StickyLDS Tools Missing from Windows 10 Store

I got a new Windows 10 tablet last week, and when I was loading my favorite apps on it from the Windows Store, a search failed to turn up LDS Tools. I also did a search on my other W10 machine that already has LDS Tools installed, and I couldn't find the app in the Store there either. I'm hoping it's been pulled in advance of a new, full-featured release, but I fear it's being discontinued . Can anyone shed some light on the mysterious disappearance? Thanks.

I just tested an install on my Windows 10 laptop and the app is in the store. You may need to do a general search rather than a search through your favorites. It may have been temporarily been pulled, or there may have been a glitch. Try again.

No, whatever search term I try, I only get Gospel Library, Mormon Channel and LDS News Digest. I'm in Canada; maybe it has been removed from the Canadian store? What version of Tools for Windows is current? My laptop has 2.1.3, released in 2015. BTW, thanks for your quick reply JD.

I'm in the US, and I'm not seeing it on my laptop store either.

Are you able to click a direct link?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p ... zdncrfj2k4

sbradshaw wrote:Are you able to click a direct link?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p ... zdncrfj2k4

That seems to work. I wonder why it's not turning up in a search?

Well, that was a awkward install. The download went well enough, but it took 3 tries just to get it started. It threw a system exception during the second attempt. I wonder if it got hidden due to complaints?

Well, that was a awkward install. The download went well enough, but it took 3 tries just to get it started. It threw a system exception during the second attempt. I wonder if it got hidden due to complaints?

Unfortunately, no. The Church has asked that the app be removed from the Windows Store (both on phones and PCs) as it has elected to not expend the necessary funds to bring the app up to par or to meet legal privacy requirements necessary in various countries.

ToManyLetters wrote:

Well, that was a awkward install. The download went well enough, but it took 3 tries just to get it started. It threw a system exception during the second attempt. I wonder if it got hidden due to complaints?

Unfortunately, no. The Church has asked that the app be removed from the Windows Store (both on phones and PCs) as it has elected to not expend the necessary funds to bring the app up to par or to meet legal privacy requirements necessary in various countries.

Lame.

Sad Indeed.

Think of how many users could be reached through windows 10 universal apps, through tablets and pc's. I understand the phone issue. If the church used this theory with missionary work, the Book of Mormon would be translated in precious few languages. Hopefully they will pick this up again sometime soon.

Another alternative would be to open the code to the community and allow them to continue development. Although does this mean that the LDS Gospel Library on Windows (mobile or PC) will meet the same fate?

ToManyLetters wrote:The Church has asked that the app be removed from the Windows Store (both on phones and PCs) as it has elected to not expend the necessary funds to bring the app up to par or to meet legal privacy requirements necessary in various countries.

Can you shed any light on this? I thought the app was being developed by an all-volunteer effort. So I'm not sure how church funds comes into play.

Can you shed any light on this? I thought the app was being developed by an all-volunteer effort. So I'm not sure how church funds comes into play.

Yes. While the app itself was developed with volunteer effort, the app needs to meet certain legal requirements for it to be available worldwide to ensure that the Church obeys local privacy laws. This necessitates reviews of the app to ensure it is in compliance. This is the money that would have been necessary to keep the project going. Such money was not allocated for the project, and so the project has been changed to inactive here on LDS Tech and the app is no longer listed in the Windows Store (which is why it doesn't turn up in search results).

Think of how many users could be reached through windows 10 universal apps, through tablets and pc's. I understand the phone issue. If the church used this theory with missionary work, the Book of Mormon would be translated in precious few languages. Hopefully they will pick this up again sometime soon.

You're preaching to the choir here. I believe in UWP, but it seems too few do.

Another alternative would be to open the code to the community and allow them to continue development. Although does this mean that the LDS Gospel Library on Windows (mobile or PC) will meet the same fate?

The project was already as open-sourced as the project could be, considering the sensitivity of the data, and the project was entirely volunteer-driven already, through developer interest in the project was admittedly minimal.

