Creating a .ipa file in Xcode 3.x
Having set myself up as the Team Agent on an enterprise account I was then tasked with creating .ipa files so our "in-progress" applications could be seen and played around with by the senior executives in the project. I followed the apple documentation and correctly set up the provisioning profile and created a new build configuration to use this profile.
By far the easiest approach was to use the Xcode UI:
- Select "Build and Archive" from the Build drop down menu
- Wait for your project to finish building
- Select "Organizer" from Window drop down menu
- Expand "Archived Applications" in left hand panel if not already expanded
- Select your application
- Select the build your interested in on the right hand panel
- Select Share
- Enter filename and set location
- Enjoy your new application
However at first I couldn't figure out how to create ipa file through the Xcode UI so I decided to search about for information on how to. I stumbled upon how to create ipa files manually which it turns out to be deceptively easy:
- Build your application for device using your "Distribution" configuration
- Create a folder and name it "Payload"
- Using "Revel in folder" open the location where the .app residues and copy it into the newly created "Payload" folder
- Along with your applications image, zip the "Payload" up (opening the zip should have the structure: Image, Payload->.app)
- Rename .zip file appropriately and change .zip extension to .ipa
- Drag .ipa file in iTunes
- Drag newly created iTunes app into iOS device
- Enjoy your new application
What do you think? Let me know by getting in touch on Twitter - @wibosco