How to Test Setting changes in a watchface before posting to the IQ store?

Former Member over 8 years ago

Forgive me if this has been answered already, i could not find a similar question in the forums.

I have a watch face I'm developing, and I want to have several settings that can be configured.

I have not posted it to the IQ store, and I'm just coping the file over to my watch for testing.

How do I test out changes to the settings?

On my phone, the watch face shows up, but with no settings option.

do i have to post it to the IQ store first and then download it to my watch in order to test out the settings changes?

jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

The first thing to do is test them in the simulator using the "App Settings Editor" in the Connect IQ menu in Eclipse.

Also, make sure you look at the "New Developer FAQ #2" ( #10) sticky at the top of this forum (a couple of things you can do are there, as ways to avoid some issues in GCM). https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?359183-New-Developer-FAQ-2

If you just want to see how some of the things look/act on a real watch, you can use the App Settings Editor to set what you want, go to the temp directory for the sim (location varies if you are on a PC or Mac), and in garmin\apps\settings\ is <your prg>.set. You can copy this to your watch (again, the garmin\apps\settings directory) and see how it looks/runs with a sideload.

To allow for testing with GCM or Garmin Express, it does need to be in the app store. See the New Developer FAQ (#7) https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?339891-New-Developer-FAQ.

What's best to do is when you submit it, include "Do Not Approve" in the name. That will allow you to download and test, but it won't be available to anyone else. When you are happy with how it works, remove the "Do Not Approve", and it will be approved in a day or so and available to everyone

Former Member over 8 years ago

Thanks

Thanks for the detailed instructions.

I've got my watch face working on my fenix 3 hr, but i was not sure how to go about testing the app settings. I haven't gotten as far as looking how to submit the watchface, so i did not see the "do not approve" option. I think that's what I need to do next.

Thanks again

The first thing to do is test them in the simulator using the "App Settings Editor" in the Connect IQ menu in Eclipse.

Also, make sure you look at the "New Developer FAQ #2" ( #10) sticky at the top of this forum (a couple of things you can do are there, as ways to avoid some issues in GCM). https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?359183-New-Developer-FAQ-2

If you just want to see how some of the things look/act on a real watch, you can use the App Settings Editor to set what you want, go to the temp directory for the sim (location varies if you are on a PC or Mac), and in garmin\apps\settings\ is <your prg>.set. You can copy this to your watch (again, the garmin\apps\settings directory) and see how it looks/runs with a sideload.

To allow for testing with GCM or Garmin Express, it does need to be in the app store. See the New Developer FAQ (#7) https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?339891-New-Developer-FAQ.

What's best to do is when you submit it, include "Do Not Approve" in the name. That will allow you to download and test, but it won't be available to anyone else. When you are happy with how it works, remove the "Do Not Approve", and it will be approved in a day or so and available to everyone

Former Member over 8 years ago

test new settings after app is approved

Is there a way to test new settings on the actual device after the app has been approved?

I've updated my app/watchface and have added new settings, but what to test how these work on the F3HR. it seems after i upload a new version its already available for download.

Do i need to create a new test app to upload and set the title "not available for download"?

jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

If you already have the version in the store with settings and the app has already been approved, it might just be best to test the settings as soon as you can and fix anything you find. It's not just new downloads, but if someone downloaded it in the past, they could already be getting the update with settings without taking any action to do so.

Having some kind of "beta" state in the store for cases were you want to restrict downloads of a new version has been suggested, but last I looked, it wasn't there.