Seek guidance RE: use of daily builds

[CurvedLight]

After using the Trial version for a year I finally pulled the trigger on my subscription. I now have access to the daily builds… I was wondering how the long time users use the daily builds … Some of my questions are :

1. Can you have multiple versions of the SDK installed on the development machine ( I do most of my development on Win 7)? If so, any tips on maintaining multiple builds on a single dev machine ?

2. Do any of you publish apps with daily builds ? If so how do you determine the stability of the build ?

3. Does Corona Labs state the level and results of regression testing for each of the builds ?

For now I am going to use the public builds ,unless I need a particular SDK feature that is only in a daily build. I am assuming public builds go through a full QA run and are bug fixed/patched prior to release.

Again would like to hear from experienced developers how they utilize the daily builds and would appreciate tips on determining their stability.

Thanks,
Ken [import]uid: 112538 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 334473[/import]

[CurvedLight]

Bump… [import]uid: 112538 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137596[/import]

[r.delia]

Hey Ken,

For #1:

When I download a daily build and install it, I immediately go to my program files directory, and copy the corona sdk folder to CoronaSDK_xxx where xxx is the current build number.

With this, you can open the folder for the build version you want, and either run the debugger, or the simulator directly by double clicking on them.

If you use Glider, you should be able to set the corona sdk path under the preferences -> SDK -> CoronaSDK section. I had problems getting this setting to ‘stick’ on my mac in the past, so I keep mine pointed to /CoronaSDK , and delete, and re-copy another build folder, then rename it to /CoronaSDK

-Ray

[import]uid: 135765 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137598[/import]

[CurvedLight]

Ray

Thanks for the guidance. I stumbled on the same idea as I played with it , after I realized when you install a later version of the SDK on windows it WILL NOT let you install older ones AND it wipes out the current install.

So what I have done is similar to your suggestion. After installing I copy the sdk folder to a corona_xxx folder some where else and I can run any installed version from that area. I also remember that the latest one is the one the windows registry knows about and is installed from Program Files (x86).

The only catch is I will have to do an uninstall if I want to try an SDK that is earlier then what I have installed.

Yes, I use Glider ( BEST $30 a Corona Developer can spend IMHO) - On windows I am able to point to wherever and it works fine . In fact while I was using the trial version , I was running a batch file that called a VB script that would run the SDK, and click through the trial dialogs , it was convoluted but that’s how I was able to use the trial for a year and not loose my mind…

cheers
Ken [import]uid: 112538 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137684[/import]

[rob]

1. Can you have multiple versions of the SDK installed on the development machine ( I do most of my development on Win 7)? If so, any tips on maintaining multiple builds on a single dev machine ?

On the Mac, this is pretty easy. I have a folder in my Applications folder called CoronaSDK and another called CoronaSDKStable. If I wanted to have multiple ones, I would rename my existing CoronaSDK to CoronaSDK.997 and then install the newest daily build which will become my CoronaSDK folder.

However on Windows, I’m not sure how to install multiple versions. Maybe someone else can chime in on it.

2. Do any of you publish apps with daily builds ? If so how do you determine the stability of the build ?

I typically use daily builds for publishing, but I’m a cutting edge kind of guy. If my app works, and behaves as expected, then I’m happy with that build. If I hear of problems in the forum or I experience problems, I’ll roll back. I let features determine my path. But I know plenty of people who only deploy with stable versions and there is wisdom in that decision too.

3. Does Corona Labs state the level and results of regression testing for each of the builds ?
We don’t publish that information that I’m aware of. We do point out on the daily builds page that they may introduce bugs and in our development cycle we add features in the first half then focus on bug fixes in the 2nd half. [import]uid: 199310 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137686[/import]

[CurvedLight]

Bump… [import]uid: 112538 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137596[/import]

[r.delia]

Hey Ken,

For #1:

When I download a daily build and install it, I immediately go to my program files directory, and copy the corona sdk folder to CoronaSDK_xxx where xxx is the current build number.

With this, you can open the folder for the build version you want, and either run the debugger, or the simulator directly by double clicking on them.

If you use Glider, you should be able to set the corona sdk path under the preferences -> SDK -> CoronaSDK section. I had problems getting this setting to ‘stick’ on my mac in the past, so I keep mine pointed to /CoronaSDK , and delete, and re-copy another build folder, then rename it to /CoronaSDK

-Ray

[import]uid: 135765 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137598[/import]

[CurvedLight]

Ray

Thanks for the guidance. I stumbled on the same idea as I played with it , after I realized when you install a later version of the SDK on windows it WILL NOT let you install older ones AND it wipes out the current install.

So what I have done is similar to your suggestion. After installing I copy the sdk folder to a corona_xxx folder some where else and I can run any installed version from that area. I also remember that the latest one is the one the windows registry knows about and is installed from Program Files (x86).

The only catch is I will have to do an uninstall if I want to try an SDK that is earlier then what I have installed.

Yes, I use Glider ( BEST $30 a Corona Developer can spend IMHO) - On windows I am able to point to wherever and it works fine . In fact while I was using the trial version , I was running a batch file that called a VB script that would run the SDK, and click through the trial dialogs , it was convoluted but that’s how I was able to use the trial for a year and not loose my mind…

cheers
Ken [import]uid: 112538 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137684[/import]

[rob]

1. Can you have multiple versions of the SDK installed on the development machine ( I do most of my development on Win 7)? If so, any tips on maintaining multiple builds on a single dev machine ?

On the Mac, this is pretty easy. I have a folder in my Applications folder called CoronaSDK and another called CoronaSDKStable. If I wanted to have multiple ones, I would rename my existing CoronaSDK to CoronaSDK.997 and then install the newest daily build which will become my CoronaSDK folder.

However on Windows, I’m not sure how to install multiple versions. Maybe someone else can chime in on it.

2. Do any of you publish apps with daily builds ? If so how do you determine the stability of the build ?

I typically use daily builds for publishing, but I’m a cutting edge kind of guy. If my app works, and behaves as expected, then I’m happy with that build. If I hear of problems in the forum or I experience problems, I’ll roll back. I let features determine my path. But I know plenty of people who only deploy with stable versions and there is wisdom in that decision too.

3. Does Corona Labs state the level and results of regression testing for each of the builds ?
We don’t publish that information that I’m aware of. We do point out on the daily builds page that they may introduce bugs and in our development cycle we add features in the first half then focus on bug fixes in the 2nd half. [import]uid: 199310 topic_id: 34473 reply_id: 137686[/import]