Gospel Library for Windows appears to be safe for now, and a new Windows 10 UWP app is on the way and currently in closed testing. If we want to keep the project alive, though, we really need more developers, with MSDN licenses, willing to donate some of their time to the project. People complain about the slow progress the app is making, but fail to understand that the entirety of the project is basically kept going by three developers in what time they can spare. Three people are split between the phone app development, the desktop/tablet app development, bug-squashing on both, and developing the new UWP app. We're stretched incredibly thin, but we are doing what we can with the resources we have.

ldspaultosutah wrote:If the church used this theory with missionary work, the Book of Mormon would be translated in precious few languages. Hopefully they will pick this up again sometime soon.

I understand what you're saying, but this may not be the best analogy. The Church actually doesn't publish a Book of Mormon in a given language until there are a good number of active members who speak that language as their primary language, and there's a strong likelihood that the number of members for that language will grow (among other criteria). So it is for the mobile apps. Proportionally, mobile Windows users are a small group, and there's not enough evidence at this point to assume that the mobile Windows market share will grow significantly.

Now, if the focus were to broadened beyond mobile platforms, I wouldn't complain. I'd love to see a Mac version of Gospel Library.

sbradshaw wrote:

ldspaultosutah wrote:If the church used this theory with missionary work, the Book of Mormon would be translated in precious few languages. Hopefully they will pick this up again sometime soon.

I understand what you're saying, but this may not be the best analogy. The Church actually doesn't publish a Book of Mormon in a given language until there are a good number of active members who speak that language as their primary language, and there's a strong likelihood that the number of members for that language will grow (among other criteria). So it is for the mobile apps. Proportionally, mobile Windows users are a small group, and there's not enough evidence at this point to assume that the mobile Windows market share will grow significantly.

Now, if the focus were to broadened beyond mobile platforms, I wouldn't complain. I'd love to see a Mac version of Gospel Library.

If this is the case, wouldn't that mean that the Gospel Library for Windows Mobile will share the same fate as LDS Tools?

jkentner wrote:If this is the case, wouldn't that mean that the Gospel Library for Windows Mobile will share the same fate as LDS Tools?

Far fewer privacy issues with LDS Tools. All GL has to protect is your login information. LDS Tools has a ton of information about other members.

Although, I'm a little puzzled - I'd think most of the privacy checks would be in the back end services so the user's device would never get information they weren't supposed to have. But there may be still details about securing that information in the app from leaking out.

russellhltn wrote:But there may be still details about securing that information in the app from leaking out.

For leaders sensitive information gets downloaded during sync. Ensuring that information is secure on the device isn't a trivial thing.

I just want to make sure this is accurate after reading all of the posts. It doesn't come all the way down to the number of Windows mobile platform users (because Gospel Library continues to be developed). It is more of a formula related to number of Windows Mobile users and the cost to develop security, and the number of users was deemed insufficient to invest in the cost to properly secure LDS Tools?

This is super disappointing. The decision to remove it from the store seems to be based upon the fact that there are not a lot of Windows Phone 10 users; however, it completely ignores the fact that the same app works on all Windows 10 computers. Removing it from the store also removes it from the Windows App store for all 400+ Million installations of Windows 10 in a 192 countries around the world.

It doesn't make sense that this app be removed from the Windows 10 store when there are so many members in countries where Windows is the most prevalent computer. The decision to remove it should be reconsidered.

Why do I care? Removal of this app has a huge impact on me and my family. I have four tablets and three windows phones. Why in the world would I use windows phones? Because the parental controls are way better than iOS an Android. I've tried to use the church website for this information and it is very clunky from a mobile device.

What can be done to help reverse this decision?

Carlsopa, I agree with you also. I am in the same boat.

A couple years ago I tried to sign up to be a developer for LDS Tools on Windows, but they were not accepting developers. I ended up on Gospel Library. I have strong experience securing code and data on various platforms including Windows. It isn't that hard, and in fact, WinPhone is the most secure mobile platform on the market today when equal diligence and knowledge is employed, and it is also true that a win10 app can be used on desktops, tablets, and phones using the very same binary and the exact same security code. It is true that the penetration testing does still have to be done to assure regulators, but the market is much larger than just phone, and in fact, a well written app will be much more secure than a website could ever be. I home it is simply a matter of educating those involved in the decision to know the actual factors involved.

