Related to How to download app data in Xcode 4.2, I am using XCode 4.6 and can no longer download my app data using the Xcode Organizer. My app was recently released to the app store, and I can't recall, but I may have downloaded my app from the app store. In any event, the current version of the app on my phone is a development version (through Xcode, not app store). Other development apps show up in the Organizer, but not my released app. Since I don't want to lose the data associated with the app, I can't just delete the app, and re-install through Xcode. Suggestions?
If you coded your app to save the data to the app's Application Documents directly you can use a tool like PhoneDisk (or the newer iExplorer - http://www.macroplant.com/phonedisk/) to access your device and copy the contents from the documents folder to your desktop (or wherever).
Often times when we build apps with databases and we want to make sure users can easily backup, transfer, and/or email the DB to customer support so we enable iTunes file sharing.
This allows users to open iTunes, choose their device, select the Apps tab, then scroll down to the File Sharing section. From there the user can select any file located in the documents folder and easily copy the files to/from the device via iTunes.
To do this, you must enable Application Supports iTunes File Sharing by adding the same key and setting the BOOL value to YES in the *-Info.plist file for your application.
Related
My Nativescript iOS app saves some user created data using the nativescript-localstorage plugin. I want to be sure that users have a place to back-up this data.
The most straightforward option seems to be that they can include the app's data in an icloud backup (ie, icloud -> icloud Drive -> then allow the app to be backed up in the drive).
When I have used "$ tns run ios" and run the app locally on my phone, the app properly runs on my phone, but it does not appear as an option for backing up to icloud. On the icloud backup screen where apps are listed that you can choose to backup, my app does not appear.
This might be because it is just a local build, and only full releases (apps received from the app store) can be included in icloud backups, but I have not seen this confirmed anywhere.
Do I need to do anything to enable my app to be available for icloud backup?
I have figured out the key piece I was missing--that there are two different types of iCloud uses:
(i) the system-wide iCloud backup that happens automatically if the user turns it on (app developer does not need to take special action) and (ii) the iCloud as a cloud storage solution for certain data that you as the programmer need to configure.
For iCloud with CloudKit to show up as a specific feature of your app, this requires (ii)--and further configuration than just enabling it.
Further detail in my answer here.
Previously , My application was able to download on each device from iTunes. Currently I am working on Xcode 7.2 and have uploaded app to iTunes. Now, it is showing that this app is not compatible to your device when downloading it from iPhone 5. I cannot find the reason for this.
Log into iTunes connect, select your app and click Activity. Under All Builds, select the current build available on the App Store and view Device Requirements.
If these are not as expected then you will need to review the preferences you have set in Xcode.
Try to put the Deployment Target IOS in your application, to your iPhone5's IOS.
Deployment Target
On the iOS App Store developers can upload a large app icon for display on the app store through iTunes Connect as part of the process of updating the metadata. As such you can have a different icon for the app store and for on the actual device--I'm talking here in technical terms, whether one should have a graphically different icon on the app store vs on the device is a different matter altogether.
Going through the process of uploading an app to the Mac App Store I noticed that you cannot upload a large icon and that instead it is pulled out of the bundle. In this case, which icon does it use? Does it just pull one out of the .icns file, e.g. the 512 one? Or can you provide a separate icon along with the main app icon .icns targeted especially for the app store?
Once you upload application to iTunes & application icon will automatically appear in iTunes. For MAC application, you need same Icon of 1024*1024 (icon_512x512#2x). if you will not add it in icns file then it will not allow you to upload application to iTunes.
I am trying to copy data files of an ios (5.1) app from an iphone, with Ad Hoc Provisioning Profile, to a MacBook. XCode 4.4.1 is used on the MacBook. With the iphone connected, under Organizer, Devices, the connected iPhone and the app are detected. However, when the app is selected, no files are displayed in the 'Data Files in Sandbox' section and the Download button is disabled.
What would be the possible causes? The MacBook used is not the developer's machine. Can this method used to copy app data files to any MacBook with XCode installed (but no source code)?
Thanks.
You cannot use Xcode Organizer to copy files from an iPhone to a non-developer machine. The Organizer shows only apps for which a valid provisioning profile is available in Xcode.
But you can do it with iTunes if you connect the device, select it and go to the bottom of the "Apps" tab. There you see all Apps that support file sharing. If you select one of the apps, you can see and download the contents of the Documents directory.
To enable file sharing for your app, you have to add the key
UIFileSharingEnabled (Application supports iTunes file sharing)
to the Info.plist and set the Boolean value to YES.
iPhone Apps built for the simulator are stored here:
/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/iPhone Simulator/User/Applications
Is it possible to copy the <GUID>.sb and <GUID> directory and install them on a different computer (with Development tools installed)?
This would be very useful for testing/demoing with out having to buy iPhones for all the managers and external clients.
I found a way that requires just a little more setup, but is much easier for non-developers:
Instructions for your users/testers:
Install Xcode following Apple's instructions
Double-click the attached application - the iPhone simulator will launch, install the app and start it automatically.
How to set it up:
Download and unzip (to a folder on your desktop or wherever) 'Simulator Bundler' from: http://github.com/landonf/simlaunch/downloads
Set your XCode build target to the required Simulator configuration (iPad/iPhone/which iOS version)
Do a 'Build and archive'
Find it: select 'Archived applications' in the Organizer, right click the relevant build, select "Reveal archived application in Finder"
Drag the application (yourAppName, no extension) onto the Simulator Bundler app
Done. This will create a self-contained Mac OS X yourAppDisplayName.app file in the same folder (with your app's icon as the icon) that you can stick up on an FTP server or email to your users/testers.
--
I think it's much neater/slicker than having to explain where to copy files, how to launch the simulator and so on.. And if anything gets messed up they can just uninstall via the familiar tap-and-hold + (x) gesture in the simulator UI, then double-click the app you sent them again.
You can also produce several of these packages changing the bundle identifier between builds, allowing them to be installed side by side in your testers' simulators; say for getting some user feedback on different UI designs, or configure one for Production and one for Staging/QA servers, so your content editors can check their changes before they go live or whatever..
The ability to reinstall the app from a desktop icon is also very convenient for localisation testing: launch the simulator, uninstall the app if present, set the required region format and language, double click the icon on your desktop, test; repeat for each required locale. (guarantees a fresh install each time, I've found that switching language with the app installed can result in all sorts of strange behaviour)
Yes, if you send those files to another person, and they put them into that directory, they can test the applications in the iPhone Simulator as well :)