iOS Question Ad-Hoc Distribution of IPA file

[aminoacid]

I have been using the following (free) service:

www.diawi.com

to distribute IPA files (created by XCODE on a MAC) to selected devices using Ad-Hoc distribution. This is a GREAT service to very quickly be able to distribute and install Apps without going through the App store. I highly recommend that you checkout this service. You can even use "m.diawi.com" to find the UDID of your device. There are other similar services but this one is the easiest to use.

However, one problem with the B4i IPA file. I downloaded an IPA file after doing a "Build Release App". I then uploaded it to Diawi for distribution and get the error message from Diawi:

" The application package is not a valid package: No payload folder found in the package"

The Diawi requirements are that the IPA file be built for Development or Ad-Hoc distribution. And the Bundle identifier, bundle version and bundle display name must be defined in "info.plist". I think that this is also true for App Store Distribution.

So my question is... how does one update the info.plist with this information in B4i?

Thanks

 

[Erel]

You can upload the compiled IPA file to Apple AppStore.

All these fields you mentioned are set in the plist file. You can see it under the Objects folder.

 

[aminoacid]

Yes... I just saw that in the objects folder. So that's not the cause of the error. Do you know what they mean by " The application package is not a valid package: No payload folder found in the package"?

I have never received that message before uploading IPA files generated directly by XCODE. The only thing I can think off is that the certificate and provisioning profile I created is for development and not for distribution. That may be the cause of the error message.

I'll try creating a distribution profile and post my findings.

Thanks

 

[Erel]

You should see the Payload folder if you unzip the ipa file with 7zip.

 

[aminoacid]

Yes, you are right. There is a payload folder. And I just confirmed that the IPA file is okay by using "testflightapp.com" (which is a similar service) to distribute the file. The file installed perfectly via the supplied link. So it's probably an issue with Diawi.com and I reported it to them.
Thanks for your help. I must say that you have created a fantastic development tool which is so much easier to use than Apple's ObjectiveC and even their new SWIFT programming language which is supposed to make it easier. And above all it creates truly native iOS applications so there should not be any issues with Apple's approval for publication to the App Store.

 

[Erel]

And above all it creates truly native iOS applications so there should not be any issues with Apple's approval for publication to the App Store

And above all it runs on Windows

 

[aminoacid]

Absolutely... forgot about that!

 

[klarsys]

TestFlight has moved.
The services offered at TestFlightApp.com are now part of iTunes Connect.

Is there any other such service? I get the same error at diawi.

 

[aminoacid]

TestFlightApp and Diawi are the only ones I am familiar with. It's been a while since I used them both but I heared that TestFlightApp now requires a review which takes 24 hours. It also requires iOS8+ and does not support older Appled devices. That would make Diawi even more popular. You should report the issue to Diawi. I did report it but since I was probably the only one who did (the issue seems specific to IPAs generated by B4I/XCODE6) they are not paying much attention to it.

 

[klarsys]

I wrote to diawi as well.

 

[smishra]

I was having similar problems with diawi.

Here is how I made it work

- Unzipped Archive.zip generated by B4i hosted builder into Archive
- Descended into Archive->AppName->Payload
- Zipped up AppName.app in Payload folder
- Uploaded to diawi and voila it worked.

I used my Development certificate.

 

[db0070]

I was having similar problems with diawi.

Here is how I made it work

- Unzipped Archive.zip generated by B4i hosted builder into Archive
- Descended into Archive->AppName->Payload
- Zipped up AppName.app in Payload folder
- Uploaded to diawi and voila it worked.

I used my Development certificate.

Hi, are you using hosted mac? Because I can't find PayLoad in the Archive.zip when I download the last build

 

[Erel]

It is inside the ipa file.