Something else that is lacking here, though slightly touched in a previous comment about Windows still being the dominant desktop, laptop, power tablet (Surface Pro) markets, the Surface Pro specifically is taking off in huge ways that other mobile devices are not. It is a productivity tablet as opposed to your iPad and Android tablets out there for consumer markets. Not only are business people out there replacing desktops and laptops with the Surface Pro and other such Windows power tablets, but I have seen lots of casual consumers picking up the lower tier Surface Pro's simply because it is a more than worthy laptop replacement and not as weak and awkward to get things done as an iPad. What this means: because it is a tablet as much as an actual computer, it will also be heavily used as a tablet, using the marketplace apps just as much as the desktop apps. It is going to be so much harder to pause and then catch up when people finally catch on to the trends. I have seen market research that shows that the mobile computer (tablet and tablet hybrids) will start dominating the market in the next 5 to 10 years. Our church is one of forward-looking and planning so we should really be looking at the future just as much as the smaller vision of today.

I have written this on my Surface Pro 3 with Windows 10. I understand how numbers can show that Windows Mobile is nowhere near the top of the chain as far as consumer Facebook and Farmville tablets go, but when it comes to productivity, Microsoft has it down and apps are going to be just as important for desktops, power tablets, and laptops as the Win32 applications are. Browsers are clunky and unintegrated (I need to get a list of elders and send an email to all of them using a local mail client). LDS tools is a productivity app, not a consumer app. So look at the productivity devices just as much, if not more, than the consumer devices. When I am in leadership meetings, I will pick up my Surface Pro much sooner than my iPad (which I also have to browse Facebook and play games...). Now I cannot use my most efficient device in meetings because even as I have the app from before, I cannot get the leadership reports and information. Lessons are also much easier on a Surface Pro because you can have OneNote for your outline and Gospel Library open at the same time (and even link right from OneNote into a verse of scripture in GL). Yes, I know that GL is still on Windows, but not having LDS Tools means that I would either need to take both tablets with me to church or just not use the more efficient of the two. We all donate time to the church and time is valuable on all fronts. Devices are supposed to be efficient but again, now I cannot use the more efficient one to get my work done faster and get back to my family.

I really want to end my note with a bit of sarcasm about people making huge decisions based off of what you see on CNet and TechCrunch, but as a church leader, I will refrain.

Just please reconsider because my meetings will never be as efficient until the app is back in full swing again.

ewalk23 wrote:Just please reconsider because my meetings will never be as efficient until the app is back in full swing again.

carlsopa wrote:What can be done to help reverse this decision?

These decisions are made at the highest levels of Church leadership who, as far as we are aware, never read this Forum. There are two ways to get your suggestions to them.

One. Send feedback through the app or through a page at the LDS.org site.
Two. Share your request with your stake president, who has direct contact with general authorities who can elevate your suggestions to the decision-making level.

Not sure if this was an intentional back door but I was able to install LDS Tools on my new Windows 10 Laptop. I went into my newly installed Gospel Library app into "Settings". I chose "Other Apps" and there was an icon for "LDS Tools". I clicked on it and it took me to the Windows Store and allowed me to download it. The version is 2.1.5 with a copyright from 2015. Hope that helps.

Thank you for that it worked for me too.

It is still in the store. Just searches don't work for some reason. Outside the store in Bing, search for: "LDS Tools Windows". The app inside the store should be a top link.

ajkochev wrote:It is still in the store. Just searches don't work for some reason. Outside the store in Bing, search for: "LDS Tools Windows". The app inside the store should be a top link.

While nice to have, still depressing that development is at end of life. The app will only be useful for so long.

Is there an official statement by the Church on this anywhere?

I had LDS Tools on my W10 phone as recently as a couple of months ago and it worked great, better in some ways than the same app on Android or iOS. I would just like to understand why. Would they be open to external contribution and/or outright development? I've done some UWP development and would happily contribute.

Also, I believe the Windows Store does allow designating specific markets for apps. I admit that not having access to it in countries with excessive "legal privacy requirements" is not great, but why pull it for everyone?

Not having LDS Tools on my WP is a deal breaker (unfortunately).

ToManyLetters wrote:

Well, that was a awkward install. The download went well enough, but it took 3 tries just to get it started. It threw a system exception during the second attempt. I wonder if it got hidden due to complaints?

