I developed an app and tested in iPhone and iPad simulators. In the project there's .app file in debug-iphonesimulator folder. Doesn't look like "release" file for me, because of the folder's name.
All I want to do now is create the app file which is going to be submitted later to the stores. I find information about a lot of things - test app on one device, create developer account, install add hoc distrubution and whatever. All I want to know is which is the file I have to submit to testers and store later and how I create it.
In Android you export app and have .apk at the end for all devices. But I don't understand how it is for IOS.
Edit: I'm particulary interested in the case where the developer is not the one owning developer account. What does have to send the developer to the person owning the account?
I'm using Xcode 3.2.6
If you are using the latest version of xCode, all you need to do is go to product->archive, and it will assemble the binary and package it for submission to the app store. There is a little bit more to preparing for distribution, such as creating a distribution profile, but you can find that information on the developer website for apple
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I am looking for getting IPA file of an ios application for which I do not have either project code , nor development id or bundle Id.
The application is available in app store. I have installed it into iOS mobile ....but for automation I am looking for it's IPA file.
It's not clear whether you're trying to download the .ipa from the App Store, recover it from a device, or generate it somehow. These files are basically zipped archives — once the app is installed, the .ipa probably doesn't exist on the device. And it seems unlikely that Apple would make it easy to download it from the store yourself.
If your goal is to set up a large number of devices, you should take a look at Apple Configurator and the Managed Distribution capability that it provides. Together with the "volume purchase plan," you can assign apps to the devices you're managing.
I have not renewed my developer account since I am just developing an app for a school project. I want to distribute my app to a few folks to get some test-feedback (I think there will be lots of bugs, crashes and other issues detected even if 5-10 friends/family use it and provide feedback).
Since I don't plan to publish this on the app store but use it just to improve my app development skills, I want to distribute the app using appaloosa instead of paying the $99 developer account fee to use TestFlight.
This requires uploading an ipa file. I tried following steps in other posts but I am stuck at the step where they ask to "select the archived app and hit 'Share'". I don see any Share button when I select the archived app.
Is it possible to create the ipa file without a developer account? if yes, how is this done? Also, after creating the ipa file and uploading it to appaloosa, will things just work or are there any other gotchas?
Can someone share a screenshot of how creating the .ipa from the archived file would look like? Maybe I'm overlooking the share button?
No, you can only test on your own device for free. Any other distribution requires a Developer Account.
It is indeed possible. You can create the .ipa by using the method shown in How to create ipa in xcode 6 without Apple Developer account?. The second method (of creating empty Payload folder") is what worked for me. I then renamed the compressed file to .ipa instead of Payload.zip and uploaded to appaloosa. I just successfully installed it on multiple devices and they work! Now I'm ready to get some real user feedback. How awesome is that!
I have developed an iOS app. I want to give it for third party testing. What should i choose scheme when creating build for third party testing, Debug or Release? Third party testing device UDID is included in the provisioning profile.
If I use TestFlight for OTA installation, will the UDID to be included still? (or) TestFlight app doesn't need any UDID included in the build?
Please advise!
Thank you!
(Seems like I can't comment yet). In response to the comments posted to the original question:
TestFlight, part of Burstly, is now Apple propery, as mentioned in this rumor
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/02/21/apple-may-acquire-testflight/
and later confirmed by Apple.
http://recode.net/2014/02/21/apple-confirms-burstly-buy/
As mentioned by someone, Apple uses shuts down their acquisitions and hence it may not be a very good idea to start using it now.
Archive your app, which will be a release build by default as far as I know. Doesn't really matter what the build type is, then in the archive manager click "distribute" and "save for enterprise or ad-hoc deployment", and select a provisioning profile for the app that has your beta tester's device IDs embedded in it, only those devices will be able to run the app.
This will create a file with the profile built in. Users can install it on their phone using three methods:
add it to their iTunes library and sync the phone using USB
use the "iPhone Configuration Utility", which is a free download for windows/mac from Apple's website, and doesn't require iTunes and all the baggage that brings along with it
upload the file to a website and also upload an XML file pointing to the download URL and also a PNG image, display name, and a few other things. Get the iOS device to visit the XML file's URL with itms-services:// as the protocol. Any means to open the URL is fine, email, website link, SMS message, whatever.
