A PLEA FOR HELP - Getting the App to the App Store

Hi Folks.

Right, I'm throwing my hands up in the air here and admitting defeat. I have spent two weeks now trying to get my first App, !!!Incoming!!!, onto the App Store but I can't for the life of me figure it out!! I have it all set up on the App Store, it's Awaiting Upload. But where I go from there is totally knocking me off my feet.

I "THINK" I have my distribution certificate installed but I'm not sure. I've been following web links, Google links, the Apple documentation and the books I have and I can not make head nor tail of what the hell I have to do!?!?!?!?!?! As a matter of fact, I've been messing around with the configurations so much that my Xcode code now seems to be corrupted because now when I try to build the archive I get a screen load of error messages which I never got before :(.

Please, PLEASE, PLEASE can someone help me!!! I need an A-B-C 1-2-3 hand-holding step-by-step guide on what it is I have to do??? I need to know what buttons to press, what I should be seeing on screen, etc. I'm sure once I've done this once I'll be all set to do it myself in the future, but I NEED someone to show me how to do it that first time!!

Calm down.

Once Connect is waiting for the binary, you need to do the following in XCode:

Step 1. Create a new "Deploy" profile.

When you click on the binary (not the target) you will see 2 profiles: debug and release. Just clone the release profile and name it "Deploy".

Step 2. Setting signatures.

Go to the config page and search for all the build profiles (debug, release, and the newly created deploy), for deploy, set its options so that it is signed with the distribution certificate you´ve just downloaded.

Step 3. Editing Schemas

When you compile and run, you are using a schema, which is shown closed to your build/run buttons. Edit the schema and select the "Archive" option. There you will see that either debug or release profiles are used for archiving binaries. Change that so that you use "Deploy", instead.

Step 4. Building and Archiving your binaries

Now, go to the build menu, and select "Build for Archive" and when it finishes, press the "Archive" option. If everything goes fine, Organizer will pop up, showing you the archive build you´ve just created.

Step 5. Validating your binary.

Click on the binary and press "Validate". You will have to sign into Connect. When the options appear for signatures, verify that you have selected the Distribution certificates you´ve used to sign in your build. If everything goes ok, you won´t receive any error messages.

Step 6. Submit your app to connect.

Sale as 5 above, but this time tou click on "Submit". Once you repeat the process you will see that this time your binary is started to be uploaded to Apple. When this finishes, if everything went ok, the state of your binary will change to "Wait for a Review".

Step 7. Wait for a Review

Good luck!

@Paul_Boland,

What version of Xcode are you using?

If you have the older version 3.2 (I think) you need to use the Application loader located in Developer/Applications/Utilities/

Launch the Application Loader.app and it will give you the instructions.

If / or rather when someone posts something that Paul can follow and get this to work correctly, perhaps it could be made into a sticky post guide for anyone else who will have difficulties in the future?

I haven't tried to submit to the app store yet, but I know it would be helpful to have some instructions as I am sure many others would find it useful. :)

BH Games, thank you for the detailed instructions. I tried to follow them but got a huge error message again, I think my currect Xcode project has been messed around with so much that it's not a runner any more. Tomorrow I will take over a clean version of the code from MMF to the Mac and start the whole process from scratch, getting it installed onto my iPad again. This isn't going to cause me any problems, is it???

Once that is done, I will follow your instructions to get it into the App Store. I'm concerned about my time limit to get the binary uploaded, I think it's 40 days and I'm already 15 or 16 days in [eek]!! I'll let you know how this goes, fingers crossed tomorrow is a day of success!! (X)

Excelent tutorial for upload App to Apple Servers. Congratulations BHGames!!!

Thanks both.

Paul: please verify that you created the correct distribution profile on Connect, downloaded both, the profile and certificate, and installed them on your Mac.

And no, a clean project is not a problem at all.

Figuring out those certificates is a pain when you do it the first time!

My iPad is being updated to iOS 5 so once that's done I'll start the whole process over. Good to know a clean version of the project file won't cause any problems. I'll keep you posted on those certs when I proceed later. I wish this was a whole lot more straight forward, something like log into my iOS Developer account and just upload my project!!

Fingers crossed today is the day...

Sigh... With my iPad now running iOS 5, it turns out Xcode won't produce the App file to run it on my iPad. I'm now downloading Xcode 4.2 for Snow Leopard as instructed to do. I'll keep you posted...
:(

Are you sure? Has anyone else been testing under ios5 recently?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Paul_Boland

Sigh... With my iPad now running iOS 5, it turns out Xcode won't produce the App file to run it on my iPad. I'm now downloading Xcode 4.2 for Snow Leopard as instructed to do. I'll keep you posted...
:(

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Paul, out of curiosity, what version of Xcode were you running before?

I have Xcode 4.1 installed. 4.2 is still downloading, nearly there now. When I go to compile and run the App on my iPad I get a message saying this version of Xcode can not compile for the version of iOS on my iPad and to download the new version of Xcode which is 4.2.

