I have followed the steps to get an iOS Enterprise Distribution to detect an update and install over the air given here:
How to update ios6 enterprise apps over the air
When I push a new .ipa and .plist file, my app updates as expected. However, when it is trying to update there is an alert dialog that shows up with the following text:
<server-name> would like to install "<app-name>"
Is there a way to customize this text, or to accept the dialog automatically? I would like to inform our internal users that this is an update that they need to install. The default text would most likely cause some confusion.
As of the latest SDK, I'm afraid the answer here is a solid 'No'. Over-the-Air (OTA) installs ask the user for confirmation to avoid a drive-by download situation and to try and provide some transparency that this app originates from sources other than the App Store channel.
Let's hypothetically say you decided to make an extremely large multi-gigabyte app and could auto-accept / dismiss the confirmation popup. This would setup the possibility for your users to tap on a hyperlink and get routed at your OTA Manifest file triggering an OTA download over a potentially metered connection.
While you can't auto-accept / dismiss, the Enterprise OTA manifest file includes some optional manifest fields that you can implement to see if you can get something that is more in line with what you are looking for (Apple Enterprise Developer Sample Manifest file). Scroll to the bottom of the sample file and try putting a string in for "subtitle" and "title" in the Metadata dictionary.
I'd also encourage you to file an improvement ticket with Apple (bugreport.apple.com). I'd expect the "customize the text" avenue would be much more in line with Apple's style than the "auto-accept" route, but it certainly doesn't hurt to ask!
Related
I can successfully read and write a text file within the user's Documents directory for my iOS app. However, I will need to view this text file myself, retrieving it from the user's iPad.
I looked into sending it via email, but all of the links pointed me to MFMailComposer rather than some automated way of sending email. I looked into FTP uploading, but Apple doesn't seem to want me to use password protected FTP in my app. How can I go about making a text file in the user's Documents directory accessible from my own computer? I feel as if there must be some easier options for this task.
Well, there's iTunes File Sharing. It is probably the most "direct" way to do it, as it doesn't require any 3rd party service and frameworks. Read more about it at Ray Wenderlich's - the tutorial is a bit dated, but should still be valid for the most part.
For over the air sharing, I'd recommend dropbox. It is easy to use within your app and many of your future users will have an account already.
Lastly, if you require the functionality for your development purposes, you might want to take a look at iExplorer (formerly iPhone Explorer). It will allow you direct access to your apps documents folder and doesn't require you to alter your app in any way to work.
Go to your App-Info.plist and add a row under Information Property List.
Name that row Application supports iTunes file sharing. You should see it auto completing.
Set the value to YES
That's all you need to do. Now you can access the files from your iTunes.
As of August 4, 2014, open up iTunes. In the top right corner, click on your device, but NOT the eject button. It might say iPhone. Click on the Apps tab and scroll to the bottom to File Sharing. Click on the desired app and the documents will appear.
I know about other 3rd parties but I'm trying to do Ad Hoc OTA using Dropbox.
99% of the material available is out of date, for iOS4 and pre-dates Xcode 5
After sifting it all this works for me up to a point: I get to download on another device from Dropbox but only partially. But the process continually re-starts halfway through and never completes.
// an email link to ..
// a regular html file on my website using the following:
Tap Here
// the .html file above points to another file on DropBox's servers,
// which is another .html file pointing to the .plist manifest
Your Beta, Sir
// line 14 in the .plist points back to my website
<string>http://www.example.com.au/apps/myApp.ipa</string>
I'm using the .plist generated by Xcode, all the places below suggest editing their example, but none worked to get get me thus far
I tried just linking from an email to my .plist pointing to my.ipa in dropbox. Nope. Not in a million years.
Has anyone done it successfully from scratch since October 2013 ?
that's my question, but some background notes:
the reason for the fancy dance is that I learned that iOS7 expects the .ipa to be served up under HTTPS: I didn't feel like spending a week learning network coding. So I'm using Dropbox to fool itms-services for a trusted certificate.
yes the device is on my provisioning file,and its a distribution profile, not a development profile
one with the latest date
http://digitalpublishing.tumblr.com/post/29479304378/installing-your-developer-app-over-the-air-without
2hrs with this link didnt produce a solution, but worth it for other things that can go wrong
wireless iphone app distribution - problem with itms-services protocol
For newcomers here's some links where not to waste your time on the subject, there's other sites but smack of content-theivery.
( they drained my laptop battery nearly twice, I want some value for my hours ).
http://shinydevelopment.com/blog/over-the-air-ios-provisioning-and-distribution/
http://iosdevelopertips.com/xcode/distribute-ad-hoc-applications-over-the-air-ota.html
http://aaronparecki.com/articles/2011/01/21/1/how-to-distribute-your-ios-apps-over-the-air
http://dr-palaniraja.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/distribute-your-iphoneipad-adhoc-builds.html
http://www.techaheadcorp.com/blog/iphone/wireless-ad-hoc-distribution.php
http://www.buzztouch.com/forum/thread.php?tid=C170BC9A655DAC18CF67787¤tPage=1
http://3qilabs.com/how-to-ad-hoc-distribute-your-ios-app-via-a-website-and-ota/
I think this qualifies better as an answer to my own question, than a comment or an edit:
Apple have deprecated UDID in some way, and the beta tester used an app called UDID TOOL. ( He is a PC user wanting to avoid an iTunes install. Agreed )
I notice his UDID starts with fffffff as does my wife's when i use UDID TOOL. Comparing it to my Authorised devices list in Member Centre, her phone doesn't start with anything like it
So the first wrinkle to put straight is to find a way of retrieving his UDID correctly.
