New User Question - File Size

I completed a basic (default) setup using the Home Remote app on my Ipad and did a Backup of the hrp file. The file size was about 4KB. I installed the Windows version of the Designer and loaded the previous Backup file. Since, I was just looking at the options in the Designer, I did not make any changes to the setup. I then saved the hrp file from the Designer. I noticed that the file size was now about 1.5 MB.

Why is the design created file so much larger?

Thanks

The original backup created uses the app’s built-in auto generated templates & images. At this point, the app has ownership of your layouts so it doesn’t need to include those files in the HRP. By saving the file with the Designer you’ve taken complete ownership of the layouts. It creates clones of all those built-in XAML files & copies them to the Pages directory of the HRP so they can be customized by you. Those XAML files & images are not included in the original app backups because you are using the “built-in” layouts & images at that point.

Once you’ve saved a HRP with the Designer it has to assume that you may make custom changes to the XAML files. Those files cannot be changed in the apps themselves and that’s why they don’t need to be saved in your original app backup.

From time to time the built-in templates & images are updated. Since you’ve chosen to use the Designer, you will no longer automatically receive those updates in the apps. If you want to update your XAML templates to the latest version you will now have to right-click the Pages folder in the Designer & select “Synchronize Templates”. This will overwrite your XAML files with the latest “built-in” layouts.

So you really need to consider which is best for you. Don’t use the Designer just to link Devices or organize Groups. You should only use the Designer if you plan making custom changes to the XAML files.

Bill,

I appreciate your quick and clear explanation.

Thanks again for providing this excellent app.

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