Digital Transfusion

I just had the oddest error on a new project (nothing added by me) WP7 project.

• Manifest validation fails: Error code: ValidationInvalidAuthor .

At least the error is semi descriptive, lets go check the manifest….

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<Deployment xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windowsphone/2009/deployment"
            AppPlatformVersion="7.0">
    <App xmlns=""
         ProductID="{eb48b96b-98f1-4179-9d44-0c7541f756ee}"
         Title="DigitalTransfusion.Silverlight.Wp7.Project.Client"
         RuntimeType="Silverlight"
         Version="1.0.0.0"
         Genre="apps.normal"
         Author="DigitalTransfusion.Silverlight.Wp7.Project.Client author"
         Description="Sample description"
         Publisher="DigitalTransfusion.Silverlight.Wp7.Project.Client">
        <IconPath IsRelative="true"
                  IsResource="false">ApplicationIcon.png</IconPath>
        <Capabilities>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_GAMERSERVICES"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_IDENTITY_DEVICE"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_IDENTITY_USER"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_LOCATION"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_MEDIALIB"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_MICROPHONE"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_NETWORKING"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_PHONEDIALER"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_PUSH_NOTIFICATION"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_SENSORS"/>
            <Capability Name="ID_CAP_WEBBROWSERCOMPONENT"/>
        </Capabilities>
        <Tasks>
            <DefaultTask  Name ="_default"
                          NavigationPage="MainPage.xaml"/>
        </Tasks>
        <Tokens>
            <PrimaryToken TokenID="DigitalTransfusion.Silverlight.Wp7.Project.ClientToken"
                          TaskName="_default">
                <TemplateType5>
                    <BackgroundImageURI IsRelative="true"
                         IsResource="false">Background.png</BackgroundImageURI>
                    <Count>0</Count>
                    <Title>DigitalTransfusion.Silverlight.Wp7.Project.Client</Title>
                </TemplateType5>
            </PrimaryToken>
        </Tokens>
    </App>
</Deployment>

Well, it looks like I do have an author (Author="DigitalTransfusion.Silverlight.Wp7.Project.Client author") so what is going on here? Well it turns out there is a character limit 50 characters for an author.

So this got me thinking, I wonder what the the character limits are? Well, wonder no more!

• Publisher = 50 characters
• Author = 50 characters
• Title = 80 characters

So if you get errors for ValidationInvalidPublisher, ValidationInvalidAuthor, or ValidationInvalidTitle, chances are that your strings are too long.

Tags: WP7

Ryan Plemons  Sep 21 General