Unfortunately, no. The Church has asked that the app be removed from the Windows Store (both on phones and PCs) as it has elected to not expend the necessary funds to bring the app up to par or to meet legal privacy requirements necessary in various countries.

lje67 wrote:Would they be open to external contribution and/or outright development? I've done some UWP development and would happily contribute.

Both LDS Tools and Gospel Library for Windows have been almost exclusively developed by volunteers. I don't know the definitive reason why LDS Tools for Windows was dropped, but I imagine that the volunteers have been spread pretty thin. I'll bet the Gospel Library for Windows team would love your help as a developer!

lje67 wrote:Is there an official statement by the Church on this anywhere?

I think this thread is about as close as it got. If you look at the app page on lds.org, you'll notice a absence.

Very poor decision, especially when Windows tablets are becoming so prevalent:

Old discussion but still relevant... Glad I believe in the resurrection

As a regular plain old member, I really never used the LDS tools app. The need to look up other members of the ward just doesn't come up very often when you don't have a leadership or missionary calling.

Well, I just got a leadership calling and you can imagine my disappointment when I discovered the LDS Tools app no longer worked on my SP4.

One of the previous comments suggested it was not trivial to secure private membership data that is downloaded to the device. I disagree. Encrypting the data can be as simple as compressing it in a password protected .rar format until the app is opened (just a little more CPU/RAM overhead to decrypt it). And mobile devices already encrypt their local storage. What is not trivial is passing privacy regulations. That requires more than just securing the data, it requires rigorous testing and validation by licensed security auditors, and those people need to be paid. And usually these audits have to be performed annually. And the paperwork involved..... Based on other previous comments, it's entirely a matter of the church leadership not being willing to pay the auditors. (I work in IT, and some of my customers have to maintain HIPAA compliance and OH MY GOODNESS!)

It's simpler with iOS and Android (and even Windows Phone) because the local storage is already encrypted, and that's enough to satisfy most privacy requirements. For PCs and Windows tablets, however, the local storage is not encrypted by default, so the only protections offered by the platform are NTFS permissions, which are so easily circumvented.... let's just not go there. (Nerds might be interested to know that the current edition of LDS Tools data is encrypted by the Legion of the Bouncy Castle.)

But given the evolution of MLS, I suspect that the church is moving towards a web-based platform for PCs. While Microsoft is pushing (and intends to move entirely to) the new app Store platform, the church hasn't embraced that move. Most of the church's clerical computers are still running XP.

The link from within Gospel Library does still work, so I'm grateful to still have the app available to use. As long as the data source retains the same URL and format, the app should continue to work fine. Just don't talk about it too loudly, or someone might remove the link in a Gospel Library update....

jaycenornin wrote:Most of the church's clerical computers are still running XP.

If you meant to say Win 7, I'd say - maybe. The church asked that all computers that were elegable for free upgrades to Win10 take advantage of that. At this point I'd say"most" are on Win10, with a few older ones on Win7 (and those are probably due for replacement soon.)

All the WinXP machines were supposed to have been eliminated. If you still have any, it's time to have a chat with the STS. And the STS needs to have a chat with FM.

Agree with ldspaultosutah. I use this app quite regularly as the Executive Secretary and I am now much less efficient now that the Win10 universal app has been removed. Please do not confine us to use of the phone only as a tech tool.

troyclarson wrote:Agree with ldspaultosutah. I use this app quite regularly as the Executive Secretary and I am now much less efficient now that the Win10 universal app has been removed. Please do not confine us to use of the phone only as a tech tool.

I don't think there was ever a Windows 10 "UWP" (universal) LDS Tools app – it was an older Windows 8.1 app, and it wasn't receiving regular updates.

I used this app on a daily basis with my calling and without warning everything is gone. Some sort of note or doomsday notification would have been nice

Was the API just recently shut off? Just before last week's LDSAccount outage it synced just fine, and today it's unable to contact the servers, while the Android version syncs without any issues.