Xcode 4.2 is now installed and !!!Incoming!!! is back on my iPad and running like a dream. Now to see if I can get it to the App Store. Pray for me, folks, pray for me!!

Aw man... When I go to validate the archive I'm getting an error message. I can't make head nor tail or what it is referring to. Not sure if it is ok to post it here or not as I don't know if it contains info related to my account. It does say it's Error Code 1.

Anyone got any ideas?

If you have any spaces or non-alphabetical characters in your product name it will return an error. Check what your app identifier is set to in MMF. The part which usually reads "com.project.clickteam" or something along those lines.

Are you sure you signed your project with a valid distribution profile?

No invalid characters in the Bundle Identifier.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BHGames

Are you sure you signed your project with a valid distribution profile?

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I was thinking this at the gym today. I have a Distribution Profile installed, I can see it. How do I know if it's a valid one? Also, what and where exactly do I sign it? Could it be that I'm not signing the App in the right place?

> Also, what and where exactly do I sign it?

If you´re asking that question, then you haven't read the steps I posted before.

In Xcode, under Project - Incoming, under Build Settings, under Code Signing, next to Release, I have selected my Distribution Cert there. Is that correct?

Yes. If you created a deploy configuration, you will need to select the proper profile twice: where it says Deploy and in its suboption "Any iOS SDK". Also remember to build for archive and prior to that to set the Deploy settings as the one to use when building for archive.

I give up! My head feels like it is about to explode! I don't know why this is not working and I'm just down on it now. I'll try again later :(.

OH MY GOD!!! My App, !!!Incoming!!!, has just this very moment been successfully uploaded to the App Store [blush]!! Now it's awaiting review. I want to thank everyone for their advice, feedback and help. The only thing is, I HAVEN'T A CLUE what I did!?!?!? LOL!!!

I removed !!!Incoming!!! from my iPad and did a clean install and test again. All was well. I then went and checked my signings and settings and built the archive. I then validated it. I sat here WAITING for the validation to fail... ... It didn't!! It passed [shocked]!!! So I submitted it and sat here nervous as hell as it was uploaded. It completed successfully [laugh]!!! So now just the App review stands between me having an App on the App Store, fingers crossed big time (XXX)!!!

The only thing is, I don't know what I did differently!?!?!?!?!?!?! That means the next time I go to submit an App I have to try and figure it out again! AAAGGGHHH!!!! LOL!!! The only thing I noticed was that I had not disconnected my iPad from my MacBook before doing the validation. Every other time, once the App was on the iPad and working, I disconnected. Is that the key? Do you have to have the iPad connected during the validation and submission process???

Whatever it was, I'm hyperly cautious right now. LOL!!! I'm excited but I still have to get passed the review. Thank you again for all the help. I just wish I knew what bit of help it was exactly that made this work for me! I'll keep yous posted on how things go...

Congrats! Let us know when the app gets approved!

Thanks, BHGames, your detailed instructions above did indeed help me out and show me the way to go. Very much appreciated.

@Paul_Boland,

I dunno why, but I am so relieved it worked out for you :D

Congrats and I hope the app does well, get Jeff to post it in the listing too.

So happy you finally managed it Paul!!!
Yes, I'd keep your device connected when building the archive (also make sure it's set to build for your device rather than the simulator) Fingers crossed it passes Apple's review process without problems...

Thanks. Still awaiting review. I'm wondering because it's the weekend if that means I'll have to wait till Monday at least before knowing where things stand, one way or another... I'll keep yous posted.

I had an app approved on a Sunday oddly enough. So far it is always a week when I get approval.

Email from Apple, my App is now In Review. Fingers crossed it gets the all clear and is released (X)!!!

@Paul_Boland
I was wondering how this was turning out for you.

It's released [laugh]!!!
http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/!!!in...467604346?mt=8
FANTASTIC [laugh]!!! Thanks to everyone again for all their help. I still am not 100% sure how I got my App through it all but I'll tackle it again on my next App release!! LOL!!

Happy for you Paul.

Congratulations Paul for your game Incoming!!! :)

Congrats Paul!
You did it.

Congrats Paul!! I was wondering if this game is available for PC?
Thank you,

John

Thanks, Folks, very much appreciate the feedback. My next iOS App isn't too far off, hope I can upload this one without any hitches!!

Hi Folks.

Just want to say that I have just now uploaded my second iOS App, 2012 Survival Guide, and it went very smoothly. I had one issue, I had to manually put in armv6 and armv7 into the App settings, but Googling it showed me how to do it. Once I did, the validation went fine and the App is now uploaded and awaiting review.

I just want to say Thank You again to everyone who chipped in with help, I really do appreciate it. It seems I have the process nailed down fine now. Thanks!!

Nice and kudos!

So now it will be time for me :< To set up everything... iOS here I come!