Testing an AIR app on iOS device, without being an Apple Developer.

[Daniel_Freeman]

I know it's possible now to test an iOS app on a device WITHOUT being a paid-up member of Apple's Developer program.  How do I do that?

The way I've done things previously, has been to go to my Apple developer account - type-in device UDIDs, and create provisioning profiles and certificates.  I've also used TestFlight - but this also requires a paid-up membership.

So, what's the new way?

[kheftel]

If you're a tester only, you can test someone else's app they've made, using provisioning profiles and UDIDs and such from their developer account.

If you're making an app, and want to test on a device, you need your own developer account.

[Daniel_Freeman]

That was the situation previously.  But I'm talking about the Apple's recent announcement at WWDC 2015.

[kheftel]

you mean with the new testflight? with that, it's integrated with itunes connect and all you need is an email address from your testers and you can test on up to 1000 devices. no UDIDs required. But you still have to have a developer account to access itunes connect.

Do you have a link to the new way?

[Daniel_Freeman]

@kawikaheftel: That was the situation previously.  As I stated in my question - I'm familiar with the OLD way, including TestFlight.

But I'm talking about the recent changes and announcement at WWDC 2015.  XCode 7 allows you to deploy to a device without Apple Membership.  Here's a link: Developer Membership No Longer Required to Test Your Apps on Apple Devices

[Daniel_Freeman]

By the way - I've been having problems with posting replies to this forum - and apparently, some of my failed attempts at responses are delayed and moderated.  So apologies if some of my comments repeat themselves.

[kheftel]

whoa, that's awesome! I've gotta look into that.

[Colin Holgate]

Off topic now, but there has been some oversensitivity in the forum filters, and hence some messages are moderated when they didn't need to be. They get moderated quite quickly.

[kheftel]

I guess it's a question of whether you can take that "free provisioning profile" and use it in another toolchain...

[Colin Holgate]

You're right in what you say about TestFlight, but we're talking about Apple saying that you are now allowed to develop apps for your own devices, without having to have a developer account.

Here's the article on how it's done in Xcode:

Launching Your App on Devices

I don't know if it can be done with non-Xcode tools.

[Daniel_Freeman]

Colin Holgate - if you don't know - then no-one does.

[Daniel_Freeman · Accepted solution]

OK - I worked it out!

You need XCode 7.  Create a new XCode iOS project.  (A single view application - it doesn't matter)  But the Bundle ID must be the same as your blank AIR app ID (The same as in your AIR configuration xml fie <id>..</id>).

Plug in your device and run this XCode app on your device.

In XCode you can view your provisioning profiles - and show them in the Finder.  You'll need the one for this app ID.  (I made a copy).

Then - run KeyChain Access (in Utilities folder) and find your certificate listed under "My Certificates). Export it as a .p12 file (and give it a password).

Now you can use this .mobileProvision, and .p12 file, and password, to build your AIR app to deploy your device!

[kheftel]

that's awesome, thanks for figuring this out!

[samm63851634]

I know I am posting this over a year later, but for anyone that is following Daniel's method, at the end you must use XCode to deploy the .api file you've published. Don't try to use Flash, Animate CC, iTunes or iFunBox to put the .api on to the device. You'll get an error message. You need to install the .api to your device via the "Devices" window in XCode.

[Colin Holgate]

Small correction, samm means the .IPA file.

[samm63851634]

I do sorry! It was late at night in the UK when I posted it. Not sure where I got ".api" from.

Anyway, it took me a long time to figure this out, so I hope it helps someone else.

[Zig_Da_Pig]

Hi,

This helped me get a bit further, I have created a .ipa file using Flash CS5.
However, when I now try to install it onto my IPhone using ITunes, it says :

"The app MyApp.ipa was not installed on the IPhone because it does not work with this version of iOS"

(I have iOS 11.2 installed)

I've tried everything I could find (including modifying the info.plist file), but no luck.
Does anyone have an idea what else I can try ?

Kind regards.

[Zig_Da_Pig]

By the way, I also tried by using XCode by the way, but that just results in an "unknown error".

This is really frustrating stuff... 😕

[Zig_Da_Pig]

Got one step further in XCode, now I at least get a useful message : "Unsupported CPU type"...
Any pointers would really be appreciated.

[Colin Holgate]

CS5 could publish for ARMv6 devices, such as the original iPhone. Quite a while ago Apple dropped support for ARMv6, and as their requirements also say that you have to support iOS 7 as a minimum, and ARMv6 support was dropped in iOS 4.3, you can't create a new ARMv6 app that is acceptable by Apple.

It used to be worth keeping CS5 around to update old apps, but I think even updates would not be allowed in the App Store.

Meanwhile, Adobe also dropped support for ARMv6 in AIR 3, but to use AIR 3 you would need to be on at least Flash Pro CS5.5.

So, if you want to use CS5 to build an app onto a phone, you need to find a phone that is on iOS 4.2 or earlier, and use AIR 2.0. AIR 2.5 wouldn't work in CS5.

[Zig_Da_Pig]

Ok, thanks Colin !