Test Flight uses the third approach. But you can easily set it up yourself.
Extensive documentation for all three approaches is available at http://developer.apple.com
Whichever method you use you'll need to build the app with a provisioning profile that includes your tester's device UDID.
I suggest using a Release build, so they are actually going to be testing the same version you are planning on releasing.
I've recently evidenced a set of third party illegal appstores that re-distibute iOS apps. These online stores are able to install free Appstore apps (i.e. Facebook, Google Map, etc.) or their own apps on non-jailbroken devices. Regarding the fact that Apple forbids third-party stores, I just want to know how these apps are signed to be installed on Apple devices? Does these Apps first jailbreak the device?
Does apple allow changing/updating the Signature of an app?
Update:
It seems that these Apps are installed on the device by a certificate generated by an enterprise developer license, so it can be installed on any device without any limitations. But I cannot understand how these AppStores install those Apps that are available on Apple AppStore, like Facebook !!!
Update 2:
Is it possible to get the .ipa file of an application hosted on AppStore? i.e. Facebook? If possible, can it be resigned?
Update 3:
These are the certificates installed. Obviously one of them is fake, unverified but at the same time can install apps without the need to jailbreak.
Update 4
I think the Q/A at this link on SO does not reply to my Q as well. If the tongbu signs the apps using an enterprise license, is it really possible to get an enterprise license for each app?
The apps are most likely re-signed with the developers (person creating these so called "cracked apps" own distribution certificate. They will purchase the real app, extract the IPA file, and then re-sign it. These legally signed apps are then uploaded to a website and then downloaded by the user or distributed by some other means. iOS treats these like regular signed apps and doesn't check with the App Store because they were never uploaded. This allows downloading of cracked apps on a non-jailbroken iDevice. Jailbreaking eliminates the need for code-signing. The distribution certificate is normally used for companies wanting to distribute an app designed specifically for their working environment with no need to upload to the App Store. Distributing and using a developer's certificate in this way of making cracked apps of course violates Apple's policies and those certificates will be voided as soon as Apple finds out but that can take a very long time.
EDIT: There seems to be some confusion as to how App Store apps are being installed for free on devices. This process requires jailbreaking but only to create the ipa, installing it is done automatically on the device by iOS. Whoever is uploading the apps goes through this process:
They first download the target app from the app store and install it on their device.
They then copy over the .app from their iDevice to their computer through various file explorers or other means.
They create a folder called Payload and put the .app inside.
They zip up the Payload folder
They rename the zipped file with a .ipa extension.
This .ipa file is then resigned with a distribution certificate through iResign or terminal and then uploaded to the internet.
When a user downloads a .ipa file, iOS automatically installs it if it was signed correctly.
I hope this clears up any confusion. Also, if they are uploading their own app they made in xcode, they can simply use xcode to do it by archiving it first (Product>Archive) with their distribution certificate and Ad-hoc provisioning profile selected to code-sign then opening organizer, going to archives and clicking distribute. Finally they choose Save for enterprise or Ad-Hoc Deployment which automatically makes an ipa ready for upload.
I have done my iOS app, but I don't want to submit to App Store.
Shall I pass it to my friend and run on his iPhone without jailbroken?
I heard it has some certain certificate allow other guys to run it.
I have developer account.
would you please provide some materials if have some ways to achieve it in legal.
Edit my question:
what is proper way to run the application on iPhone for testing with my remote designer? That is, he can transfer the application via itune, not xcode.
You have to register his UDID in apple developer portal. Then you can install your app on his phone from Xcode.
You can distribute your application using standard developer account certificate ($99), but it is limited to 100 devices.
Below is the documentation from Apple:
iOS developers enrolled in the Standard Program can also distribute an
app outside of the App Store on up to 100 different devices for
testing purposes only. To use ad hoc distribution, create an archive
of your app, or have a teammate send you an iOS App Store Package
(.ipa) of the archived app.
You distribute your app by providing the .ipa file for users to
install on their devices. Because you select a valid ad hoc
provisioning profile to archive the app, users don’t need to install
the profile on their device, only the .ipa file. Users can use iTunes
to install the app on their devices. If users want to use Xcode to
install the app on their device, share the archive as an .xcarchive
file package.
Detail documentation is found here