How about making a Desktop App then instead, like a real program. As the Executive Secretary I really need to use this on my PC. The mobile devices are so limited.

teksaport wrote:How about making a Desktop App then instead,

I don't think that changes anything. The problem is that the church isn't willing the spend the money to make sure the software is secure. I don't think making it a "like a real program" changes that. To date, LDS Tools and Gospel Library have focused on the mobile market, completely ignoring the desktop. My guess is that they expect desktop users to use LCR and other web tools. On the web, the church can focus on adding functionality rather than developing for different platforms.

Hello developers,

It's true that sacred funds need to be treated as such and that the Lord would inspire things for certain reasons that we don't see yet. However, this being the case, would it help to bring it back if there were more volunteer developers or is the "end of life" of such a nature that the Lord would still inspire it to be discontinued? I don't want to be like the people with the Brother of Jared who pushed for something they shouldn't have and against what the Lord has inspired, because of something nefarious (designs of wicked men) that we can not see. If it's also a matter of more volunteers helping to get it back then I would gladly put the word out there. There are people in my ward alone that have the skills.

rodeab wrote:Hello developers,

It's true that sacred funds need to be treated as such and that the Lord would inspire things for certain reasons that we don't see yet. However, this being the case, would it help to bring it back if there were more volunteer developers or is the "end of life" of such a nature that the Lord would still inspire it to be discontinued? I don't want to be like the people with the Brother of Jared who pushed for something they shouldn't have and against what the Lord has inspired, because of something nefarious (designs of wicked men) that we can not see. If it's also a matter of more volunteers helping to get it back then I would gladly put the word out there. There are people in my ward alone that have the skills.

The Gospel Library for Windows project is always looking for additional volunteer help. I don't think LDS Tools for Windows would be considered while Gospel Library for Windows is still struggling to keep up, for lack of volunteer availability. If you know Windows developers who would be interested in helping with Church projects, send them to Gospel Library for Windows, and if they get to the point where there are more than enough volunteers for Gospel Library, then the Gospel Library for Windows team could suggest that LDS Tools be re-evaluated.

rodeab wrote:However, this being the case, would it help to bring it back if there were more volunteer developers or is the "end of life" of such a nature that the Lord would still inspire it to be discontinued?

I could be wrong, but my impression of the situation is that since LDS Tools handles confidential information, it would have to go though some kind of security testing. This is independent of development effort. There's a cost associated with that testing that the church was unwilling to fund.

The focus of things like LDS Tools seems to have always been on hand-held devices, such as smart phones. Larger devices can use the website. In the handheld market, Windows has a very small market share. And in fact, Microsoft had dropped the moble version of Windows.

sbradshaw wrote: The Gospel Library for Windows project is always looking for additional volunteer help. I don't think LDS Tools for Windows would be considered while Gospel Library for Windows is still struggling to keep up, for lack of volunteer availability. If you know Windows developers who would be interested in helping with Church projects, send them to Gospel Library for Windows, and if they get to the point where there are more than enough volunteers for Gospel Library, then the Gospel Library for Windows team could suggest that LDS Tools be re-evaluated.

Hello Brother Bradshaw,

I appreciate the quick reply and the insight. That all makes sense. Where exactly would you like me to send people?

Are you one of the three main developers?

russellhltn wrote: I could be wrong, but my impression of the situation is that since LDS Tools handles confidential information, it would have to go though some kind of security testing. This is independent of development effort. There's a cost associated with that testing that the church was unwilling to fund.

The focus of things like LDS Tools seems to have always been on hand-held devices, such as smart phones. Larger devices can use the website. In the handheld market, Windows has a very small market share. And in fact, Microsoft had dropped the moble version of Windows.

Hello Russel,

thank you for that insight. Perhaps if there are enough developers at GLW there might be enough people to do what is needed to make sure the security is done properly to keep the official security test fees to a minimum. So, could it be a matter of a large donation to cover the costs of the testing? What is the price tag on something like that? Who does this "official testing"? Time frame, etc?

Yes, I saw that about windows mobile.

rodeab wrote:I appreciate the quick reply and the insight. That all makes sense. Where exactly would you like me to send people?

Are you one of the three main developers?

This is the LDSTech project page for Gospel Library for Windows:
https://tech.lds.org/projects?controlle ... jectid=157

After joining the project, volunteers can send an email to one of the project managers listed on the project page.

I'm not a developer, but I join their weekly phone call and try to help where I can.

