iOS 11 Application has blank icon with Air 28

[Scott_Inglis]

I'm having trouble packaging our application for iOS with the icon properly. I've followed the instructions in the Air 28 release notes to package the Assets.car file and I've listed all the available sizes in the app.xml but the app still shows up on device with the default blank icon.

[Scott_Inglis · Accepted solution]

I managed to figure it out, I just had to move the Asset.car file into the root SRC file of my app, previously I had it in a separately packaged asset folder.

[mark bieber]

Thanks for pointing this out, i completely missed this in the update document. Question: What about splash screen? my splash page is also messed up and it doesnt mention anything about it.

[Scott_Inglis]

Do you have all the latest launch image dimensions? You can find the most up to date list here (AFAIK)Re: AIR app crashes on startup in iPhone X iOS Simulator

[mark bieber]

Thanks so much. That was exactly what i needed. So many things to update in such a short period of time haha.

[phonefusionryan]

Wow so did Adobe essentially screw over Windows users with this latest update? I don't have access to multi-thousand dollar mac, so my app just gets to have no icons? I don't have xcode and cant create this Assets.car file. Unfair

[Sdcinglis]

This is specific to iOS, and you can't build for iOS without a Mac already so that's not new. Also it's Apple that enforces that rule, not Adobe.

[phonefusionryan]

I dont know what your talking about. I have been building for iOS on Windows for the last 6 years. I also don't distribute to the App Store I use Enterprise distribution for apps within our company

[kheftel]

While you can build an IPA on windows, you do need a Mac to run Application Loader and submit apps to the app store.

Until someone figures out how to create an Assets.car without Xcode, it looks like a Mac might be needed now for more than just that final submission.

[phonefusionryan]

Again I do not distribute to the app store, I use Enterprise Distribution for the last 6 years. I compile an IPA on windows, upload it to the internet, and any phone can download it.

[kheftel]

I understand and sympathize, I read your post. I feel your pain. I used to develop AIR apps for iOS on windows too until I switched to mac because it was easier to jump through Apple's hoops. In my case, I had to develop ANEs and submit to the app store, so I needed Xcode and application loader.

This is apparently Apple's requirement for iOS 11, not Adobe's. Hopefully Adobe will figure out how to generate an Assets.car without Xcode, until then, I don't know what to tell you.

[phonefusionryan]

Yeah I understand it's a new requirement from Apple, I just want Adobe to mention they are working on something instead of just "Mac is required".

This is still just the Beta and my apps don't necessarily require AIR 28 right now, but I hope before it's officially released they figure out a solution.

[Scott_Inglis]

I was honestly unaware that you could build for iOS on windows. On the bright side, if your icon doesn't change much you should be able to do the assets.car packaging once or get a coworker/friend with a mac to help you out and then just use that file indefinitely.

[phonefusionryan]

yeah i'm looking into doing just that, have a neighbor that will help me i think

[vikramp007]

I found this website where you can submit apps from windows machine.

Application Loader--Application Loader for Windows,Linux and Mac

[ASWC]

I understand the frustration but blaming Adobe is what's unfair here, they only follow the packaging requirements of Apple. Apple works tirelessly to force people to use mac only for developing for Apple products, this is Apple business model, not Adobe's.

[ASWC]

You don't need thousands of dollars, you only need a few hundreds to buy a low end used mac (recent enough to support the latest OS) and you are all set, you can get xcode, create your anes, assets.car, ect ... You only need a good MAC (and a lot of cash) if you plan to make it your development platform. But again, this is not Adobe's doing, this is Apple business model.

[phonefusionryan]

The part I'm upset about  is just the no indication for anything future/coming soon for a Windows solution. They could've written an extra sentence of "We are investing a solution for Windows" and I probably wouldn't have complained. I'll admit I maybe shouldn't have used the word "screwed" over, but it doesn't change the fact.

Am I allowed to not want to spend money to fix this problem?

[Colin Holgate]

I think it would be reasonable for Adobe to fix the issue, if they can. Really, AIR is almost unique in how little you have to do in order to create on Windows and publish to iOS, and that's because Adobe found workarounds to Apple's demand for you to use Xcode to publish an app. This Assets.car thing is hopefully something else they can work around.

One thought about your Enterprise needs, the fixes in AIR 28 are so that you can use iOS SDK 11 features in an app. If you are making an in-house app there's a good chance you're making an Android version too, and so most likely are not using iOS 11 features. Is there any problem with continuing to use AIR 27?

[phonefusionryan]

Yeah that sounds reasonable to me too, the main reason I spoke up at all was to help ensure it could.

You are right, this is still just the Beta and my apps don't necessarily require AIR 28 right now, but I hope before it's officially released they figure out a solution.

[phonefusionryan]

I'm sure other cross platform solutions are facing a similar issue, I wonder how Cordova & Unity are solving it

[ASWC]

Well your company should provide this for you, what kind of company expect in house ios development but refuses to provide an entry base mac? That's crazy to me.

All third party techs go through the same issues and challenges but at various speeds so the same issue is faced in Unity and others but their solutions/reaction time can sometimes be faster but we have seen in the past AIR being on top.

I know even if AIR finds a workaround, eventually Apple will find a new way to force acquisition of mac to publish/submit, this has been AIR developer reality since the beginning of Ios support with AIR.

[phonefusionryan]

well I'm a contractor for the company working remotely... this is actually pretty common, not so crazy to me.

[kheftel]

I'm also a remote contractor, I feel your pain.

[PippoApps]

I am a freelancer too working remotely. I have been facing cross-platform issues since the times of Director and XTras. The solution I have found, I work in windows on a virtual machine on a mac. The best of both worlds in a single laptop. I personally hate working on mac, all those windows flying around and the excessive use of mouse, so I do keep all my work on windows. But Mac is far superior as a home appliance. More durable, more valuable when you resell it, and more stable. Using all work in a VM also facilitates enormously backups and disaster recovery. And you do have a mac under your hands at the same time, very useful in these occasions.

No need to get upset. We chose to be freelancers and not working 9 to 5 in a company, these are the issues that somehow come with our choice.