In order to deploy iOS apps (apps for iPhone or iPad) to the Apple App store, I use the Apple App Store task.
This works, but this task only support deploying .ipa files (for iOS).
I also have a MacOS desktop application (a .dmg file). How can this automatically be deployed from an Azure DevOps pipeline? The Apple App store task (that supports .ipa) does not seem to support .dmg, and I cannot find any documentation on it either.
Any help is appreciated.
Yes, the Apple App Store only support IPA file: Binary Path (File path, Required) - Path to the IPA file you want to publish to the specified track. A glob pattern can be used but it must resolve to exactly one IPA file. Currently, there is no option to achieve this.
A dmg file extension is used for default disk image format in Mac OS X (macOS) that replaced the older IMG format. It is used much like ISO images on Windows platform.
Files with dmg file extension can also be found as binary dumps created by Oracle programs. Should not be confused with the common Mac OS X (macOS) disk image that also shares the DMG extension.
An ipa file extension is generally used for application packages downloaded from Apple iTunes app store. The IPA is a container format that contains app installations.
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.
I hired a developer. He made app. I want to test it.
What I have:
Apple developer account - single - I never could figure out that
company international ID thingy.
Only I can access the account (am willing to give access if that is
only way)
I have OsX 10.6.2 snow lep running on Virtual Box all good
XCode 3.2.something (its older, updating requires new kernel and has
been problematic)
(I can utilize the apple dev provisioning wizard on dev.app.com to
obtain certs and files)
I have an apple certificate file downloaded to my computer that I
made under the provisioning thingy on dev.app.com
iPod Touch 4g (Jailbroken) if needed. (unknown if I can access it
via virtual box)
What I want to do...
Send whatever files to my ios developer so he can create a single file to email back to me. I take said file and install it on my iPod Touch, on my windows computer.
What do I need to send him so the developer can make this happen? Further what do I need to tell him to do. This part may seem odd as why would "I" not knowing how to build an iOS app be telling the dev how to do it. I have requested him to make this all happen before and there is a language barrier.
What I do not want to have to do:
Use the mac anymore (please tell me this is possible.)
(said in another way) I would like to Test apps by putting them on my ipod Touch (using itunes or safari and dev account is ok) BUT I want to be using windows.
Can this be done? I code Android. I do not know Xcode and dealing with builds from Xcode 4.6 then trying to open project in Xcode 3.X not knowing if there are project errors etc. and well...learning xcode jsut doesn't make sense...I mean then why hire a dev? yeah yeah cause he knows C++ I got that part.
Anyway, sorry for the 'flavor' parts of this message I just want to make a message that will sum up the "world of it all" for any future travelers trying to do the same thing.
Summary - I want to test apps on Ipod Touch (or whatever iOS device) using windows to install them to the device. Able and willing to use Mac to create needed files (certs. keychain files etc.) can use Mac for all building aspects.
Please advise and thank you very much programming gawds in advance.
Use the mac anymore (please tell me this is possible.)
2 .(said in
another way) I would like to Test apps by putting them on my ipod
Touch (using itunes or safari and dev account is ok) BUT I want to be
using windows.
It is possible. However, you may not understand the following steps because those should be done by iOS developer.
Step1. Your developer should archive it (In xcode, press Product, then Archive).
Step2. Open Organizer in xcode (top right corner), click the "Archives" page
Step3. Select the app you just built. Then click "Distribute" button and select "Save for enterprise or Ad-Hoc Deployment"
Step4. You will get xxx.ipa. You can drag this file in WINDOWS iTune and sync to your iPod.
Note: Your iPod should mark for "use for development" with valid provision.
I am interested in developing an app for BlackBerry devices, and was wondering if they support the concept of demo or beta releases for their app developers? By this, I mean the ability to deploy a beta or demo version of my app to a limited/restricted audience, such as business partners, customers, external beta testers, etc. Nothing in their Testing and Deployment documentation indicates either way. Thanks in advance!
There isn't a built in beta process in App World for BlackBerry 10, but you can share the debug version of your app with your beta participants. When you create a debug token, you specify which PINs you want it to be valid for. The debug token will only install on a device with one of those PINs, and your app will only install on a device with your debug token on it. The token will only be valid for 30 days. You would have to deploy it with the command line tools and not App World.
