iOS Question How to create In-House provisioning mode?

[rfresh]

I'm a bit lost here. I understand to allow my iPad app to install on any iPad without having to know it's UDID number, that I have to create an in-house distribution provision. In my Apple dev account, I created one and downloaded it. This will allow me to upload my app to the Store.

How do I use this new provisioning file in my B4i IDE?

Thanks...

 

[Erel]

Do you have an enterprise account with Apple (this is the account that costs ~300$)?

 

[rfresh]

No, I do not. So to be able to upload my app to the Apple store, I have to pay 300.00? This doesn't make any sense. I must be missing something here.

 

[techknight]

This doesn't make any sense. I must be missing something here.

Yep. Apple's Antics.

 

[rfresh]

OK, so I'm stuck with my Ad-Hoc provisioning mode. When someone wants to install my app, I get their iPad UDID number but how do I incorporate that into my B4i build so it will install?

 

[Alberto Iglesias]

OK, so I'm stuck with my Ad-Hoc provisioning mode. When someone wants to install my app, I get their iPad UDID number but how do I incorporate that into my B4i build so it will install?

Hello rfresh, you are using which certificate? you should be use the development one

 

[rfresh]

I started the process to get a developers cert but I saw it said I needed to create a CSR:

"To manually generate a Certificate, you need a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) file from your Mac".

But I don't have a MAC. I'm using the B4i server and installing to my iPad.

 

[Erel]

This thread is not clear.
You don't need a special account if you want to upload your app to the app store.

"To manually generate a Certificate, you need a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) file from your Mac".

But I don't have a MAC. I'm using the B4i server and installing to my iPad.

Follow the tutorial: Creating a certificate and provisioning profile

 

[techknight]

This thread is not clear.
You don't need a special account if you want to upload your app to the app store.


Follow the tutorial: Creating a certificate and provisioning profile

I could be wrong, but from what I am gathering is He wants to be able to distribute apps to his customers without making it public, like side-loading IPA files outside of the store to anyone without having that person's UDID, or, having a private store app.

This is possible, BUT only if you have an enterprise grade account, and a special certificate which I hear is hard to get. Its a special certificate that acts like a store certificate, but it doesn't require the store as an origin. So you could pass IPA files around, signed with this certificate and it will install on the device.

https://developer.apple.com/programs/enterprise/

Which has caused this:
https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18232583/apple-ios-developer-enterprise-program-store-mobile-apps

So its only a matter of time before Apple "fixes" it.

 

[rfresh]

@techknight That is correct. I have only a hand full of folks I'd like to be able to install my iPad app on without going through the App Store. But I can't afford to spend 300.00 on the Enterprise account. I don't want to upload my app to the app store because I can't control who downloads and installs it.

 

[mcqueccu]

Then Pay the 99$ and use testflight or OTA to send the apps to your users (which you will need their devices UDID)

or try DIAWI

This is what is written on their website

Development & In-house Apps Wireless Installation
Diawi is a tool for developers to deploy Development and In-house applications directly to the devices.

1. Upload the iOS or Android application.
2. Send the link to your testers, clients, friends or even use it yourself.
3. Open the link in the browser on the device and click on install.

It works for iOS and Android.

 

[Marcus Araujo]

TestFlight is nice, but the app expires, doesn't it?

 

[rfresh]

I do use Diawi but I am unsure of where to input my friends UDID string? Is this done when I build my app or is this something that is done on the Diawi site?

So I have come full circle with this thread now. I was unable to install my app on my friends iPad because I didn't know (and still don't) where to input their UDID string.

 

[Erel]

You have two options (without an enterprise account):
- Get the devices UDID and install the app with OTA or a similar service.
- Upload the app to the app store.

Getting the device UDID: https://showmyudid.com/

 

[rfresh]

OK that helped. So now I can get the UDID from my friends iPad's. But I'm still confused on how to use it during an install. I'm using diawi.com to initiate the install but it doesn't prompt me for a UDID string. When I asked them about this, they told me to talk to B4i (my build tool folks). I went to showmyudid.com and installed as prompted. Is that what my friends have to do as well?

 

[techknight]

You have to sign your IPA file with a certificate generated against the UDID. Apple does not make things easy. This is why I have ultimately made the decision to not support them going forward into the future.

Anyways, you have to add the UDID into your developer account portal and generate a new cert with that new UDID, and all the other existing ones against it.

Then recompile with that cert. You may be able to simply re-sign with that cert, but I am not sure how. its easier just to open the project and recompile it.

Thats all you can do.

 

[rfresh]

Per Erel's link, I looked at the following steps. Specifically the last step Provision Profile. I have an existing ad hoc file. I created another one but did not see anywhere in that process of adding any UDID. So I'm still missing something here. Where do I add additional UDID's?

Steps required:

IDE

• Tools - Configure Paths
• Tools - Build Server - Server Settings
• Tools - Private Sign Key - fill password and click on Create New Key

UDID

• Find the device udid. You can find it with iTunes or with an online service such as: https://showmyudid.com/

Apple developer account - developer.apple.com

• Devices - Add device
• App Id - Create wildcard app id with the following id: *
• Certificate - Create distribution certificate (ad hoc + store)
  
• Provision Profile - Create distribution profile (ad hoc)

 

[Erel]

The UDID goes into the provision profile. You need to create a new one.

 

[rfresh]

OK I think I understand this now.

Thanks to all.