Using AppBuilder Windows Offline

[Chris]

I am working on an app using the AppBuilder Windows client. I will be getting on a 9 hour flight tomorrow without WiFi and I would like to get some work done. It seems that if I am not connected to the internet I cannot launch AppBuilder to the point of being able to open any projects.

What do I need to do so that I can work while not connected?

Thanks.
Chris

[Iva Koevska]

Hello Chris,

There are a few possible approaches to achieve this tasks. However, all of them require some Internet connection, at least for preparation.

Use the CLI with our Sublime package or another code editor
This is probably the best way to go. However, you will need internet connection to access the cloud services such as build in the cloud, cloud LiveSync, and publish. You will be able to develop offline, deploy to connected devices, LiveSync to connected devices (on Save), run your app in the simulator. You will not be able to debug on device though. Here is what you need to do.

1. Download and install the CLI.
2. (Optional) Install the Sublime Text 2 package, if you're using Sublime. 
3. In the Windows client, configure a remote repository and push your project to it.
4. On your system, git-clone the remote repository.
5. From the CLI, run the init command to initialize the local clone of the repo for development.
6. Use the Sublime Package or another code editor to modify your code.
7. From the CLI or the Sublime package, run the commands for deployment on connected devices.
8. From the CLI or the Sublime package, run the commands for loading in the simulator.
9. When you get Internet connection, commit and push your code changes to the remote repo.
10. In the Windows client, pull your changes from the remote repo and continue your work.

Work on your code only
You can combine GitHub and any code editor to modify your code offline. With this approach, you will not be able to use any of the Windows client features such as build, build and deploy, etc. However, this wiil require absolutely no connectivity. Here's how to do it.

1. In the Windows client, configure a remote repository and push your project to it.
2. On your system, git-clone the remote repository.
3. Use your preferred code editor to modify the code.
4. When you get Internet connection, commit and push your code changes to the remote repo.
5. In the Windows client, pull your changes from the remote repo and continue your work.

Regards,
Iva Koevska
Telerik