Testing Windows Store apps on non-developer systems

Question

You need a developer license to develop and test Windows Store apps prior to certifying and deploying through the store. Visual Studio 2012 will automatically request a developer license when it is run for the first time. To get a developer license without Visual Studio run the show-WindowsDeveloperLicenseRegistration function in powershell:

C:\Windows\system32>powershell
Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

PS C:\Windows\system32> Show-WindowsDeveloperLicenseRegistration

For information on developer licenses see: Get a developer license (Windows Store apps)

To deploy the app, build a package in Visual Studio from the Store.Build Pacakage menu.  Build it for local use.  Copy the resulting package to the target machine and run the included Add-AppDevPackage.ps1 file.

See also Sharing an app package locally.
--Rob   

Answer 1

You can also use Visual Studio's remote debugger to deploy and test your app on a remote machine. This will automatically request the developer license on the remote machine.

See Running Windows Metro style apps on a remote machine

Answer 2

I can't seem to find the Add-AppDevPackage.bat file, where is it supposed to be at?

Thanks

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http://bit.ly/sebagomez

Answer 3

Nevermind... found a powershell script where the app is located.

Good info also found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/es-es/library/windows/apps/hh975356(v=vs.110).aspx

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http://bit.ly/sebagomez

Answer 4

How will/can this be used with the ARM-based systems when they become available? Since I have to build my app for each processor type, it makes sense that I test the app on an ARM-based system. I've ordered a Surface RT but there is a discussion on a different forum that suggests it won't be possible to deploy an app from a VS2012 system to an ARM system, nor will it be possible to run the remote debugger.

Please advise ;-).

Thanks.

Answer 5

The linked  Running Windows Metro style apps on a remote machine documentation has instructions for remote debugging on ARM.

--Rob

Answer 6

I'm probably a little dense but, just to clarify, is it possible for me to buy a retail Microsoft Surface or Asus Vivo Tab and use that as a test development system for Metro style apps?  I'm thinking of getting an Asus Vivo Tab from Best Buy and I want to be able to deploy any apps I might develop onto it for testing.  But some articles seem to imply you have to get a special developer machine in order to run your own Metro style apps.

Answer 7

You can use the Asus. The steps outlined above allow you to add a developer licence, which is valid for 3 months and can be renewed. You need to run VS2012 on a Win8 Intel system but it is very straightforward to then deploy the app to an Arm system.

Answer 8

Thanks for the quick answer!  Woo hoo!  Can't wait to get the Asus!

Answer 9

You can use the Asus. The steps outlined above allow you to add a developer licence, which is valid for 3 months and can be renewed. You need to run VS2012 on a Win8 Intel system but it is very straightforward to then deploy the app to an Arm system.

Hi! Excuse me, I am still not sure: is it possible to use MS Surface for testing a Metro app prior to uploading to Win Store, and without usage of any remote debugging access? So, is it possible just to install an app from AppPackages folder using Power Shell of MS Surface? (AppPackages is produced on my developer PC.)

Thanks.

Answer 10

Yes, it is possible.

The steps in this blog posting should help: http://geoffwebbercross.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/installing-windows-8-app-package.html. This works on the Surface - PowerShell is included in Windows RT ;-)

Philip