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Uninstalling sideloaded watch faces via CIQ app stopped working

dumpemout
over 1 year ago

I’ve developed a watch face that I’ve sideloaded to my device (fr965). I used to be able to uninstall the sideloaded prg directly from my iPhone’s CIQ app. I can still see the sideloaded watch face in CIQ, but the option to uninstall it is now gone. That’s been the behavior for about a week or two now. Watch faces installed from the CIQ store function as expected. Only sideloaded faces are affected. 

In order to remove the watch face, I have to connect my device to my computer via USB, and remove the sideloaded prg using Garmin Express. 

Is this behavior the new norm or is it a possible bug with all the store updates going on? I can get all my software and app versions if needed, but wanted to ask the forums first whether this is worthy of a “bug” report or it’s working as intended. Not a huge issue for me as I’m already connecting my device to the laptop to sideload it in the first place… easy enough to connect it to remove it as well. 

thanks in advance!

  • +1 over 1 year ago

    I see something similar with the Android app.  I tap on a sideload and nothing even happens - the screen doesn't change at all. And it seems to be any app type, not just watch faces.

    Probably another bug in the new app store itself.  Frowning2

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Does to only happen on side loaded apps that don't exist in the store or also when the same app with the same id in the manifest is in the store?

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    Yes, same problem here. And it seems that the mechanism of the Garmin/App folder was changed. In former days if I sideloaded an for ex. test.prg it was renamed to something cryptic (C004JHW.prg) after reboot. But I could identify my app from the date of the file. Now there is no .prg file anymore, just the data folder. Does someone know were I can find my sideloaded  .prg file to delete it from the watch?

    Thanks!

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to aceholgi

    Or is it just the .dat and .idx files in data/ ? No .prg anymore?

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to aceholgi

    The name of the prg is the name of the same prg previously installed from the app store.

    On current devices, the prg files are hidden in a folder called "media" that you can't even see on devices with music.

  • +1 over 1 year ago in reply to aceholgi

    As jim_m_58 mentioned, some (or all) PRG files are inaccessible for USB file transfer, in newer devices. This practice first started with music apps, when they first became available (presumably so companies like Spotify could implement DRM without leaking their private secrets.) Garmin later extended this practice to other app types.

    You can determine the filenames of installed app PRGs (and related files) by inspecting garmindevice.xml, but ofc that doesn't help you delete your sideloads.

    EDIT: garmindevice.xml only contains information about apps installed from the store. If you sideload an app which is not already installed from the store, garmindevice.xml will not have any information about it.

    aceholgi said:
    Now there is no .prg file anymore, just the data folder. Does someone know were I can find my sideloaded  .prg file to delete it from the watch?

    Haven't tried it recently, but based on the OP, you should be able to use Garmin Express on a PC or Mac to delete sideloads.

    For anyone unfamiliar with Garmin Express, it's a desktop app for updating and syncing Garmin devices using a computer. It can also be used to manage CIQ apps (including changing settings and uninstalling apps.)

    My guess is the majority of non-technical Garmin users don't even have it installed. My feeling is the main demographics for this app would be CIQ devs, Garmin users with 10+ years under their belt, and "enthusiast" users who want faster map updates.

    I'm sure some will say that Garmin Express is objectively the best way to manage device updates, while others will point out that many people (especially those outside North America) don't even own a computer.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to FlowState

    Jim & FlowState,

    thank you very much for the explanation. I'm one of those old Garmin Express guys, so this works for me!

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I have the same problem  (iPhone).. Using Garmin Express worked.

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I figured out that the on-watch Connect IQ Store app is able to show sideloaded apps under its "Installed" app list and it offers an "Uninstall" option that worked on my FR255 with the latest firmware where I can no longer see the Apps/Media folder via USB.