Introduction to Windows Phone Marketplace

Document directory

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• Step 2: Software submission process
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Author: Ma Ning

Windows Phone 7 is very popular recently, and Windows Phone 7's Marketplace is also very popular. Developers want to seize the commanding heights when the number of applications in Marketplace is not large. I believe everyone knows how to deploy software in Marketplace. I just write my own experiences and lessons in conjunction with Microsoft's official process, hoping to save developers time. After all, if the test fails once, it will take three to four days to complete. Similar software may seize the lead.

As for how to apply for an account using Marketplace, my experience may not be able to provide you with any substantial help. For this reason, please refer to the document "register a Windows Phone Marketplace experience" by Jack Lin:

Http://www.cnblogs.com/procoder/archive/2010/12/13/Windows-Phone-Marketplace.html

Step 1: Compile XAP

Visual Studio 2010 automatically generates an XAP file after each compilation. You can find it in the Bin directory of the project file. Remember to Build a Release version. Submitting the Debug version may cause many unexpected errors.

Before compiling xap, replace the following two files: background.png(173x173.pdf and gamethumbnail.png (64x64 ). Replace the two images with those related to your software topic,Never use the default image. The length and width of these two files are limited. We will explain them in detail later.

  Step 2: prepare materials for release

Many developers will think that after writing the program, compile the xap and release it. In fact, this is not the case. before submitting the application, we suggest you carefully read Microsoft's app hub application submission Walkthrough:

Http://create.msdn.com/en-US/home/about/app_submission_walkthrough_upload

The following is the list of files I have summarized. You can check them one by one:

1. xapfile (releaseversion, replaced by background.pngand gamethumbnail.png)

2. Application name (must be unique in marketplace, so be prepared for renaming)

3. Application title (displayed in marketplace and Start Menu, preferably up to 16 characters)

4. Detailed description:

Describes the main functions and usage of the software. For Chinese developers, if your software interface mainly uses Chinese characters, you must use English in the description andTwo descriptions are provided in English and Chinese..

5. keywords (easy for users to search, not much to explain)

6. app Tile

Software Icon, three images of the same size: 173x99,200x200 x. The image size must be in the specified format, and the system will not crop the image for you. Therefore, you need to prepare the image in advance, saving you time to get mad.Image must be usedPNGFormat.

7. background art

Optional. The background image in the Zune application, with a size of 1000x800, can improve the attractiveness of the software.

8. Screenshots

Software, at least one, up to eight. The size is 480x800. The horizontal screen display software should take into account countermeasures.

9. Software price

Tips

1. We recommend that you put the materials mentioned above in a folder, and text materials in a text folder. Because modification is required during submission, it is easy to save and record in text;

2. The three-size App tilefile names are saved as 173x173.png,99x99.png,200x200.png;

3. The background.png(173x173133 and gamethumbnail.png (64x64) retrieved in step 1 should be consistent with the file of the corresponding size of App Tile.

Step 2: Software submission process 1. Upload Your Application

In this step, you must enter the basic information of the software. Note the following items:

Application Name: It must be unique in Marketplace. My general practice is to remove spaces in the Application Title. For example, the Application Name of "My First Game" is "MyFirstGame" or "My_First_Game"

Application Platform: Nonsense, of course, Windows Phone 7

Default language: Currently, English (International), English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish are supported. As Chinese developers, we have no choice but to select English (International)

Version:Version Number

Application package:XAP Software Package

After XAP is selected, several options are available, mainly to provide information during software verification. We can simply ignore it.

Tips:XAP upload starts after you click Next. Because the current Marketplace system is not stable, an Exception is often seen (poor ASP. NET, not even a Try-catch ). Don't be afraid. Try again several times until there is no exception and proceed to the next step.

2. Provide the Application Description

This part of the submission is mainly the text part, which can be viewed together with the submitted content in Zune and Marketplace.

Application title:The software title appears in four cases: Zune Application List, Zune application details, Marketplace list, and Marketplace details. Because WP7 cannot be used, you can imagine the Marketplace graph.

You will find that in the Zune list, because the Application title Font is very small, the function of the icon is far greater than that of the title.

In Marketplace, if the title is too long, the last part will be truncated. What is the proper length? It must be less than 16 characters long. The following are all good names: Google Search, Send to WP7, Flight Control ......

Category:Category. A relatively large category, such as Game, also has Sub-category. Before submitting the statement, we suggest you first look at the classification of similar software or similar software in the Marketplace. Putting the software in the same category will produce a group aggregation effect.

Detailed description:For details, if I fail to submit, the failure lies in this step. So again: if your software interface uses Chinese characters, you must first describe them in English in the description.Two descriptions are provided in English and Chinese..

Optional will not be mentioned later. It is mainly used to authenticate various game levels.

This is a Legal URL. Many developers think that this is the homepage of the software, but it is actually a link to a Legal file and will be displayed during installation, if your software has some special legal issues that need to be explained, such as adult content, you 'd better provide them to avoid potential legal risks.

ZuneApplication List

3. Upload the artwork

This step is mainly for the business field of art artists. Programmers without art cells should first find a place to cry for a while. I explained the image one by one.

Large mobile app tile

Size: 173x173x96 DPI. Format: PNG. The icon to be displayed when the application is displayed on the Start interface, for example:

 

Small mobile app tile

Size: 99x99x96 DPI. Format: PNG. The required icons when the Application is displayed in the Application List, for example:

 

Large PC app tile

Size: 200x200x96 DPI. Format: PNG. Required icons when the application is displayed in the Zune Software List. See "Zune Application List ".

Background art

Optional. Size: 1000x800x96 DPI. Format: PNG. The image displayed as the software background in Marketplace. Currently, there are not many software using Background art, and the most famous is Flight control, for example:

Screenshots

Screen Size: 480x800x96 DPI. Format: PNG. There must be at least one and a maximum of eight. Please note that the screen is displayed vertically. For the horizontal screen software, you need to find a way to make the user look more comfortable.

Finally, we use a graph to illustrate how the information is displayed on Zune.

4. Set the Application Pricing

I don't have much experience on this page, because I have not submitted any paid software. Two notes:

Trial supported: Whether the verification version is supported. Free Software is not required.

Worldwide distribution: Whether global release is supported

5. Submit Your Application

In the last step, remember To select "Automatically publish To Marketplace after passing certification". after the test process is complete, it will be Automatically published To Marketplace.

Step 3: Error Report

After submission, we can see the progress of the entire test process in my dashboard of app hub.

 

If the status is Testing failed, check the details in View.

On the Detail page, we can see the software submission status. Select View test results in Action and a PDF file will be downloaded. A detailed test report will be displayed. If you are familiar with Microsoft's BUG management system, you will find the format quite familiar.

Finally, your software has been submitted to the Marketplace. If you want to upgrade it, there will be"Submit application update"Option.

  Written to the end

Well, I am talking so much about it. I hope you can have a good understanding of the release of the Marketplace software. After all, Marketplace is focusing on the economy, good software also requires a good appearance to attract people.

At present, my account mainly wants to publish some small items that I write. One account has five free software submissions, except for the ones I want to use.Two or three free software submission opportunities. If you cannot find the publishing channel, you can contact me (aawolf) via the blog or CSDN website email. I can help you submit it.