied-source app (as shown below).

---

I don't understand what this means.

AppSheet should copy any folders from the source app default folder  into the copied app default folder.  For example, typically you would have the folder "appsheet/data/MYSourcApp-1234567" and then under this you might have one or more Images folders and/or Files folders.  All these should get copied.

However, if you have folders OUTSIDE the default app folder, these would not be copied because:

1)  They are potentially shared amongst several apps and the App Creator needs to control which physical files get included with the copied app
2)  The folders are in a custom structure and the person copying the app, which can be anyone with editing privileges, does NOT have that custom structure. 

AppSheet leaves these decisions to the App Creator to handle.

I hope this helps!!

[Evendo]

Thanks for your explanation.

I wanted to mean that, although I already had resources like app logo, loading images and files/images (all are mounted with the original app, which are generated/uploaded naturally by original app via using activities) INSIDE the default folder of the original app (the sourced app, the one to be copied app), it was still somehow not be understood as a part of source (part of copy target) then when I copied the app, these resource was not be copied, it was nearly a blank folder for the copied app, even when I checked "Make a copy of file data" when copying.

As the necessary resource is not too much this time, I just temporarily solved the problem by copy the resource files and mounted it again myself.

Maybe I misunderstood the mechanism here, I just thought that when I copy the app with "Make copy resource data", everything could be copied with the same structure (like when I copy-paste and do migration data for a website).

Although I had NOTHING putted OUTSIDE the default folder (of the source app/to be copied app), but as some child folders as well as resource like app logo and loading image (put INSIDE the default folder) was not created by the app but made by me (the original app/copy target app was created with a nearly blank default folder, just only a system generated txt file inside it), they all could be understood as custom structure/custom data.

I just hoped/asked for a way that I can easily copy/paste all the app's default folder structure without re-adjust/re-mount all the resource by myself when I copy an app, especially in case I have an app with a very large set of resource files.

Please forgive for my bad English or any hard to read and understand content, if these had any.

[KamalPandey · Accepted solution]

Resolving Issues with AppSheet App Copying and File Data
When copying an AppSheet application, ensure that the options to copy both "app data" and "file data" (such as images and logos) are explicitly selected during the copying process. This is the primary method AppSheet provides to create a new app with its own copies of the data sources and associated files, preventing the new app from linking back to the original app's resources.
Based on information from the AppSheet Help and Google Cloud Community discussions, including the thread you initially shared, the process generally involves:
* Initiating the Copy: Access the option to copy the app from the My Apps page or within the app editor under Manage > Collaborate & Publish (or Manage > Author in legacy editor).
* Configuring Copy Options: In the copy dialog, provide a new name for the app and select the desired category. Crucially, enable the options that instruct AppSheet to create copies of the data and file data for the new app.
* Specifying Data Source: Choose where the data for the new app should be saved. If migrating to an AppSheet database, select that option.
Potential reasons for file data not copying correctly, even when the option is selected, and possible solutions include:
* File Location: AppSheet is designed to copy folders from the source app's default folder into the copied app's default folder. If your images, logos, or other file data are stored in folders located outside of the original app's default folder structure, they might not be automatically copied. In such cases, you may need to manually copy these external folders and their contents to the new app's file directory and update file paths within the app if necessary.
* Internal Issues: Although less common, there could be occasional internal issues within AppSheet that prevent the file copy from completing successfully. If you've confirmed your files are within the default folder structure and the copy option is selected but still facing issues, contacting AppSheet support might be necessary.
* Troubleshooting Missing Images: If images are not displaying in the copied app, verify that the file paths for attachments are correct within the app's configuration. You might need to re-upload or re-link images to ensure they point to the correct location in the new app's file storage.
By carefully selecting the copy options and ensuring relevant files are within the expected folder structure, you should be able to create a copied AppSheet app with its own independent set of data and file resources.
You can find more information on copying apps in the AppSheet Help Center:
* Copy apps - AppSheet Help
* Migrate to an AppSheet database - Google Help