I know I was able to get LDS tools on my surface January 2017 but had to reload my system and cannot get LDS Tools now. I know they updated it on Android, I hope it comes back to the Microsoft store soon.

lessilvan wrote:I hope it comes back to the Microsoft store soon.

Hope springs eternal, but given what what we've been told, it will not return in the foreseeable future.

sbradshaw wrote: This is the LDSTech project page for Gospel Library for Windows:
https://tech.lds.org/projects?controlle ... jectid=157

After joining the project, volunteers can send an email to one of the project managers listed on the project page.

I'm not a developer, but I join their weekly phone call and try to help where I can.

Thank you much for that, I will get the word out! And if you get an appropriate chance, please tell all of them thank you from me for all the hard work and making something that goes along with "a marvelous work and a wonder" as the Gospel spreads in these last days.

Thank you for your time!!!

Just read most of the posts. I started with a "give me, give me" question. An now I am just feeling deep gratitude for the effort given by the few for so many. To you who have helped develop all these tools, my deepest thanks!!! You have blessed my life and the lives of countless others.

First, I want to share my deep gratitude for the service and funds sacrificed for the Windows app, which would not even otherwise exist. Now, another option for the Church to consider is developing a PWA, or Progressive Web App,. This can be platform agnostic, meaning development funding and efforts could be unified into a single app. Naturally, this would mean transitioning and abandoning some of the older code bases, but the benefits would be enormous: one app to rule them all for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS, and even more obscure platforms.

russellhltn wrote:

sbradshaw wrote:Are you able to click a direct link?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p ... zdncrfj2k4

That seems to work. I wonder why it's not turning up in a search?

The question is about LDS TOOLS but the link you give is for Gospel Library.

Please bring back LDS Tools for Windows 10 Phone.

why no ldstools for windows10? thats like no BOM in english.....

Please reconsider! LDS tools is valuable and there is an influx of windows 10 tablets again

jwmarrott wrote:Please reconsider! LDS tools is valuable and there is an influx of windows 10 tablets again

There's no decision makers who visit the forum.

According to these stats, the Win10 market appears very weak. I'm sure the church is watching the usage pattern of Win10 GL and will reconsider if that shows a significant, sustained rise.

UGH! Time for me to adapt and move on... my current resentment about this app disappearing seems counter-productive... off to find a solution that will allow me to be efficient in my current calling... wish me luck!

It's not the Church's fault that windows phones are dying. There are actually only a precious few of us who actually use Windows phones at all, let alone Windows 10. It's not as if there aren't many budget android options available.......looks like I might have to make a switch even though I like the Windows OS so much. Thanks to all who have developed church apps for Windows!

meridyforgot wrote:It's not the Church's fault that windows phones are dying. There are actually only a precious few of us who actually use Windows phones at all, let alone Windows 10. [emphasis added]

Actually, I think it would be a good idea to bring back LDS Tools for Windows 10. We are now at well over 1 billion Windows 10 devices, hardly a "precious few." As I had mentioned some years back, a cross-platform PWA would be a worthwhile venture since it would be work invested into all platforms.

forbushd wrote:We are now at well over 1 billion Windows 10 devices, hardly a "precious few."

How many mobile devices? Tools was aimed at cell phones and tablets, not desktops and laptops.

forbushd wrote:

meridyforgot wrote:It's not the Church's fault that windows phones are dying. There are actually only a precious few of us who actually use Windows phones at all, let alone Windows 10. [emphasis added]

Actually, I think it would be a good idea to bring back LDS Tools for Windows 10. We are now at well over 1 billion Windows 10 devices, hardly a "precious few." As I had mentioned some years back, a cross-platform PWA would be a worthwhile venture since it would be work invested into all platforms.

I agree. It would be nice to have Member Tools available for Windows 10. Windows 10 is the last operating system Microsoft is releasing, and millions of people use Windows. Windows 7 is no longer supported, and Microsoft announced that as soon as all Windows operating systems before Windows 10 are no longer supported, Windows 10 will simply become Windows.

I really don’t think the Directory page on the Church website is as good as the Member Tools app. It would be very convenient to have Member Tools for Windows 10.

