No matter how much testing a developer does, new software versions can create new problems. I have several beta testers helping test my apps, but Set List Maker and BandHelper have so much interconnected functionality and so many configuration options that it's virtually impossible to anticipate every problem.
However, if you rely on these apps for your performances, there are a few things you can do to avoid problems:
1) Turn off the app auto-updating option on your device. This gives you control over when to install a new app version. On iOS, this is located in the Settings app in iTunes & App Store > Automatic Downloads > Updates. On Android, this is located in the Google Play Store app in My Apps > [app name] > Auto-Update. In the Google Play Store app, you should also make sure Settings > Notifications > App Updates Available is turned on.
2) When a new app version is available, you will see a badge on the App Store icon on iOS, or receive a notification on Android. You can then open the App Store or Play Store app and read the What's New text for the update to see if you want the update. You can also check the Announcements area of my forum to see if any problems have been identified so far. The first bug reports usually appear within 48 hours. If there is a new bug, you can decide whether it will affect you and wait for the following version if needed.
3) Check the version number of the new update and compare it to this version numbering system: x.0 = major new functionality, possible changes to existing functionality, possible new design; x.x = major new functionality; x.x.x = bug fixes or very minor new functionality. It's generally smart to skip x.0 updates and wait for bug fixes to come with the subsequent x.x.x updates.
4) Before installing an update, back up your device. This saves all your app data as well as the previous version of the app itself so you can restore to the backup if needed. This is also the only way to revert to an earlier version of an app.
5) If you're syncing databases between multiple devices, it's best to sync all your devices before updating, then update all the devices to the same app version. This is especially helpful with major releases that may add new kinds of data to the databases.
6) Keep your OS version and your app version roughly in sync. If you decide to stop updating your OS, it's a good idea to also stop update your apps, and vice versa. Running old apps with a new OS version, or new apps with an old OS version, is a common source of problems. This is more of an issue on iOS than on Android since iOS usually has bigger changes and less backwards compatibility between versions.
If you would like to join the beta testing team to help catch problems before each release, please visit my Help Wanted page here:
http://www.arlomedia.com/apps/setlistmaker/main/help_wanted.html