CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windows-phonewindows-store-apps
Nick Wright
Nick Wright

Reputation: 1413

Best way to formally test Windows Phone App upgrades

I have version 1 of my Windows Phone App (w8.0) in the store which has been running for a while now. The app uses a SQL Server compact database for local persistence on the device.

I'm now ready to release v2 of my app (w8.1), which has a number of database schema changes. The question is how I can formally setup a test environment for the test team where testers can:

1...Install v1 of the app from the store

2...Run it up and do some light activity

3...Then upgrade the app on the phone to v2

4...Continue testing using an upgraded version of the database

Up to now all v2 testing has been done using a shiney new install of the app.

I know i can do this using Visual Studio, but this defeats the objective of the test i.e. a live user upgrading via the store.

I've tried using the app deployment tool, but this deletes v1 of the app (including the database) when it deploys v2. I was surprised it did this - I thought it would recognise the install as an upgrade. I can verify this because it deletes the database. I am using the same names/keys in the manifest, including an incremented version number.

For now I have a new (hidden) TEST app in the store where i've submitted v1 of the app. Once the testers are ready, I submit v2 of the app to the store which the testers then upgrade. Problem here is that it takes upwards of 12 hours for the store to publish the upgraded version.

I am aware that you can install an app from the SD cards, which is pretty close. Has anyone else found a good elegant way to do this?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 32

Answers (1)

DarioDP
DarioDP

Reputation: 627

You could use Windows Phone Power Tools to achieve this. Here's the link: https://wptools.codeplex.com

Just install the old xap, do some stuff and then update to the new xap using the "UPDATE" button. If you don't change the app ID, it will surely work.

Hope this helps! :)

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions