Hello,
When I build my app for iPS pm a mac and then copy the .app file to my dropbox folder it is a folder. I thought it was supposed to be a file? I’m trying to build it and get it to my iTunes so I can test on my device.
Thanks,
Warren
On OS-X and iOS a .app is usually a folder. That folder contains all the assets needed to run the app including the executable, any settings, and so on. This is perfectly normal.
To install via iTunes you need to produce a .ipa file. An ipa file is a zipped version of the folder. Basically you make a directory called “payload”, copy the .app file inside of the payload folder, then compress the payload folder, rename it to whatever you want to call it and give it a .ipa extension. There may be better instructions out there and the payload folder may be case sensitive and really be Payload.
Rob
Yes, it’s Payload (initial letter uppercase). After copying the .app file in there just right-click the Payload folder and do Compress from the popup menu (using a zip utility may work, but this way is faster and guaranteed). Then rename per Rob’s instructions above.
You’re now ready to install on your device or use something like TestFlightApp to distribute to testers.
Jay
Thanks! I will give this a try today. Someone else who was helping me mentioned TestFlight and I went to the site but it looked like it did a whole lot more and wasn’t sure how to use it. Is it used to copy the app to the device from the mac? Or do I still use iTunes?
Warren
Thanks! I will give this a try today. Someone else who was helping me mentioned TestFlight and I went to the site but it looked like it did a whole lot more and wasn’t sure how to use it. Is it used to copy the app to the device from the mac? Or do I still use iTunes?
Actually I just went to the site and learned more on using it. So I signed up and about to try. It says it needs the build file as an ipa file also so I’ll do that. Do I include the provisioning file in the file or outside? Or it is not needed with TestFlight?
Warren
Testflight lets you install on the phone directly. I mentioned this in a link I included, but basically Apple (for as complicated as they make application installs seem) lets developers install their apps directly from Safari. But the trouble is it takes a bit of setup. Testflight seeks to make this process much easier and allows you to share your app within groups (usually for testing).
So ideally, if you had a testflight developer account setup, you could upload the build directly from your cloud mac to testflight, and then just update or install the app using only your phone.
On OS-X and iOS a .app is usually a folder. That folder contains all the assets needed to run the app including the executable, any settings, and so on. This is perfectly normal.
To install via iTunes you need to produce a .ipa file. An ipa file is a zipped version of the folder. Basically you make a directory called “payload”, copy the .app file inside of the payload folder, then compress the payload folder, rename it to whatever you want to call it and give it a .ipa extension. There may be better instructions out there and the payload folder may be case sensitive and really be Payload.
Rob
Yes, it’s Payload (initial letter uppercase). After copying the .app file in there just right-click the Payload folder and do Compress from the popup menu (using a zip utility may work, but this way is faster and guaranteed). Then rename per Rob’s instructions above.
You’re now ready to install on your device or use something like TestFlightApp to distribute to testers.
Jay
Thanks! I will give this a try today. Someone else who was helping me mentioned TestFlight and I went to the site but it looked like it did a whole lot more and wasn’t sure how to use it. Is it used to copy the app to the device from the mac? Or do I still use iTunes?
Warren
Thanks! I will give this a try today. Someone else who was helping me mentioned TestFlight and I went to the site but it looked like it did a whole lot more and wasn’t sure how to use it. Is it used to copy the app to the device from the mac? Or do I still use iTunes?
Actually I just went to the site and learned more on using it. So I signed up and about to try. It says it needs the build file as an ipa file also so I’ll do that. Do I include the provisioning file in the file or outside? Or it is not needed with TestFlight?
Warren
Testflight lets you install on the phone directly. I mentioned this in a link I included, but basically Apple (for as complicated as they make application installs seem) lets developers install their apps directly from Safari. But the trouble is it takes a bit of setup. Testflight seeks to make this process much easier and allows you to share your app within groups (usually for testing).
So ideally, if you had a testflight developer account setup, you could upload the build directly from your cloud mac to testflight, and then just update or install the app using only your phone.