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App Lab "Preview App" Download location

robertcoomber
Expert Protege
I am needing to share preview builds of an App Lab app via Oculus' preview app feature. I have added another user via Release Channels -> Builds -> Add Users. My users have accepted the invitation and can see the app in the preview apps section of their Account settings on the web browser Oculus.com site. We cannot see the app in the preview apps section on the Mobile App nor can we see the app in the headset. Is there a new location where these preview apps reside? 
12 REPLIES 12

ireneRK
Honored Guest
I have the same problem

korinVR
Expert Protege

I'm also having the same problem. I can't share my app with my co-developer.

ForemanDev
Expert Protege

Oculus really needs to do some more work to streamline this process... The app does not get added to the library after the user accepts the release channel invite. Oculus should change this so that the app automatically appears in the "Not Installed" section of the library on the Quest device after the release channel invite is accepted. Otherwise, the process is pretty convoluted and difficult for non-developers who are testing your app.

 

Through trial and error, here are instructions I've written that seem to work for most people right now:

1) First, open the invitation email you should have received and accept the invite to the alpha release channel.

2) On your phone that has the Oculus app linked to your headset, open this link which will take you to the App Lab store page for my app: (Insert link for your App Lab store page. You can find this link in the developer portal for your app under "App Submission".)

NOTE: You may get an error page when opening that link for the first time. If that happens, sign in to the Oculus website in your phone’s browser, open the link again, and it should work properly.

3) Tap “Ok” for the dialog that first pops up, then scroll down to the bottom and there should be a button that says “Free”. Tap that, and it should allow you to add the app to your library and install on your Quest.

BenignGuardian
Explorer

we are in the same boat.... Here is my experience: 

 

We currently have over 10 playtsters waiting to play our Alpha build and we are struggling with figuring out how to make the Release Channel feature work so our playtesters can access our Alpha build in their VR headset. 

 

Issue:

Playtesters are invited and can even see the Alpha build in the web dashboard under "Preview Apps" (oculus.com/my/preview-apps/) but they can't find the App in the Quest headset menu or in their Oculus phone app.

 

What we have tried:

We tell them to go to the "universal menu" then click "Store" scroll to the bototm to "My Preview Apps" but our Alpha build is not to be found. We also ask them to click "apps" and then filter through the drop down selections to see if it shows up. No luck.

We've had them restart their VR headset multiple times and had them unsubscribe and go thought the invite flow again by re-inviting them.

 

The strange thing is that all my team members were able to get the Alpha build onto their Quests which is in developer mode. 

 

Bare in mind this is an Alpha build that we are trying to distribute though the Release Channel feature. 

Is your instructions for approved App Lab apps or does this also work for the Release Channel route? My understanding is the App Lab builds are approved according to App Labs criteria whereas Releas Channels the app can be in any stage. Here is a reference to understand the different Distribution Options: https://developer.oculus.com/policy/distribution-options//    

@BenignGuardianMy instructions above are for a non-approved Release Channel app.

Thanks. It's just causing so many problems for us that it's unbelievable. It's so strange this is not a priority for the Oculus team. 

I share your pain. The above instructions seem to work most of the time, but I have personally run into an issue where I couldn't install someone else's release channel app, no matter what. I accepted the invite, went to the store page and clicked on "Free" (on the mobile device with the Oculus app connected to the Quest), but it does not appear anywhere in my Quest library either on the headset or on the Oculus mobile app.

Oculus should update things so that when a user accepts a release channel invite, the app automatically appears in the "not installed" section in the library on the Oculus Quest device. This would be the most pain-free way to do things.

Wow this worked. @ForemanDev I am so grateful for your instructions. Any body who has problems with his please reach out to me and I'll happily walk you through it if need. 😁

 

Unbelievable that this process is so buggy.