While most will be satisfied with simply posting to ClickaPost, others (especially Real Estate agents), might like the ability to update their posts.

Fear not, ClickaPost API already has this integrated!

There's not much science to it, just make sure you use the <customId> optional field with every post you submit, and Post Updates will happen automatically.

Here's how it works:

1. All posts in ClickaPost store the <customId> number you submit (along with all other post data).
2. Whenever you submit a new XML feed, ClickaPost checks all posts in your XML for <customId>. If any are found, it automatically checks to see if any of your active posts (non-expired) are found to contain this Custom ID.
3. If a match is found, your new post's data will be used to update the post already in the system (instead of creating a new post).

Here are couple of important facts you should be aware of:

1. If you submit any post without a <customId>, you will never be able to update it via the API (only manually through ClickaPost.com).
2. You should ALWAYS submit all of your posts (even those that are meant just to update others), as if they were brand new! This means that all required fields (including the Category ID) are required for all posts (even though, as you will see below, some are not yet used)!
3. Category ID - categories are set and they cannot be changed, not via API or manually via ClickaPost.com.
4. Post Duration - all posts expire when you set them to expire the first time they are entered. You may extend any post manually via ClickaPost.com, or simply let the post expire; on the next XML feed upload - it will be recreated.
5. If you are updating the post which previously contained keywords, but you do not provide keywords in the next XML feed - old keywords will be removed and you'll be left with NO keywords on this post! That's why it is important to submit all posts as if they were being submitted for the first time.
6. Same goes for embedded videos. You must provide them on subsequent XML feed uploads or they will be removed.
7. Any images or videos sent will be checked with any that are already a part of the post, and if found to be changed (or if any new are being posted) - they'll be taken care of.
8. Furthermore, while you may REPLACE any images (detected based on file name and file size), and upload any new ones (simply by providing them in the XML feed), you CANNOT (yet) remove Videos or Images via API. You must do it manually via ClickaPost.com. This simply means that if you do not include any images and/or videos as a part of the update post in your XML feed - these are the only values that WONT be removed. If you provide images and/or videos with same names and file sizes - they will be skipped, since they will be found as already being a part of the post. If you provide any additional images and/or videos - they will be processed and added to your post.

The above facts are in place for two reasons:

1. It requires NO extra programming on your part to update properties; you use same XML stream to both post and update. It's all automatic!
2. We require all fields to process updates as if you were posting a brand new post (including Category ID and Post Duration, for example) simply because this part of the API is still in development and we will be expanding it in the near future so updating these properties can be possible. If you keep your XML feed with all this information - you won't have to make any changes

With this in mind, here's what does not get updated (yet):