Datafield app side loaded: Can't change settings, impossible to delete, wrong icon

Former Member over 6 years ago

Hello,

I started to develop my own Datafield app. I add the possibility to change settings and I successfuly tested it with the "Connect IQ Device Simulator" and the "App Settings Editor" (Eclipse).

So I decided to load it on my watch (Fenix 3) with Ecplise and the functionailty "Build For Device Wizard...", the good point is the app is working correctly.
The problems are the following:

With Garmin Connect for Mobile and Garmin Express, I can't modify the settings as the settings button does not appear.
With GCM and GE, I can't uninstall the datafield (even if not used by any app), I have an error message.
With GCM and GE, the app icon is not displayed.

After many researchs, I dit not found the reason why.

I found a Datafield app "Big Number" (https://apps.garmin.com/fr-FR/apps/21921d6b-11a8-4dde-a625-12a013633f2b that is offering also the function to modify settings, and the developer post the source code of the app.

I recompiled the "Big Number" app, I tested it on simulator and I succeed to change settings.
I load this app on my watch with the Eclipse functionality ("Build For Device Wizard...") and I faced exactly the same problems, meaning I can't change settings / delete the app / don't see the app icon.

I did another test: I download the "Big Number" app directly from the website ... and in this case I see the settings button (and can open the setting window) on GCM/GE, I can delete this freshly downladed app and the app icon appear....

PS: I uninstall/re-install GCM and no improvement. I tried with another mobile phone and same problems.

So can someone explain me where is (are) the problem(s)?
If an app is loaded with Eclipse,

can we have the feature of changing settings (from GCM/GE)?
can we delete an app from GCM/GE?
will the app icon appear or not?

If yes, can someone tell me what am I doing wrong or what I forget to do? (if you want to try to reproduce my problem, you can test with the "Big Number" app).

Or is it mandatory to load an app from the Garmin Website to have those features? And in this case, it means we have to publish our app under development, tests, correct bugs, reload, tests, ... A lot of iterations ... a nightmare...

Configuration:

PC OS: Windows 7
Eclipse IDE for Java Developers: 2018-09 (4.9.0), build 20180917-1800
Android + GCM 4.13.5 (6 dec 2018)

Note: If the apps are loaded with the Eclipse feature, I can delete them by opening an Explorer and remove the PRG files from GARMIN/APPS.

Thanks by advance for your help.

jim_m_58 over 6 years ago

For settings and sideloads, see New Developer FAQ, points 6 and 7. Basically you can't change app settings for any sideload with GCM/GE. What you can do it is upload it to the store, and mark it as a beta app (first screen when uploading). You can install it from the store, but no one else can, so not really published. It's an easy way to test app settings.

Also see http://developer.garmin.com/index.php/blog/post/connect-iq-beta-apps for more info on Beta apps.

By icon, I think you mean the main picture, but that again comes from the app store, and doing a "beta app" will also solve that. It's blank, because sideloads don't have a main picture. All apps get that from the app store..

As far as deleting a sideload, what error do you see?.

Former Member over 6 years ago

Thanks jim_m_58 !

As suggested I load the app and select "Beta app".

After loading from Connect IQ website to my watch, the setting button appears on GCM and I successfully played with it.
I am also able to uninstall my app from the watch!
Yes by icon I mean the main picture. Now the picture is also visible!

No more need to loose time to identify what I forget to add in my code ... Now it's time to continue the dev and debug.