We are developing mobile apps for our web application. We started doing it by Phonegap. We created a simple app using html,css and javascript and tried to upload into PhoneGap Build, its able to create apps for android, windows but not able to create for ios. I have googled about it, i got some information that i need to take apple
developers program account and establish the mac environment locally to get the signing certificate from apple.
Here my questons are:
- why we need to establish mac environment, even i use phonegap(which is for hybrid app environment)?
- If yes(should set up the mac environment), how to do it?
Even you use phonegap, you still have to have a key for iOS development.
You can read the phonegap build docs about this topic : iOS Signing
They clearly say that:
Since PhoneGap Build uses Apple's standard development process to build applications, you will need to sign up for their developer program to build iOS applications on PhoneGap Build. You will also need a Mac to configure your certificate and provisioning profile.
Related
im going to port my app to IOS. i already built it on android but needs some package linking and some refactor for ios version. but im not going to deploy it on App Store. im going to upload my outputs(both android and ios) on a website to download.
in android you can easily create an apk and give it to anyone to test it for you.
i didn't have mac - iphone to test my app until now. having that in mind i have few questions:
1- do i have to have Apple Developer ID to be able to test my app even in debug mode?
2- if 1's answer is no, does creating IOS output require Apple Developer ID even if i dont want to push it to App Store
3- is it possible to install apps on IOS, downloading the output file(.ipa) from a website?
1- do i have to have Apple Developer ID to be able to test my app even in debug mode?
You need to have a developer account. But simply to run the application you don't need to purchase any plan. They allow 2-3 free device debugging.
2- if 1's answer is no, does creating IOS output require Apple Developer ID even if i dont want to push it to App Store
For simply running the application you would not need but to enable services like push notifications or sharing the build you would definitely need.
3- is it possible to install apps on IOS, downloading the output file(.ipa) from a website?
Yes it is possible but you need to register your application with a developer account with a plan. And distribute the application with Production certificates.
I build some iOS app for other people. With android it's quite simple, I gave the .aab to the guy and they add themself this .aab in the play store. However, I think, I can't do the same for iOS or I m mistaken?
Is there a way to compile the app on my computer and gave my client a binary so he can publish it under his account? I m under Delphi if it's matter.
What worry me a lot is that I need to compile a dozen of a white-labeled app every time I Update the main core app and I want to automatize the process. How can I do this ?
An iOS app is compiled to an .ipa file, which can be deployed to a device or uploaded to the App Store.
However, iOS apps have many requirements beyond just deploying the binary.
Each customer will have to obtain a Developer Certificate that identifies them with the app(s) you develop on their behalf. They will have to provide those certificates to you.
In order for each customer to then install/upload your app binary(s) on their own accord, they will have to register App IDs with Apple, and give you those IDs so you can configure it into your projects as needed.
Each customer will also have to provision those IDs according to how they will be installed (Ad-Hoc vs App Store), and give you the provisioning profiles so you can configure them into your projects as well.
This is all covered in Embarcadero's documentation:
iOS Mobile Application Development
Acquiring an iOS Developer Certificate
Provisioning an iOS Application
Creating an App ID for Your Application
Creating and Installing Your Provisioning Profiles
Configuring Your Provisioning Profiles on RAD Studio
Deploying Your Final iOS Application
Deploying Your iOS Application for Ad-hoc Distribution
Deploying Your iOS Application for Submission to the App Store
Has somebody enrolled into "Google Play App Signing" and tried it with a xamarin android app?
Since the enrollment is irreversible i would like to know, whether it is possible to sign xamarin apps (with VS archiving / command line build / CI build)
I have enrolled. There are some problems, I have yet not been able to upload a new application but for existing applications there is no problem, just build it and use the tools to link your account in xamarin/vs and it uploads no problem.
I will post an update when I succeed in uploading a new application.
I have a problem: I am using a windows computer to code using Google Remote Desktop. I am writing an iPhone app for my phone. I dont want to release the app, I just want to get it on my iPhone. I do not have access to any kind of mac. Basically, I have an xcode project on a mac that I am accessing using Google Remote Desktop. How can I put this app on my iPhone. This is for a school project. It is time sensitive. Is there anything I could do with iCloud or iTunes or something? Thanks for any suggestions.
You're going to have to find a Mac to at least compile the code. After that, you can put it on your iPhone directly in Xcode - if, and only if, you've paid your $99 to Apple to get a development certificate.
You might be best off finding someone with a Mac and a membership in the iOS Developer Program to compile your app and run it on your phone.
I'm afraid you can't sync an app to your phone without using Xcode. Xcode provisions the app using your developer certificate so that it can be installed on a device. This is part of Apple's software security and helps prevent malicious apps. As far as I'm aware Xcode is the only app that will do the code signing and install.
To be a bit more precise, Xcode uses command line tools under the hood to perform the code signing and syncing, and these tools that are only available on OS X.
You can install an app package (.ipa) using iTunes on Windows - refer to this answer - install ad-hoc distribution over iTunes running on Windows
BUT as others have said, you need to have an iTunes developer program membership in order to generate the signed IPA file on your remote Mac.
I am working on a cordova/ios/android project that was developed by another dev before me, they were using testflight to distribute beta IPA to the client.
but it creates many issues when I try to upgrade different components.
Is it possible to upload to testflight with out integrating the SDK into the project? if yes then how?
What is testflight and why do I need to integrate it into the code?
what are the minimum steps to get it working.
You can look at
https://www.testflightapp.com/
but I've got to agree that their information is a little sparse.
You can distribute an application through Testflight without putting their SDK into the code.
All you get without the SDK is distribution of the app. If you do integrate the SDK you can get information about how the app is used and you can get application crashes.
The minimum is to
Sign up on the testflight website as a developer (so you can distribute
builds).
Log in.
Go to https://www.testflightapp.com/dashboard/ there
is good documentation available from there.
Build an archive of your app to get the ipa file -- preferably an ad-hoc distribution build.
Add an app to your list of apps.
Upload the app.
Test install it yourself on one of your devices.
Invite the beta testers (or maybe you have a list of the devices and entered them as being able to run your app because they have been doing it this way).
There is adequate documentation on the website. If you don't want to add the SDK just ignore all that. I've done this (without the SDK) so it can't be that hard.