testing your app, and two types of distribution profile.

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hi

My app is almost ready and I’d like to be able to have a couple of friends test it on different devices. I have a development provisioning profile and today I created an “ad hoc” distribution profile on the apple developer site.

There seem to be two types of distribution profiles you can make. One is “app store” and the other is “ad hoc” which is described as “Create a distribution provisioning profile to install your app on a limited number of registered devices.”

Now that sounds like exactly what I want, but when I go to iTunes connect and >> manage your apps >> add new app, the process is taking me straight towards publishing the app on the store, even though I do not have an app store provisioning profile and am not absolutely ready to publish yet.

Can someone explain this to me? How do I invite people to test the app before submitting the app to the store?

thanks,

David

#2

Hello,

You discuss your friend about this app and suggest download these app. This is the best idea Because i also testing my app i follow these type of idea.

#3

You don’t upload AdHoc apps to Apple for distribution.  You have to get the UDID (Unique Device ID) from each device you want to test on and add it as a device on the Provisioning Portal.  Then you build a new AdHoc profile that includes these devices.  Download that profile to the folder with your other profiles, restart Corona SDK and then build your app.

Do not upload it to iTunes.

Now at this point you have a .zip file and a .app file (really a folder).   You need to make a .ipa file which there should be plenty of forum thread posts that cover the process.  Once you have a .ipa file, you can then email it, drop box it, or however you want to get it to your testers.  They then attach their device to their computer and using iTunes, drag and drop the IPA file into the Apps listing and it will install the app.

Rob

#4

Thanks, that’s a big help.

What if I am the only tester and have several devices? If they are correctly added as you described in your post, I should I be able to install the app on all of them on my iTunes, right?

Reason I ask is that I have added an iPad mini (using ios7) to my test devices but cannot install the app on it. I’m thinking the problem lies in my version of OS 10 and xcode. When I download the profile with the devices, xcode says that it can’t deal with ios 7 devices. For this I need to run the later version of xcode (or regress the device’s ios), and for that I have to upgrade my OS…yay, time to catch the upgrade train again.

#5

If you are the only tester, I would advise using Xcode and launching the Organizer (SHIFT-CMD-2).  When your device is tethered, you can click on “Applications” in the side nav bar for your device and install your apps that way.

You still need to add your devices to the provisioning portal and profile.

You will need Xcode 5 if your devices are running iOS 7

Rob

#6

thanks.

#7

If you want to send your build to several testers, I find TestFlight very useful. It simplifies all the device registration stuff. You simply make a build with the AdHoc provisioning profile, upload the build to the TestFlight and invite people who are going to be testers. All the other steps, through to installation, are handled by TestFlight automatically. And it is all free. 

To be honest, I haven’t tried TestFlight with Corona builds yet but I am am using it on a daily bases with native iOS apps, both personally and for clients.

#8

thanks for the tip.

#9

Hello,

You discuss your friend about this app and suggest download these app. This is the best idea Because i also testing my app i follow these type of idea.

#10

You don’t upload AdHoc apps to Apple for distribution.  You have to get the UDID (Unique Device ID) from each device you want to test on and add it as a device on the Provisioning Portal.  Then you build a new AdHoc profile that includes these devices.  Download that profile to the folder with your other profiles, restart Corona SDK and then build your app.

Do not upload it to iTunes.

Now at this point you have a .zip file and a .app file (really a folder).   You need to make a .ipa file which there should be plenty of forum thread posts that cover the process.  Once you have a .ipa file, you can then email it, drop box it, or however you want to get it to your testers.  They then attach their device to their computer and using iTunes, drag and drop the IPA file into the Apps listing and it will install the app.

Rob

#11

Thanks, that’s a big help.

What if I am the only tester and have several devices? If they are correctly added as you described in your post, I should I be able to install the app on all of them on my iTunes, right?

Reason I ask is that I have added an iPad mini (using ios7) to my test devices but cannot install the app on it. I’m thinking the problem lies in my version of OS 10 and xcode. When I download the profile with the devices, xcode says that it can’t deal with ios 7 devices. For this I need to run the later version of xcode (or regress the device’s ios), and for that I have to upgrade my OS…yay, time to catch the upgrade train again.

#12

If you are the only tester, I would advise using Xcode and launching the Organizer (SHIFT-CMD-2).  When your device is tethered, you can click on “Applications” in the side nav bar for your device and install your apps that way.

You still need to add your devices to the provisioning portal and profile.

You will need Xcode 5 if your devices are running iOS 7

Rob

#13

thanks.

#14

If you want to send your build to several testers, I find TestFlight very useful. It simplifies all the device registration stuff. You simply make a build with the AdHoc provisioning profile, upload the build to the TestFlight and invite people who are going to be testers. All the other steps, through to installation, are handled by TestFlight automatically. And it is all free. 

To be honest, I haven’t tried TestFlight with Corona builds yet but I am am using it on a daily bases with native iOS apps, both personally and for clients.

#15

thanks for the tip.