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Side loading is not supported any more

flocsy🤠
7 months ago

I opened a bug report about Connect IQ app not being able to delete side-loaded apps any more. This is the answer I got from Garmin:

'I did talk to my team here before reaching out with the last email we just wanted to make sure we were sure about the process you were using. As that is not how apps have been designed to be loaded to the watch, it makes that the app is having trouble removing them. Since these are also unreleased apps you are using. The short answer is that if you want them to be able to be removed the conventional way, you will need to load them the conventional way. I understand this may have worked in the past, but with updated to both IQ and a major update to Garmin Connect 5.0 its likely that was removed."

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  • 7 months ago

    not sure who you talked to but it's been a while that you have had to use garmin express to remove side loaded apps.

    so the process is:

    - connect your watch with usb to a computer 

    - add your sideload to the watch

    - test it

    - disconnect usb

    - connect your watch with usb to a computer 

    - start garmin express

    - remove the app via express

    - disconnect usb

    - connect your watch with usb to a computer 

    - add your sideload to the watch

    - test it

    - (etc)

  • 7 months ago in reply to peterdedecker

    Same here.  Sideloads are a developer thing, and you need to be cabled to install one. so using GE to remove a sideload doesn't bother me at all.

  • 7 months ago in reply to peterdedecker

    From how it sounds I wouldn't be surprised if suddenly it won't work from GE any more.

    My big problem even when it does work with GE is that not everyone has GE. For example I might side load apps to friends and I know from the forum that some devs send purpose built app versions to users in email to be able to get insight/debug info from physical devices they don't own that have some problem reported.

    Now all these people are likely stuck forever with the side loaded app, taking up 1 if the already too few spots for ciq apps.

  • 7 months ago in reply to jim_m_58

    But you only need the cable to side load, not GE! Now the only way to delete an app from a device that has music is from GE, because you can't even delete it from the invisible apps directory

  • 7 months ago in reply to jim_m_58
    jim_m_58 said:
    so using GE to remove a sideload doesn't bother me at all.

    I'd say The fact that the overwrite of the sideload has become so difficult is pretty annoying though.  (Seperate delete needed, Connect cable twice... )

  • 7 months ago in reply to flocsy🤠

    You as a developer you need a cable for more than just sideloading such as seeing log files or app crash logs, copying the err_log for device crashes.

    Having GE installed doesn't seem like too much of a burden for me.  If I give someone a sideload only to other folks I know use GE, and even then, It's been a few months since I sent one.

  • 7 months ago in reply to peterdedecker

    Purely a guess, but could it be that with the CIQ Mobile app not being able to uninstall sideloads is meant as a way to discourage devs from distributing apps by way of email vs the app store?

  • 7 months ago in reply to jim_m_58

    I don't think the removal of deletion from connect iq app is by intent.

    The best way would be if the delete through garmin apps is not needed at all to install a new version. If the sideload would be overwritten properly nearly nobody would use garmin express or garmin connect iq to delete the sideload. 

  • 7 months ago in reply to jim_m_58

    Cable yes, but definitely not GE! I would caution anyone installing GE, not to mention to accidentally connect your main device to a computer with GE running on it. GE is so poorly developed that it makes more problems than it solves.

  • 7 months ago in reply to jim_m_58

    That would give too much credit to Garmin's strategists IMHO. I think it's more likely it got screwed in some build, nobody noticed in-house, and by the time the Garmin developers got reports about it they've been told not to waste their time on fixing it.