Android Question Testing beta deployments on Google Play?

[Troberg]

OK, now I'm ready to publish my first app. I've created a dev account on Google Play, set up a user as tester, uploaded the APK as beta and uploaded all the needed metadata, and I have checked "Published".

Now, how do I access the beta, so I can test it?`

I've tried following these instructions (modifying the URL to include my package name), but I only get this:

Sorry - nothing to see here.


There may be several reasons:

• The app you’re looking for doesn't exist
• or
• the app developer is not currently running a test
• or
• you are not eligible to participate in the testing program.

If you received the link to this page from someone, we recommend you contact them for more information.

What am I missing?

I must say, I find the publishing process convoluted and messy. They could have made it much clearer...

 

[thedesolatesoul]

Yup.
Did you sign up to the beta community?

 

[thedesolatesoul]

See here: http://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/play-store-beta-testing-channel.30213/

 

[Troberg]

I don't get it. Do I need to create a group, attach the testing user to it and then somehow connect that to google play???

 

[thedesolatesoul]

Yes. Create the group, send the link to user, user registers, then send him the link to google play of the app.

 

[DonManfred]

then send him the link to google play of the app

If the user get the link where he can accept to be a betatester the page will show up a link to google play after the user accepted.

 

[Troberg]

I'm sorry, but I must be stupid. I get to the app's page in the dev console, and it has a link, but that link only gets me "We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.".

It feels like I'm missing some vital piece here...

 

[tufanv]

did you created the group with the email you hav registered as goole play developer or with a different one ?=

I'm sorry, but I must be stupid. I get to the app's page in the dev console, and it has a link, but that link only gets me "We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.".

It feels like I'm missing some vital piece here...

 

[tufanv]

Also one question from my side ? i cant test in app billing with beta test version is it normal ? do i have to publish to production to test in app billing ? because when i request payment , it says this version is not configured for billing thru google play ?

 

[Troberg]

did you created the group with the email you hav registered as goole play developer or with a different one ?=

I created it with my developer account, then added the tester account to it.

Is there some step by step instruction page for this online? The ones I've found seems to be outdated and inaccurate.

 

[tufanv]

I am not sure if there is but i will write here the process i did 1 week ago. I firstly created a google group with the email I have created my developer account. Than I have added the users I want to this group. Than uploaded the apk to beta test phase. Than clicked on manage list of testers. I have added the groupname to the list and a link apperead below. send the link to one of the users that was added to googlegroups and they clicked on be a beta tester at that page. Than downloaded via the link after they have clicked on be a beta tester.

 

[Troberg]

I still can't get it to work (and the fact that Google insists on using Swedish for me makes everything ten times harder to google)...

Than clicked on manage list of testers.

Where is that? I have added the testers to (and now I guess the English names of things, as, as mentioned earlier, I can only get it in Swedish) 'Settings' -> 'Account information', in the box 'Gmail accounts with access to test functions'. I've added both the mail account of the tester and the googlegroups.com account.

No link appears below, and, from there on, of course, I can't follow the instructions.

Edit: I can see the tester account under 'User accounts and permissions', and it looks OK.

 

[tufanv]

no that is not correct. It is for in app billing test accounts. Click on your applicaiton in developer console. Click on APK . click on beta testing tab. ( there is ablue link "manage list of tester" . ( it where there are gray boxes : first one is supported devices , second is excluded devices and third one is manage list of testers .

I still can't get it to work (and the fact that Google insists on using Swedish for me makes everything ten times harder to google)...



Where is that? I have added the testers to (and now I guess the English names of things, as, as mentioned earlier, I can only get it in Swedish) 'Settings' -> 'Account information', in the box 'Gmail accounts with access to test functions'. I've added both the mail account of the tester and the googlegroups.com account.

No link appears below, and, from there on, of course, I can't follow the instructions.

Edit: I can see the tester account under 'User accounts and permissions', and it looks OK.

 

[Troberg]

Finally! Thank you!

What made things even more confusing is that, on top of having two gmail accounts for this, I also have a university account (I take some classes, just for fun), and the university has some "overcoat" that hogs all connections to gmail and logs in through their portal (even on my computer). They've done something with Chrome. So, now I run Chrome for school stuff, Lunascape for the dev account and Firefox for the test account, just to keep the logins separate...

Edit: What does the tester list in 'Account information' do?

 

[Troberg]

And, nope. This bit still won't work: "Than downloaded via the link after they have clicked on be a beta tester.". I get a "We're sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server.".

The APK was published several days ago.

 

[tufanv]

did you publish the apk to beta ?

 

[Troberg]

Hmm, seems like the internet ate my last post. Anyway, now it works. I just needed to upload a dummy update (no changes, except for version). Go figure...