This morning Apple accepted JwContacts iOS version for Beta Testing, pending their own beta test. Once that internal test completes successfully a limited number of prospective users I have selected will be emailed invitations to join testing. If you would like to be added to the group, please just let me know on the “Contact Us” form on this web site.
For those invited:
- An iPad or iPhone running any version of iOS from 13.3 upward is required. (JwC itself will work on iOS 11 up, but the beta test software, TestFlight, does not.) If you do not have use of such equipment or do not desire to participate, please let me know via “Contact Us” on this web site, then delete your invitation.
- To test you will need to install Apple’s Test Flight app from the App Store. (There may be a provided link in the invitation.)
- Once Test Flight recognizes you have been invited, you will be able to install and test JwContacts on your iOS device. You will also receive notifications of any subsequent test builds once Apple completes its own beta test of that build.
- Kindly let me know via “Contact Us” on this web site once you have installed JwContacts and are ready to begin testing. I may have further thoughts not yet included in this post.
- Each build is active on Test Flight for no more than ninety days after submission. Once you have user data, please back it up as described in the User Guide on this web site. That should allow easy re-install of your data should it become lost due to removal of a test build or by a replacement.
- Fictional test data, instructions for its use, and the User Guide are available on the Downloads page of this web site. Please also view appropriate instructional videos on this web site; most screens in JwContacts have a link to one of them via a “?” button. Some videos however could benefit from updating; if you find any of that sort, please advise me. And, ALWAYS, feel free to use “Contact Us” on this web site for any feedback.
- If you are on the Body of Elders in my Congregation, I can furnish you far more extensive real data pertaining to our Congregation.
- Test Flight automatically records the nature of any application crashes and will probably provide you opportunity to submit feedback. This is a vital part of beta testing; your willingness to help improve JwContacts is truly appreciated. Let me thank you in advance for your time and interest.
- Email users:
- Although you are required to enter an email address in JwContacts’ Settings, you may not yet be able to use its internal emailer. If so, and your device has an email client, to receive data to import into JwContacts you will need to use that client and share the email’s attached file to your iCloud Drive. JwContacts can import from that Drive; you should set the Default Data sources in Settings to “iCloud”.
- Outlook.com and Hotmail.com users should be able to use the Internal Emailer with no issues.
- AOL users must first log into AOL and add JwContacts as a recognized Email Client and supply a special new password for its use. (In a future build I may be able to provide such users a link to the requisite AOL page.) You can then use the Internal Email Client with your normal AOL username PLUS the new special password.
- GMAIL (and GDrive) tested OK during development BUT Google has yet to approve public use by JwContacts and usage is disabled in current builds. Meanwhile, you can use the approach in “a” above or, if you wish, simply create a free Outlook account for use with JwContacts. Once this beta testing gets under way I expect to start pursuing resolution of this limitation and (hopefully) later beta builds will implement GMail and GDrive.
- Other users: Most modern email services (including all those above) implement the IMAP email protocol. Obviously it has not been possible to pre-test every existing service; some of you may encounter unforeseen issues with the Internal Emailer. If so, please report them so they can be resolved in later builds. The older POP3 protocol is supportable, but has never been coded against, so will surely fail until it is. If I find your issue is due to the service’s use of POP3, that will provide an opportunity to support the feature.
- In the not-too-distant future, hopefully, JwContacts will go public in the App Store. Once again, please back up all data before removing beta builds and Test Flight, so you can be sure you can re-import into the public build.
- Microsoft technology expected before year’s end will transform the way all versions of JwContacts are coded and maintained. Nonetheless, every effort will be made to keep the app backward-compatible with earlier. I expect then to also be able to include several new features, especially for mobile users. If you have any suggestions for new or improved features, please keep them coming, with my thanks!
