Deploying an app on Fenix 7X

I'm experiencing something strange when trying to copy an app directly to my Fenix 7X solar sapphire.

The app works fine on the simulator and I've built it for the device to generate the .PRG file.

After I copy the file to the device in the Garmin/Apps/ folder and then unmount and disconnect the file system, the app doesn't appear in the watch menu.

When I plug the watch back in to retry, I find that the .PRG file has disappeared!

I've successfully written and deployed a Watch Face and that's fine and immediately appears on the watch, but this is baffling me!

Any help greatly appreciated.

Many thanks. :-)

  • When I plug the watch back in to retry, I find that the .PRG file has disappeared!

    PRG files for certain kinds of apps are moved to an inaccessible part of storage, for watches which support music.

    the app doesn't appear in the watch menu.

    If you built a watch/device app which doesn't have a glance, it should be accessible from the activity list (press START at the watchface.) If you want the app to appear in the glance/widget list (which is seen when you press UP or DOWN at the watchface), you need to implement a glance.

    If it's a data field, then you have to add it to a built-in activity by customizing one of its data pages.

  • Thank you, the app's there, and I've also figured out how to delete unwanted ones again, thank you :-)

  • With some apptypes and on some devices, the .prg will be moved to a hidden folder so you won't see it in APPS.  When you built the sideload, did you build for the device you are using?  Is there anything in garmin\apps\logs in a ciq_log file that might indicate an error?  For example, if your app is a widget and you didn't build for the proper device, you'll see an error there.

  • Thank you

    You're welcome!

    I've also figured out how to delete unwanted ones again

    For anyone else reading this thread, you should be able to delete sideloads using Garmin Connect (on your phone) or Garmin Express (on your PC or Mac).

  • I didn't realise the .prg files were moved automatically.  I had checked for any logs but nothing there, so I was really confused what was going on.

    Thank you :-)

  • Yes, initially it was just music provider apps that got hidden (for security) but on newer devices, it's also other app types. With Garmin Express or the Connect IQ Mobile app, you can delete sideloads that are hidden.