This link on the BlackBerry Developer blog explains how to do it: http://devblog.blackberry.com/2012/04/debug-token/
It's for PlayBook, but the same process applies for BlackBerry 10 as well.
I actually don't know if RIM themselves have anything formal, but since I've always released BlackBerry apps on more than just the official App World store, I've used a beta testing system that is independent of RIM. Luckily, the legacy BlackBerry Java platform gives you the freedom to do this, free of charge. (Note that this answer is not about the upcoming BB10 platform!)
Over-the-Air (OTA) Installation
You can have your beta testers install your beta versions, Over-The-Air (OTA). Unlike iOS, for example, you aren't limited to a certain number of test devices, and you don't have to tell RIM what the unique identifiers of all the test devices are.
So, what I do is just put beta versions of my apps on a webserver, and send links to beta testers that allows them to download them. So, you are in control of who gets access. If you need security to limit the beta version to nobody except the official beta testers, then you are certainly free to add password protected logins to your webserver. That works the same way it would for any other secure web content.
If you do this (OTA), here are a few references:
http://www.blackberryinsight.com/2008/07/08/howto-setup-an-apache-webserver-to-deliver-blackberry-ota-applications/
Blackberry over the air installation
https://stackoverflow.com/a/10307074/119114
There are a couple steps to be aware of:
You normally just upload a .cod file to BlackBerry App World. If you want to deploy an app to your own webserver, you also need the .jad file. A JAD file is basically just a descriptor of the app, that can redirect a BlackBerry browser to the .cod file for installation. Your build process is already probably generating the .jad file for you, in the same output directory where it generates your .cod files.
You may need to configure your webserver to properly setup MIME types for files with a .jad extension. If you use Apache, then this is what you would put in your httpd.conf file:
AddType text/vnd.sun.j2me.app-descriptor jad
you may also need to add a MIME type definition for the .cod type, too
AddType application/vnd.rim.cod .cod
If you don't have access to the web server's httpd.conf file, but can place the JAD and COD in your own user directory, then you can configure the MIME types in a local .htaccess file.
Depending on your web server configuration, there may be a couple more steps necessary. Check the OTA links I provided above.
Desktop Installation
Another option is to simply email your beta versions to beta testers, and have them install on their devices using BlackBerry Desktop Software. I don't do this, but it is another way to accomplish the same thing. For this, you use the .cod file, and also the .alx file, which is also generated by the normal BlackBerry build process.
Note that some of the project properties that get put into the .alx or .jad files are things that you don't need to worry about if you only deploy the .cod file directly to BlackBerry App World. If you use one of the options (ALX for Desktop installation, or JAD for OTA), then I would recommend opening up the .alx or .jad file and just inspecting the values for correctness. They're normal text files, and most of the values should be self-explanatory. I believe all settings can be configured from inside your IDE. If you use the BlackBerry Eclipse plugin, right click on your project, select Properties and look around there.
Here are the official RIM docs on all your installation options
its not possible. When you publish your app in app world, it will be available to all users. So you cant set any special conditions like- available only to some people. Else make it in un published mode. Then only users with sandbox id can access your app.
Check the below link for BB 10 Cascades beta 3 release(Preferrable way of development in BB 10)
https://developer.blackberry.com/cascades/
For BB 10,they are plenty of ways for developing the applications ,check the below link
https://developer.blackberry.com/platforms/
If I sign my Mac OS X app using my self-signed certificate, I am still able to modify the binary after signing and the OS doesn't complain about anything and the app will work just fine. If I modify an iOS binary then the app simply will not load on the device.
If it's actually meant to work like this on OS X, are there any ways to securely and reliably ensure integrity like the iOS-style code signing check?
On Mac OS X, code signing check only kicks in if the application is marked for quarantine by the operating system, i.e if the application is downloaded from the internet using safari or may be mail application.
The best way to test this is to set the quarantine attribute using xattr, something like xattr -w com.apple.quarantine "0001;4fce45e4;Safari;E17715E0-DB01-4EA3-A102-FBE7C2C8587A|com.apple.Safari"
Hope this helps.