How to clone an iOS device (iPad), including app data container? - ios

I have an iOS app on the app Store.
This app can download additional content for free. This content is stored in the user "application support" directory (as described here). Once downloaded the app provides more content, just like Kindle would after downloading a few free e-books.
Now, how can I clone this iPad, including its"updated" app, on 60 others ? Apple Configurator does not seem to be able to clone the application AND its support directory. Am I missing a specific setting ?

Related

Accessing an Application from a Web Browser for Android and iOS

First and foremost, I am not the developer behind this application, however I am looking for a solution to this problem as I work at the company that runs the application and I've been tasked to do so. This is not a focused code-line question, but more so an application question.
Background: The application is an educational tool that simulates a physical science laboratory that is programmed using Flash. It is accessed from a Learning Management System (LMS) web browser - i.e. Blackboard, Canvas, etc. - through a link to the object. There are multiple simulated labs that are each their own object.
The main problem: The simulators/labs are able to be accessed on an Android device (phones & tablets) by prompting a download of a .apk file once the link is clicked on that device where they will have a menu that localizes all the simulators. This is to centralize all the simulators into one menu app. Now, when you attempt this process on an iOS device, it's obviously incompatible (.apk vs .ipa). We can create a runnable .ipa file for each individual simulator, but this is not efficient at all when attempting to execute on a mass scale (think district-wide access).
What I want to find out is the most efficient way to adapt the application for iOS since it utilizes Flash. The same process would be desired (click the link and it prompts a download of the menu app that holds the sims/labs).
Thanks in advance.
You need to enrol for apple developer program to distribute builds. Normal subscription consider distribution thought App Store, and it seems not your case. There is Enterprise subscription - it allows to create .ipa, that can be installed on any device, but distributed locally (Ad-Hoc). While assembling Ad-Hoc build in latest Xcode you can select opportunity to create distribution manifest as well (Xcode will provide description how to use it). Then you can upload manifest and iPad file to you file server, and share link to manifest with you user. Opening manifest on iDevice will launch installation of application.

Auto update iPad app without app store

I have an iPad app and I don't want to publish on app store.
I want to reconfigure the app from server i.e. if the flow of the app was:
Page 1 -> Page 2 -> Page 3
And I change data in the database to:
Page 1 -> Page 3 -> Page 2
My app should be reconfigured. I would also like new pages to be added in my app.
How to download the Swift files in user's app, compile it on the fly and update the app without user's intervention or through app store?
This is a private app and won't be published on app store.
How to download the Swift files in user's app, compile it on the fly and update the app without user's intervention or through app store?
You can't.
You can, however, design your app to have UI not hardcoded in the app, but defined in some configuration file (i.e. in JSON format) which you would download at app launch. You would need to implement functions to create UI elements from their JSON definitions, etc.
No, This is not how it works on iOS. You can't achieve this requirement through Native iOS development. You have to create a web app. You can build the app using React-Native or PhoneGap cross platform environments. Again there, without publishing app store you can't share iOS .ipa file like the .apk file in android. In that case, you have to buy Enterprise developer account and share.
Another option like building a UI using JSON is very tricky and takes lots of efforts. In case if you really want to do like this go for it.

iOS, config files and sandboxing

My understanding is that because of sandboxing, it isn't possible to view any text file (ie config file) associated with an iOS app using another app. Something quite simple with Android. Am I mistaken?
I am trying to implement a text config file with a Unity iOS app that gets loaded and parsed once when the application boots.
This config file would also be able to be edited and saved manually on that actual iOS device.
(addendum)
In Unity there is PersistentDataPath which resolves to /var/mobile/Container/Data/Application/foo/Documents
Is there an iOS supported file explorer app that will allow me view and edit files in this location (without jailbreaking)?
Use can check iOS App Groups. It allows multiple apps access to shared containers and allow interprocess communication. There is no so much documentation about this, but maybe that's what you're looking for. At least you can share NSUserDefaults between the apps.
NSUserDefaults it's a most simple way to save any (not big) configurations for your app. For manual editing: if your app on the device signed with developer certificate, you can connect through any iOS supported file explorer app and edit it. But after release, from App Store, your app installed in restricted/private path, so it's not possible, if only you don't have a jailbreak.
Initial configuration you can put into your app bundle, and at the first run just copy them to NSUserDefaults.
Short answer: There are utilities such as iExplorer - https://macroplant.com - that allow "file manager" type access. However...
Long answer: If your app requires users to buy (or get) other software to modify configuration files, the chances of Apple approving it are slim to none.
The appropriate thing to do is to provide a User Interface in your own app which allows the user to modify / update the settings.

Unofficial API - Access other apps bundle and icons - iOS

I've seen this which pulls the app from the internet and this which is what I'm looking for, but I'm not publishing to the app store.
So is there a way to do the following:
Go into app bundles on the device and extract the icons for those apps using official and/or unofficial APIs ?
As #Gavin specified: Jailbreaking is not an option for this particular case.
Apps are sandboxed on iOS, so even if you're not submitting to the app store, your app is still prevented from accessing files outside your sandbox, which includes the files of other apps on the device.
Now if you wanted to jailbreak your device, you could access files outside of the sandbox. But you didn't state that you were willing to do that, so I am assuming this is out of the question for you.

Sencha Touch + PhoneGAP Build - iOS App rejected because of Storage setting

Experts,
Recently I've used PhoneGAP Build service for my iOS App (HTML5 App built using Sencha Touch), and when i submit to app store, they rejected my app with this reason
in particular, we found that on launch and/or content download, your
app stores non user-generated content in iCloud backup directories. To
check how much data your app is storing:
Install and launch your app
Go to Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup > Manage Storage
If necessary, tap "Show all apps"
Check your app's storage
Is there any solution?
please help
I already have this app published in BB and Android with out any issues.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pavan.cinetalk
http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/32189889/
I think PhoneGap Build might be setting BackupWebStorage by default to iCloud, if you set up PhoneGap locally this setting can be changed in the Cordova.plist file see the below link:
http://docs.phonegap.com/en/2.2.0/guide_project-settings_ios_index.md.html
If im not wrong the message is quite clear, they just don't want you to upload to their cloud data that is not generated by the user.
I don't know your app, but sounds like are you backing up things like images or media used by the application itself instead of user's data ¿?
#Brett Bailey: Thanks for your input, finally this parameter worked and iTunes approved my app now
https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=687594497&mt=8

Resources