iOS Confusion App Store Distribution

[jerrywickey]

I am attempting to make my new iPhone app available for sale in the app store.

Of course, I paid my $99 but I am confused by the instructions to do so.

I seem to have downloaded a valid *.mobileprovision key file. It appears in my Key chain application.

I found a page in iTunes which allows me to enter text for the app's name, description the app's build.

My app builds and runs fine for the iPhone Simulator, but when I attempt to build for distribution I get the message

"matching certificate identity with private key not found in login keychain"

I dropped the *.mobileprovision file onto both they iTune and XCode desktop icons. I see AppleWorldWide Developer and private keys in my key chain app.

Could someone give me a run down.

1) What is a signing certificate?

2) Is the itunes site the site in which I submit the apps description and build?

3) What sort of signing certificate is XCode looking for when I attempt a distribution build?

4) Will I screw anything up, if I start over and get another key from the developers portal?

Jerry

 

[chbeer]

There is a detailed instruction in the developers portal. Try to read and understand it.

 

[jerrywickey]

Why would you think that I didn't read that first?

I followed it in detail. I even posted a very detailed description of my walk through in another post, but evidently, people didn't like that much detail, because they glossed over it and didn't actually answer the question I asked.

So I greatly simplified my post, and evidently, that doesn't work either.

The detailed instructions in the dev portal doesn't cover any of these questions. It either assumes them in supposition to the instructions or ignores them as irrelevant, until, of course a problem makes them relevant.

If you don't know the answer to one of these, please refrain from posting.

Thanks.


1) What is a signing certificate? The instructions say we need them without actually explaining them or what they do.

2) Is the itunes site the site in which I submit the apps description and build? The instructions explain how to generate the distribution build but never actually where to upload it.

3) What sort of signing certificate is XCode looking for when I attempt a distribution build? What is the file extension so that I can confirm I have the correct one. The instructions never actually reference this.

4) Will I screw anything up, if I start over and get another key from the developers portal? The instructions never address this.

Jerry

 

[wlh99]

Why would you think that I didn't read that first?

I followed it in detail. I even posted a very detailed description of my walk through in another post, but evidently, people didn't like that much detail, because they glossed over it and didn't actually answer the question I asked.

So I greatly simplified my post, and evidently, that doesn't work either.

The detailed instructions in the dev portal doesn't cover any of these questions. It either assumes them in supposition to the instructions or ignores them as irrelevant, until, of course a problem makes them relevant.

If you don't know the answer to one of these, please refrain from posting.

Thanks.


1) What is a signing certificate? The instructions say we need them without actually explaining them or what they do.

2) Is the itunes site the site in which I submit the apps description and build? The instructions explain how to generate the distribution build but never actually where to upload it.

3) What sort of signing certificate is XCode looking for when I attempt a distribution build? What is the file extension so that I can confirm I have the correct one. The instructions never actually reference this.

4) Will I screw anything up, if I start over and get another key from the developers portal? The instructions never address this.

Jerry

No you won't screw anything up to start over. I had to do this my first time.
You upload an application at itunesconnect.apple.com. Click the manage my applications link.

Did you get the application running on your iphone and not just on the simulator?

The basic idea of profiles and signing certificates is this:

Apple wants to control applications and prevent non-authorized applications from running on an iPhone. To do this a phone will not run an application that is not signed with a certificate issued by apple.

Most of the steps are part of this process. You ask apple for a certificate, they give you one, you import it into your keychain, then when you build your application it is signed with that certificate. Now the app store and a real iphone will know that apple authorized you to write that application.

The process isn't as streamline or explained as well as it could be and one miss step and it won't work. But once you figure it out it isn't that complicated.

 

[jerrywickey]

Thanks for the info.

I will start the distribution profile over from scratch.

Does it matter if the app was tested or not on a device before it is submitted?

Jerry

 

[dejo]

Does it matter if the app was tested or not on a device before it is submitted?

There a chance it will be approved if it hasn't been tested on a device. But, you may then end up with an app that performs poorly on a device and, consequently, get bad reviews and hurt your reputation as a developer. Apple, and many of us other developers, highly recommend that you test your app on a device before submitting it for approval. Testing on the simulator is not exactly the same as testing on a device.

 

[wlh99]

Thanks for the info.

I will start the distribution profile over from scratch.

Does it matter if the app was tested or not on a device before it is submitted?

Jerry

Technically no.

But, the process is very similar to the signing required to submit to the app store, and I thought the directions were a bit better. It might help in your understanding.

Also, as another poster pointed out the simulator is different than the actual device. That might or might not matter for your application. It hasn't mattered for anything I have done.