Test Your Windows Store Apps Using the Windows App Certification Kit (ACK)

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The Windows App Certification Kit (ACK) available in the Windows SDK helps developers test their apps before submitting them to the Windows Store. Developers who want to test their apps on Windows RT can use the Windows App Certification Kit for Windows RT.

To find more information about the Windows ACK and its use in the various app certification programs for Windows operating systems, download and read the white paper here.

image

I did a quick test on an app based on a default project template. It took several minutes to complete the test. The app passed the test in all categories except for the following two areas:

1) it used the default image and

2) it was based on debug configuration.

To fix the two issues, use your own image or logo, and build it with the Release option. Below is a sample test report.

Windows App Certification Kit - Test Results

App name:

95a2d35c-975a-48b6-92cc-65f9cd483969

App version:

1.0.0.0

App publisher:

zxue

OS Version:

Microsoft Windows 8 Enterprise (6.2.9200.0)

Kit Version:

2.2

Report time:

12/18/2012 4:24:49 PM

Overall result: FAILED

Crashes and hangs test

PASSED

App launch tests

PASSED

Crashes and hangs

App manifest compliance test

PASSED

App manifest

Windows security features test

PASSED

Binary analyzer

PASSED

Private Code Signing

Supported API test

PASSED

Supported APIs

Performance test

PASSED

Bytecode generation

PASSED

Optimized Binding References

PASSED

Performance launch

PASSED

Performance suspend

App manifest resources test

PASSED

App resources validation

FAILED

Branding validation

  • Error Found: The branding validation test encountered the following errors:

    • Image file StoreLogo.png is a default image.
    • Image file Logo.png is a default image.
    • Image file SmallLogo.png is a default image.
    • Image file SplashScreen.png is a default image.

  • Impact if not fixed: Windows Store apps are expected to be complete and fully functional. Apps using the default images e.g. from templates or SDK samples present a poor user experience and cannot be easily identified in the store catalog.

  • How to fix: Replace default images with something more distinct and representative of your app.

Debug configuration test

FAILED

Debug configuration

  • Error Found: The debug configuration test detected the following errors:

    • The binary App1.exe is built in debug mode.

  • Impact if not fixed: Windows Store doesn’t allow a debug version of an app.

  • How to fix: Please make sure the app isn’t linking to any debug versions of a framework, and it is built with release configuration. If this is a managed app please make sure you have installed the correct version of .NET framework.

File encoding

PASSED

UTF-8 file encoding

Direct3D feature level support

PASSED

Direct3D feature level support

App Capabilities test

PASSED

Special Use Capabilities

Windows Runtime metadata validation

PASSED

ExclusiveTo attribute test

PASSED

Type location test

PASSED

Type name case-sensitivity test

PASSED

Type name correctness test

PASSED

General metadata correctness test

PASSED

Properties test