Skip to main content

Apps on TV Labs

In this guide, learn how to create and manage device apps on the TV Labs platform.

Overview:

  • ⏱️ Duration: ~5 minutes
  • 🎯 Audience: Organizations interested in launching their application on a TV Labs device
  • 🧠 Outcome: Understanding how to create and manage device apps on TV Labs

What is an App?​

Within the TV Labs platform, apps are used to organize builds and configure application metadata, such as production application IDs. These configurations let you launch the production app or development builds on devices, either through automations or direct access.

Creating an App​

To create an app, navigate to the Apps page and click "Create App". Give the app a name, optionally upload a logo, and then click "Save App".

Create App

Managing Application IDs​

Application IDs are unique identifiers assigned to apps that run on devices. These IDs are used to launch the app on devices within the platform and can be found in the application package manifest file. For example, in WebOS applications, the ID is found in the appinfo.json file.

  • When build packages are uploaded to TV Labs, the application ID will be automatically extracted and associated with the upload.
  • When launching the production version of the app, the application ID needs to be configured.

To add a production application ID to your app, go to the Apps page and select the app you'd like to edit. Scroll down to the "Application IDs" section and click "Add Application ID".

Create Application ID

When creating an application ID, you'll be prompted to provide a platform, device, and region. These fields are optional and can be left as "Any" if the application ID is the same across all platforms, devices, and regions.

If the application has a different application ID on Tizen than it does on WebOS, you can create two application ID entries that specify the platforms.

Example of application ID differences across platforms

When multiple application ID entries exist, only one ID can be set for each unique combination of platform, device, and region. The platform will use the ID that matches the most specific constraints.

For example, say you've created two device IDs: one for WebOS in any region, and one for WebOS in the London UK region. If you are launching the app on a WebOS device teleported to the London UK region, the latter ID will be used. If you then teleport the same device to the Santiago Chile region, the former ID will be used.

If there are two application IDs that have the same amount of specificity in their constraints, the priority order of the fields used is Device > Platform > Region. For example, say you are launching your application on Tizen in the London UK region. If you have one application ID for Tizen in any region and any device, and another application ID for any platform and any device in the London UK region, the application ID for the Tizen platform will be used. To use a different application ID on Tizen in the London UK region, make a more specific application ID that specifies both of these constraints.

Managing Builds​

Builds for your app can be created on the Apps page.

Alternatively, you can use the tvlabs upload command to upload a build to an app like tvlabs upload -a my_app_slug. Builds uploaded without an app slug will be uploaded to the default app for your organization.

Build list

Canonical Applications​

Canonical applications are a special type of app visible to other users on the platform. They represent the official version of an app that exists in a production app store.

Organizations that have canonical applications are able to upload builds for these apps, but cannot edit the application details or production application IDs. If these details need to be updated, please contact support@tvlabs.ai.

Users outside the organization that owns the canonical app can launch the production app store version, but cannot access any internal development builds.