I found this in a tweet from Daiwi
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.
Is anybody aware of a way of uploading all the Achievements into Game Center within iTunes Connect?
I have about 30 achievements in 10 languages. That's a whole bunch of clicking, cutting and pasting to get the data from my source file into iTunesConnect. I notice there's a new feature to upload in app purchases. Is there something similar for achievements? Ideally there'd be a nice XML upload. Am I dreaming?
Thanks,
Dean.
There is a command line tool called "iTunes Connect Transporter" o just 'Transporter' to do just this. To get started login to iTunes Connect, goto "Manage Your Apps" and at the bottom there are several links. Under "Deliver of your Apps" you need the PDF files "Transporter User Guide" (the link to download Transporter is in this PDF) and "App Metadata Specification". With Transporter you can manage Game-Center Leaderboards and Achievements, and also all kinds of In-App Purchases.
To get you started try iTMSTransporter -m lookupMetadata ... (check the guide) to download existing IAP, Leaderboads and Achievements, and see the structure of the XML file you have to edit (you edit it with the Xcode editor). Everything will be downloaded to an .itmsp file which is just a package (iTunes package). You can enter into this package by ctrl-clicking the file and selecting "Show contents of package". Then you can add, edit all the contents of this package before uploading.
Also, I recommend running iTMSTransporter -m diagnostic to see if you have the required ports open.
I've used it and it works great. It takes a lot of time to configure a script to create the XML file the first time, but in the long run you save a LOT of time (and probably you do less mistakes too).
UPDATE:
Since this June 2013 iTMSTrasporter added the ability to upload app metadata (localized titles, descriptions, what’s new text, keywords, and screenshots, as well as territory rights, pricing, and availability), In-App-Purchase information and screenshots, hosted content (which I haven't used), and interval pricing (for the app itself and for IAP products). This makes iTMSTrasporter much more powerful.
By the way, when you introduce keywords you are only allowed 100 characters, and you can save a few characters by doing without spaces. So instead of: "keyword1, keyword2, keyword3, ..." you can put "keyword1,keyword2,keyword3,..." and it works.
Finally, a minor problem I encountered, if you create some Achievements or Leaderboards manually through iTunes Connect, and then try to reload or update some Achievements with iTMSTransporter, it will give you an error. But, if you create them with iTMSTransporter then you can update them without any problem as many times as you want.
I hope it helps!!
To upload or verify leader boards and achievements in bulk you have to use a command line tool iTMSTransporter which is installed in your Xcode package here:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Applications/Application Loader.app/Contents/MacOS/itms/ bin
You have to go to the directory where Transporter is installed in Terminal and use the various commands respectively. To use Transporter, you must have an iTunes Connect account with the Admin or Technical role.
WARNING!
You have to use "./" before the command which isn't mentioned in the Apple guide, like:
./iTMSTransporter ...
After you download the .itmsp package open it with "Show package content" and find a metadata.xml file, you can edit and upload it back.
If you have earlier achievements or leader boards you have to leave as they are just attach the new ones contrary to the earlier post!
The trick comes with the pictures.
If you have pictures you have to attach them to the itms package next to the metadata file, but you have to include the names etc in the metadata file. The best to make one achievement or leader board manually on iTunes Connect and download again the itms package and copy those data.
Be careful not to change anything in the original data just attach the new information.
It works well, but you have to wait until the servers propagate the new data.
I am dealing with the same issue, and after looking for a while, it would appear that there is no good solution except boring yourself to death cutting and pasting. With the fix for in app purchases, I would imagine a fix for this issue would be coming out soon.
I have an application in the "Prepare for Upload" state in iTunes Connect (ITC). I had initially setup ITC with provisional information, and was ready to upload final info, such as the high resolution icon, category selection, copyright statement, etc.
ITC allowed me to make all these changes, but when I clicked the Save button and went back to the previous screen, it showed the old icon and old information. I tried this several times with the same unsuccessful result.
I also contacted Apple's ITC support, but they sort of gave me the runaround and didn't offer any clear answer.
Fortunately I found a workaround. The icon file I had been uploading was a PNG file named "iTunesArtwork" with no extension, named as you have to name it to embed it in the bundle. On a hunch, I gave that image file a ".png" extension and updated in ITC again. This time the update took, and I was able to submit my app with everything set up exactly as desired.
So was the file extension really the trick? shrug It seemed like it to me based on the number of times I re-tried this, but it may also have been a change on Apple's side, so I can't guarantee this will work for you.