

Ask HN: How do you compile an iOS app? - mcartyem

I don't see a place in XCode that builds an executable file. Is there such a thing?<p>How can I compile the iOS app and produce a file I can give to people with it?<p>I don't know if I should be laughing for asking this, or crying after looking at XCode.<p>Boy, do I miss Visual Basic 3.0.
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cd34
You pay Apple $99 for their developer program, build a package file and
release it. With someones UDID, you can have them download the app for testing
through the app store.

You can also use <https://testflightapp.com/> which has some unique features
and a different procedure, but, some very cool tools that go along with it for
feedback.

~~~
mcartyem
Can you define "release" and "it" please?

Is "it" some file on disk? I don't see it.

Can I get a file and stick it on an iPhone? How can I test an app on an iPhone
before "releasing" it.

~~~
cd34
You pay the $99 to Apple, then you can associate XCode with a local phone and
develop/test your app. You can also get the UDID number from another person's
phone, and distribute the app to them to beta test. I believe there is a limit
of 25 beta testers + the developer's phone.

You can also use testflightapp.com which has its own SDK and will notify
people on updates and has a pretty good customer experience manager built in,
allowing you to get feedback from within the app. Apps can be deployed through
them for beta or production and you can collect a number of metrics. I've not
actually worked with it yet - I'm at roughly the same stage you are and am
buying an IPhone today to test my app.

~~~
mcartyem
Note that you need not just to generate those certificates and download them.
You need to also manually open the keychain access and import those files in
there. Only then will the Provisioning Profile in the Organizer show up.

A bit of an omission in the docs.

These big words remind me of Windows.

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richerd
In the Menu, Product > Archive. If you want to distribute your application
you'll need to make sure that its properly code signed.

And checkout Testflight <https://testflightapp.com/> they have lots of
resources on how to build and distribute Ad Hoc builds which are builds that
you can give to people.

~~~
mcartyem
Why is "Archive" grayed out in my XCode?

 _Update_ : When one picks "iOS Device" under schemes, Archive becomes
available, but building fails with the message "There are no valid
certificate/private key pairs in the default keychain".

Well, if I need those, why didn't you build those for me XCode? And how do I
build those now? They don't seem to be the same as an ssh key...

Is this the best you can do XCode, really?

~~~
cd34
They do build those for you after you pay the $99 developer fee.

XCode allows you to develop for the emulator for free, but, to deploy on any
phone - including yours, it requires membership in their developer program.

------
jarrodtaylor
Product menu > Build will build your app. You can tell Xcode where to put the
app in the Locations preference pane, but if you want to distribute an iOS app
you'll have to use the app store.

