Installing Siena apps on Windows RT devices

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Siena itself runs on both Windows 8 and Windows RT 8 – includes 8.1. You can author an app in either environment and use it right there, e.g. by pressing F5. However, when you want to publish your app (File | Publish), Siena automatically downloads an installer that works only on Windows 8 (not Windows 8 RT). Therefore, it is necessary to first publish the app on a Windows 8 device and then install it (“side load”) on an RT device. These are the steps (you need to be administrator on both devices):

Windows 8 Device:

  1. Publish your app (File | Publish) to a path you choose. Go to the PublishedPackage folder at the path, run InstallApp.exe to bring up the dialog.

  2. Select Create an app file for sharing, specify a path, press Next. You may be prompted to log into a Microsoft Account to get a free Developer License. This will create a DeploymentPackage folder at the specified path – copy this folder to the RT device.

Windows RT 8 Device:

  1. Open the copied DeploymentPackage folder. Right-click on the Add_AppxPackage.ps1 script in the DeploymentPackage folder and select “Run with PowerShell.” You may be prompted to log into a Microsoft Account to get a free Developer License. This will install your app on the Windows RT 8 device.

  2. On Windows RT 8, the app will appear on your Start screen. On Windows RT 8.1, the app won’t automatically appear on the Start screen – find it by typing its name (i.e. searching for it) when in the Start screen.