App Store - Can I move to App Store pre-App Store applications?

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The App Store looks to me like a handy tool for applications which are available on the App Store (Transmit, BBEdit, etc.). For applications which I owned before the App Store was ever created, what is the proper way to move from upgrading independently from the App's website to automatic upgrades and save from the App Store?

Namely, I did two experiments:

1 - I used an old version (6.5 of BBEdit), had upgraded manually to something like 8.5. After stating "Download" from the App Store and replied "OK" to the App Store's suggestion that this would override my existing 8.5 version, the new install went smoothly and I found myself with the most recent 10.xx issue of BBEdit, apparently without paying anything, while I believe I should have paid at least an upgrade (which I would gladly do).

2 - Did the same fror Transmit, except that Transmit was [quite] up to date and the missing update was, for sure, free. Similarly, I opted "Download", did not receive the same question, the App Store did its App Store stuff and now believes Transmit is installed. It is not. I still have my immediately-before-last version of Transmit and cannot re-download the last install from the App Store. How come? Weird.

Any hint ? Suggestion?
 
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Many times the App Store will consider an app installed if you've downloaded it (like from the publisher) and installed it and won't update or install on top of it. You can try uninstalling the non-app store version and in your purchases show the hidden downloads in the app store and attempt to re-download it.
 
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michelangelo
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Many times the App Store will consider an app installed if you've downloaded it (like from the publisher) and installed it and won't update or install on top of it. You can try uninstalling the non-app store version and in your purchases show the hidden downloads in the app store and attempt to re-download it.
Hmmm, let me think. Since my secondary objective on this thread is not to pay twice the price of the app, I presume you suggest here I would attempt to uninstall the non-app store version only IF the App Store won't update or install on top of it, and only AFTER having tried though the App Store to update or install on top of it. In which case, in the "Purchases" ("Achats") tab of the App Store window, the subject app is shown as "INSTALLED" (as Transmit on my MacBookPro in the example above).

If on the contrary I uninstall preventively the non-app store version BEFORE I purchase it on the App Store, by definition, the App Store, ignoring the situation, would ask me to repay the license, which is not what I want. Did I understand this right ?

Then, if I got it right so far, if (1) the App Store has refused to update or install the app in question, and (2) I have THEN uninstalled then the non-App Store version of the subject app, how do I go, practically, to "in my purchases show the hidden downloads in the App Store and attempt to re-download it" ?

I seems to me the App Store shows the App as being downloaded and would refuse, on the same computer, to re-download it ?

In a word, how do I tell the App Store that I want to re-download this app (say, in my example above, Transmit) to the same computer (say, here, my MacBookPro) after I have dared to uninstall Transmit ?

Nor sure the above is clear. If it is, thanks for any insight. Daring to uninstall an app which is important to me is a difficult decision to make.
 
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You can try just moving the app (and possibly its related plist files) to another location on your drive without actually deleting the app.

Keep in mind, usually if you buy it from a publisher it's from the publisher and not the app store so there is a high chance that you won't be able to just get it from the app store (unless it's a free app of course).

You can talk to the publisher - I know that publishers can get redemption keys for their application (although limited quantities AFAIK), but it may be possible to get the publisher of the app to allow you to convert from non- app store to app store version.

I will be honest though - if the apps you're looking to convert have frequent updates, you may not want to convert to an app store version as usually it takes longer for app store versions to have updates available then non-app store versions (this is due to the submission process). Of course on the flip side, the convenience of having your licenses managed within the app store is quite nice. I'd talk to the publisher and see if they can help you out.
 
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michelangelo
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You can try just moving the app (and possibly its related plist files) to another location on your drive without actually deleting the app.

Keep in mind, usually if you buy it from a publisher it's from the publisher and not the app store so there is a high chance that you won't be able to just get it from the app store (unless it's a free app of course).

You can talk to the publisher - I know that publishers can get redemption keys for their application (although limited quantities AFAIK), but it may be possible to get the publisher of the app to allow you to convert from non- app store to app store version.

I will be honest though - if the apps you're looking to convert have frequent updates, you may not want to convert to an app store version as usually it takes longer for app store versions to have updates available then non-app store versions (this is due to the submission process). Of course on the flip side, the convenience of having your licenses managed within the app store is quite nice. I'd talk to the publisher and see if they can help you out.
Thanks, this helps.

Another cause of the difficulties I mentioned is my brain is slower than my computer. The MacBookPro is capable to deal with Lion and Mountain Lion, not me because of all of my apps. I still use Quicken 2005 side by side with Money to help my brain getting used to Money, I try SeaMonkey 2.11 to complement BBEdit to replace the eol-ed Netscape 7.2 as HTML editor, I use WebSiteMaestro to optimise the website and not the App Store recommended alternative and so on.

It then seems the app store want to shoot at me the most recent app compatible with my computer, just to get confused when it realises I have not upgraded the OS as Mr. App Store would like me to do. Ultimately it will (rightfully) not permit my download of the most recent version, which would only work with Lion. In the process, it would then fail to realise an older incremental update of the app, Snow Leopard compatible, is available, and forgets to propose it.

All in all, I will not attempt to migrate my apps to the app store except for the obvious.

Technology !!! Thanks for your help.
 

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