Running Windows 8.1 app built on Windows 10 with VS 2015 - windows-store-apps

Built on Windows 10 with VS 2015, our (managed) Windows 8.1 Store app crashes on startup with an odd XAML parsing error on devices running Windows 8.1 (no stack trace or source file given, just caught in the unhandled exception handler, so no chance to debug):
Cannot deserialize XBF metadata property list as 'HorizontalContentAlignment' was not found in type 'null'.
Additional info:
Built on Windows 8.1 with VS 2015, the app will work properly
The app will run correctly on Windows 10 devices
The app is sideloaded on the Windows 8.1 devices
As of the Visual Studio 2015 compatibility guide, the scenario should be supported. Did someone already experience the same issue and overcame it?

I usually trace such cryptic errors to a style or template resource files, and as you indicate I don't find Visual Studio to be as helpful as it should. If you inspect style or template files (e.g., generic.xaml, or your own custom style files, etc), and if some things are missing, Visual Studio usually flags this with a blue wavy underline (I must say not always accurate but about 90% in my guesstimate).
This may turn out to be a non-answer but sharing my experience of XAML parsing errors that leave no clue to go on.

Related

Runtime Exception in windows build

I am able to generate & install windows phone build in my Microsoft Lumia 640. Its running on Windows OS 8.1.
But as soon as I run application generated by CN1 build server, it gives error
An internal application error occurred: java.lang.RuntimeException Unsupported operation as per below screen shot.
For a testing purpose I created new CN1 Project and without changing any code / theme.res I just sent windows phone build and it ended up with the same error.
Unfortunately I didnt get any log output from windows phone, as it doesnt support Logcat like Android. Also I tried to grab Isolated Storage by WP Power Tools but there was nothing in it.
Anyone faced / facing this in Codename One windows phone build ?
The Windows Phone port is the least mature of the Codename One ports having gone thru 3 rewrites due to changes from Microsoft.
We are now debating the 4th rewrite, in the meantime some community members did their own port which should be more complete:
https://github.com/Pmovil/CN1WindowsPort
So as the short answer I suggest using that. For an explanation on how we got here read on.
The reason we didn't already start with the 4th port was Microsofts project astoria that they suddenly (might have) canceled. We were relying on this project for future Windows Phone support but now that its status is unclear we are in a bind.
We also have the JavaScript port & the Windows desktop port as options for targeting windows phone alleviating some of the problem.
If MS cancels the project for good we'll dedicate the resources for a complete rewrite of the port, but that will take time. However, we don't want to start off on such a huge effort and suddenly be faced with a huge shortcut of Android compatibility.

How can I test an .exe made by Corona SDK on a phone running Windows Phone 8.1?

I just downloaded the latest Corona SDK, free version, and Visual Studio 2015 community edition. Corona allowed me to build an .exe file from one of the sample apps, and it runs OK on Windows 7. I want to test the .exe on my physical phone hardware.
I've seen mention of an Application Deployment feature that's supposed to come with Visual Studio and/or the Windows Phone 8.1 SDK which I also have installed. I don't see that anywhere. Pages I've seen mentioning a feature in VS under the Project menu also don't seem to apply, because I haven't built the project using VS in the first place. MS' docs seem out of date or at least incorrect in my case because C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Phone\v8.0\Tools\XAP Deployment does not exist. I get the sense I am not looking in the right general direction.
I'm new on this but I'm sure that .exes don't work on Windows Phone, you have to make like a Universal App for that.

VS 2015 RTM Deploying or creating packages for 8.1 Universal app fails

I have VS 2015 RTM on Windows 10 RTM, suddenly (maybe an update) is causing today that any project 8.1 Universal can't be deployed anymore, not emulator, not device. I have confirmed it happens with any new project or existing one.
This does not happen with 8.1 Silverlight projects! which is even more strange. I have reinstalled VS 2015 and the latest cumulative Windows Update for IE and the problem persists.
EDIT: It also happens when trying to create app packages for the project but this time crashes VS!
Have any one came into this lately? Any ideas?
UPDATE: I get - An unhandled exception of type 'System.Reflection.ReflectionTypeLoadException' occurred in WindowsBase.dll
when debugging the crash when creating packages, but can't find more information
I've found that VS2015 hides some errors (not sure why or how). When it happens, try open VS2013 (if that is an option for you) and build there. It'll correctly tell you what the error is, and once you fix it you can return to 2015.
Got it! I uninstalled the Apache Cordova tools and the problem is gone magically, don't know what conflict may these tools cause with the 8.1 SDK but sure has to be investigated.

Deployment failed because no Windows Phone was detected when using Windows Phone Emulator

I'm facing a weird problem. When I'm trying to debug my app on Windows Phone Emulator I'm getting this error:
Deployment failed because no Windows Phone was detected. Make sure a phone is connected and powered on.
However Emulator is launched, the app is deployed correctly and I'm able to debug it without any problems. I'm writing this question because this error is a bit annoying. I'm using the same settings on another machine and everything works fine there.
I'm using Visual Studio 2013 Ultimate / Win 8.1 with settings like below:
I found a problem. I have 3 Windows Phone projects, one of them (which was in fact not marked as a startup one) was targeting the physical device, and that caused the problem. Problem was solved by switching Target device in project properties -> Debug to emulator.

Visual Studio 2013 Express and Windows Store App does not start

I have a really weird issue that will make me crazy soon I think.
I've installed Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows to test Windows Store Apps development. I want to use XAML and C#. So, I created a new project from the blank app template and just try to start it. Unfortunatelly it has never worked, the screen stay blocked on the splash screen of my app. No errors in Visual Studio, it just try to launch a Visual Studio Just in Time debbuger for an unhandled exception in .Net framework, but when I select the debugger nohthing happen. There's no trace of an exception in the EventViewer either...I tried local machine and simulator debug...no change !
Sometime i have this message in Visual Studio too but it's not all the time :
I tried everything I found on the internet :
Reset VS settings
Renew developper license
(...)
When I make a new Windows Store App with Javascript it works perfectly..it seems to be only a XAML/C# issue.
Any help would be much appreciated ! Thank you in advance !
My configuration :
Windows 8.1
Visual Studio Express 2013 for Windows Update 1
SSD drive, Intel i7, Lenovo IdeaPad
Ok I fixed it by re-installating all the system. I suppose there was something wrong with the .net Framework. Now it worked well !
EDIT :
I found that was messing the whole system. If I install SQL Server 2012 Express Edition it stop working. So...I switch to another DBMS !