This is the fourth blog post on series.

The beginning is here: 

• Demystifying installation process
• Demystifying upgrade process
• Demystifying re-installation process, without uninstalling

…In the previous series

We ended up with the summary: what’s going on during the re-installation of the app (without uninstallation)

• Upgrade codeunit was not triggered
• Install codeunit was triggered
• Not possible for Online Business Central Production Tenant

The result of this scenario can be displayed in the next picture

Figure 1. Re-install without uninstallation

Re-installing App

Option 2: With uninstallation, without unpublishing

Container Sandbox

There is no built-in way, how to uninstall an app from  VSCode. So we need to use Powershell for that. The easiest way, to use navcontainerhelper module.

You can create a .ps1 file in VSCode project directory, install PowerShell extension for VSCode and you are ready to run commands.

First, install navcontainerhelper module. If you have it installed, skip this step.

install-module navcontainerhelper -force

Second, uninstall a currently installed version of our app

UnInstall-NavContainerApp -containerName $containername `
    -tenant $tenant `
    -appName $appname 

Note! Data will not be removed. It will be saved, waiting for next install or upgrade. To completely remove data you can

• Re-install container, using Remove-NavContainer $containername
• Use Clean-CustomNAVAppsOnDocker described in Waldo’s post

There are no any uninstallation triggers available. But, they could be valuable, for example, to remove My notifications records, or configuration packages or any other app-related data stored in standard tables. There is a GitHub request on that feature, so crossing fingers to have that soon.

I will save data, just to track the installation log.

Third, install the app once again, using VSCode

VSCode > AL:Publish without debugging (Ctrl+F5)

or Powershell command

Install-NavContainerApp -containerName $containername `
    -tenant $tenant `
    -appName $appname 

Let’s look at the installation log.

Online Sandbox

>Web client > Extensions Page > Uninstall
>Web client > Extensions Page > Install

or

>Web client > Extensions Page > Uninstall
VSCode > AL:Publish without debugging (Ctrl+F5)

Online Business Central Production Tenant

>Web client > Extensions Page > Uninstall
>Web client > Extensions Page > Install

Summary

• Upgrade codeunit was not triggered
• Install codeunit was triggered

The result of this scenario can be displayed in the next picture

Figure 2. Re-install with uninstallation, without unpublishing

Option 3: With uninstallation, with unpublishing

Container Sandbox

Uninstall and unpublish currently installed version of our app using Powershell (and navcontainerhelper module)

UnPublish-NavContainerApp -containerName $containername `
    -appName $appname `
    -unInstall `
    -version $version `
    -tenant $tenant 

Publish and install the same version of an app using Powershell 

Publish-NavContainerApp -containerName $containername `
    -appFile $appfilename `
    -install `
    -skipVerification `
    -sync `
    -tenant $tenant 

or VSCode

VSCode > AL:Publish without debugging (Ctrl+F5)

Let’s look at the installation log.

Online Sandbox

>Web client > Extensions Page > Uninstall
>Web client > Extensions Page > Unpublish

VSCode > AL:Publish without debugging (Ctrl+F5)

Online Business Central Production Tenant

>Web client > Extensions Page > Uninstall
>Web client > Extensions Page > Unpublish

>Web client > Extensions Page >Upload .app file

Not possible. When you try to upload the same version of the app to the Online Production Business Central tenant you receive an error 

Summary

• Upgrade codeunit was not triggered
• Install codeunit was triggered
• Not possible for Online Business Central Production Tenant

The result of this scenario can be displayed in the next picture

Figure 2. Re-install with uninstallation, with unpublishing

What’s next

Next will be the final blog in the series. Stay tuned.