Application Loader "There was a problem retrieving the metadata"

Hello,


I am currently in the process of uploading hosted content IAP pkg files via Application Loader.

I log-in, then press "New In-App Purchases". From here, I see the list of my registered iTunes Connect apps.

I select the app that has the IAPs waiting for upload, then press "Manage".


An error is displayed: "There was a problem retrieving the metadata", followed by "No suitable application records were found. Verify your bundle identifier '***' is correct.". If I try the same with the other apps, I get the exact same error. I was able to upload an IAP few weeks ago and it worked perfectly.

I wonder how it can check for the bundle identifier since I'm not even able to upload my pkg file. The app is not currently available on the App Store (only via TestFlight), but I have no issue upload new builds regularly.


I double checked everything on my App ID, certificates, in-app purchases metadata and everything is OK.

Is there a known issue with the Application Loader right now ? I couldn't find any relevant information.


Thank you in advance for your help.

Mathieu.

Replies

There are two paths:

1) Wait, wait, wait

2) Upload in-apps to different servers and ignore Apple

I actually have 2 problems:


(1) Application Loader does not work (in the manner discussed here)


(2) I have an in-app purchase product that has languished in the "processing" state for over 2 weeks.


Today I received a suggestion from Apple that I rename the uploaded .pkg file for the in-app purchase product that is stuck in processing. Of course I cannot do this:


(a) iTunesConnect will not let me delete the stuck .pkg file.

(b) Back when Application Loader was working 2 weeks ago, I could not upload a replacement .pkg because there was already one there that was in the processing state.


If either (a) or (b) could be surmounted, I still have the problem that everyone else on this thread has, which is that Application Loader is not communicating properly with the iTunesConnect server (or, more likely, the reverse).


Naturally I spoke with a "Senior Advisor" today who is "sorry that I feel" the way that I do.


These senior advisors are not trained to understand the issues and are not empowered to enable direct communication with the individuals who can actually fix the problems. They merely function as a buffer between the developers and the solution.


Ugh!

Answer:

My name is Sara, I’m a senior Advisor with Apple Developer Program Support. I’m following up with you on behalf of my colleague João, since he is out of the office.

I was able to look up your case, and found that our engineering team is still working on a resolution for this case.


I will continue to check on the progress on the case and reach out to you as soon as I receive an update. I truly appreciate your patience.

The replies that I get from Apple by email and by phone (when I call in) are essentially the same. They make it easy for us to infer that someone has been sitting at a computer, for 2 weeks staight, working on the problem.


This defies credibility.


When problems are 100% repeatable, they are quickly solvable.

>When problems are 100% repeatable, they are quickly solvable.


So?


Assumes motive to solve, for starters - don't assume a dev-facing issue is an actionable scenario for Apple.


There are many scenarios only Apple is aware of, such as a raft of pending changes that are still in the queue that will make this immediate problem moot...use your imagination. This doesn't mean Apple's response is valid, it just means Apple does for Apple.

Guys..

no pointing in wasting time, Apple will take its own time to fix it as long as its not a big revenue loss to them.

I thought this would be fixed with new Application Loader with XCode 8.3 which was launched 3 days back. But nothing helped, i still see same issue.


So just follow the instruction that i posted on Mar 21, 2017 7:28 AM by using 'Import template' technique.

I have successfully submitted 8 InApp purchase with hosted content in last one week and all are approved and working fine.


thanks
Aaru

Tomorrow marks the beginnig of the 3rd week with this problem!


George

I personally moved forward and used the template file workaround...

No help for me... But we are moving to Azure servers.

The template file; i'm getting a path error for the image file. Can someone tell me if its local path or full root path to the screenshot?

Hey,


You don't really need to fill in all the fields in the text template.

Only the 6 first values are required, then you can add the missing metadata/assets with Application Loader.


Mathieu.

I spoke with a Senor Advisor moments ago who "assured" me that everything is being done to correct the problem. When pressed on the issue, he stated that some issues can be resovled in hours and others take months. He did not suggest where, in this time spectrum, this issue lies.


For the last 22 days, I have been told--several times a week--that Apple is actively working to solve the problem. Does anyone on this list believe that someone has been sitting at a desk, 8 hours a day, working on this problem and failing to solve it?

Understood and thanks. But, the template file throws an error even when there is whitespace where the image path should be.

Personally, I believe the complexities of solving an issue where it potentially may affect millions of people is far greater than we may imagine. However, I'm frustrated with this too!

Here is my update:


This evening, the Application Loader error for me has changed. It now says:


********************************

There was a problem retrieving the metadata


You cannot access 'SuperScore'. An Admin or App Manager in Itunes Connect has limited your access to this item or the item does not exist.

********************************


In my case, "SuperScore" is the SKU for my app.


The error message that I have received every day for the previous 3 weeks stated that "SuperScore" was an incorrect bundle identifier--which of course is a true statement since it is the SKU.


The new message is odd. Fortunately, my app does exist and is available in the App Store.


Starting last Thursday, I have been working with a higher level Senior Advisor who promised a solution. On Monday he stated that he would update me on Tuesday. I have not heard from him since Monday.


In the meanwhile, I have attempted to communicate directly with Apple Developer Technical Support. I have receive the usual automated email reply stating, "A Technical Support Incident (TSI) will be debited from your developer account for this inquiry." So far, no actual response to the problem that I submitted.