Yes, please bring Member Tools to Windows 10. Many of us Ward Clerks and Bishoprics, etc. use Microsoft Surface Pro tablets and appreciate the larger screen size. It is not always convenient to have to find an active hotspot or tether the Surface to my phone to access the Church website to reach the things easily found on the Android app. It is just difficult to use the small screen size on the phone. Is there any chance that the App will be ported to Windows again. I am sure there are a million potential users that would appreciate it.

garyoranzabriskie wrote:Is there any chance that the App will be ported to Windows again.

The app was developed for Windows phones which have not been produced for nearly two years. The side benefit of the app developed for Windows phones was any Windows 10 platform could run the app. Without the phone the church sponsorship was pulled and it is unlikely the app will be resurrected.
(Disclaimer: I am not a church employee and I have no inside connection or access to the ICS development roadmaps.)

I just purchased a Microsoft Surface Pro. How can I install the Member Tools (formerly LDS Tools) app onto this computer?

michaelajustice wrote:I just purchased a Microsoft Surface Pro. How can I install the Member Tools (formerly LDS Tools) app onto this computer?

Windows 10 isn't supported. You'd have to install a Android emulator so you can install the Android version.

If ever needed, I would be willing to work on porting Android version to Windows. I have limited Android experience developing apps with BYU-I. I was, think I still am, a beta tester for the Gospel Library app on LDS Tech. I have not been very involved in some time. This would be required to be church supported but would likely help many surface and other users as well. I have a Lenovo 2-in-1 that I could use.

Bond007s wrote:If ever needed, I would be willing to work on porting Android version to Windows.

That's appreciated, but see this post

While I'm sure development was an issue, what killed it was the work necessary to ensure it was secure enough for handling PII.

Edit: Perhaps a better plan would be to try and simplify the install of a Android emulator so end users can do it and run the approved Android version.

I tried using a couple of android emulators on my Windows 10 computer, but was dissatisfied with the experience enough that I uninstalled them. I found them to not work well enough to be worth the trouble. Though that was a couple of years ago and my home computer is a desktop with no touch screen. Since I now own an android device that works well, I don't have the need for a windows version.

Updating this thread, I just tried installing Member Tools in the Windows 11 Subsystem for Android. The app itself installs successfully, but I receive the error "Member Tools Services are not available" when I attempt to log in. Happy to say the Sacred Music apps works perfectly in Windows 11 Subsystem for Android, though!

I followed these guides to install the Subsystem for Android on the stable release of Windows 11 and sideload apps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAeHl6-fhVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMpfaJAZQUI

forbushd wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:00 pm Updating this thread, I just tried installing Member Tools in the Windows 11 Subsystem for Android. The app itself installs successfully, but I receive the error "Member Tools Services are not available" when I attempt to log in. Happy to say the Sacred Music apps works perfectly in Windows 11 Subsystem for Android, though!

I followed these guides to install the Subsystem for Android on the stable release of Windows 11 and sideload apps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAeHl6-fhVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMpfaJAZQUI

Have you tried installing Gospel Library and Sacred Music from the Amazon Appstore, or have you only been sideloading?
(Member Tools isn't available on the Amazon Appstore, but the above two are.)

The Windows 11 Amazon Appstore is a very small subset (about 50 apps) of the full Amazon Appstore. As a result, it is currently missing the Church's apps. I initially sideloaded using the method above. However, many apps expect the presence of the Google Play services. So it as other apps will have experience issues connecting to the Internet without them.

However, I made a discovery! The Members Tool app will work if you install Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) with Google Play Store services as described here:

https://github.com/ADeltaX/WSAGAScript
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIt00xDp0tM

The Members Tool app works if you install it via this WSA-contained Google Play Store. Everything works flawlessly using this method. I recommend this method over ADB sideloading which is clumsier and much more prone to problems.

Addendum: Apps that do not work via sideloading in ADB most likely will work by installing them via a WSA-contained Google Play Store. Everything just works. For example, Member Tools lists contact phone numbers works for phone calls. First, Member Tools will ask for permission to make phone calls. Then if I click on a phone number in the contacts, it will seamlessly start Skype. Then the native Skype app on Windows 11 will attempt to call the phone number that was passed to it from the Android app version of Member Tools. Way cool!