Windows Store unification started a few days before the release of Windows 10. On 29th, I pushed an update out while waiting for Windows 10 upgrade – I had reserved by copy of Windows 10. While waiting, I continued with updates and having lost all patience, forced an update on the 30th.

I continued development using newly install VS 2015 and wanted to make an install I suddenly got this error “The version attribute of the Identity element must have a higher version number than ‘2015.729.2036.5893’

WTF ?? I tweeted angrily asking @VisualStudio what the heck was being added to StoreAssociation file..

Later that day, I reset my device and went back to VS 2013..nope it wouldn’t have any of it.. would still give me the same error as VS 2015. Who knows what the heck was happening.. I had little time and I haven’t heard from anyone so I continued with whatever it suggested.

On 1st August I encountered yet another problem with store.. this time.. “MakeAppx failed to open the package”. This time I asked on of the Microsofties to pull a few strings. They fixed that issue (AnyCPU was being read as ARM and ARM package wasn’t found so it failed) and in the thank you note, I mentioned that store was forcing timestamp based version. Non of those on the list commented so I assumed it was a cockup on my app since SL based 1Shot has no such issues.

Fast forward yesterday. I pushed 1.1.0.1 on a new beta on a newly created store account. Today I wanted to update it and it fails with a similar message. I find support pages and chat with one of the support people. What am I told.. yes Timestamp based versioning is the new way in unified store. Sorry it wasn’t communicated and don’t know why it doesn’t hit SL apps but its all fine.

So it any of you lot develop with WinRT (many do I presume, you will face this issue soon).. just don’t format your machine like I did 🙂

Why can’t they just inform the developers ?? they find enough time to write boat loads of blogs about various things..