Newbie - Versions of apps and compability

Newbie alert! 😶

I got a Core 3 this week and have started to look into ctrlX. I just wanted to get some clearifications regarding versions after 2-3 factory resets of the controller during some testing this weekend.

If I understand this correctly there are four versions - 1.12, 1.16, 1.18 and 1.20. And the version delivered on the controller is 1.12?

Is it correct that the apps (not delivered by 3rd party) needs to follow the main version on the system? So I need to run the 1.12.x version of Node-Red and not a 1.18.x version if the main version is 1.12 ? I tested 1.18 and 1.20 as a main system version but noticed that the etherCAT for example didn't work on those version. Did a factory reset and used a microSD to install 1.18 and 1.20.

I got access to some pre-releases of apps which are available through the collaboration room including all four versions of the main system. I can only see a few apps (InfluxDB, IDE, Modbus etc) that are available for download for each version.

Is it correct that not all apps are available for all 4 versions or is it that I just don't have the correct permission inside the collaboration room? The EtherCAT app for example - does this only work on 1.12 ?

And ctrlX WORKS needs to follow the main version on the controller right? I noticed that it isn't possible to uninstall ctrlX WORKS without an error message and I haven't found a way to upgrade WORKS on top of the installed version. Like 1.12 -> 1.18.

How is this supposed to work? Do we need to have all WORKS versions installed on the computer forever when upgrading the core system in the future?

Sorry for the confusion about the released app and so system versions. Normally you should have gotten some information by your corresponding Bosch Rexroth employee who also granted you the access.

Please have a look to the blog article "Release cycle of Apps" for general information and feel free to tell us if something is unclear.

For your questions:

At the moment there are two actively useable versions. 1.12 as long term service version and 1.20 as pre-release version that will also end up in a long term service version end of July, after we got some customer feedback on it.
1.14, 1.16 and 1.18 are outdated pre-release version and will not any bug fixes or security patches any more.
Not all apps need to follow the main version of the system apps. We are working on showing the dependencies in the ctrlX web UI, so customer has a better overview.
But some apps do. Our recommendation is to use the apps with the same minor version together in on system.
Most of the apps are part of the app package (latest DC APP Paket 1.20.0) and only some apps that are not from Bosch Rexroth or are releasing later than the others will/can get an own folder.
As several teams are working on different apps and some needs extra time for testing after a main system release it can be that not all apps are available in the latest version for some time.
As ctrlX WORKS currently always is including the Engineering software for the PLC and also the ctrlX COREvirtual it needs to have the version as your used PLC app and/or the virtual control version you like to use.
If there is an error while uninstalling this is bug. Feel free to give us some more information about it so we can help you.
Currently a ctrlX WORKS version fitting to each ctrlX CORE - PLC app is needed on an engineering PC. We are working on a modularization of this tool.