Generate IPA files from Mac OS

Hi David,

I hope everything is good with you over there.

Would you please let me know more details for generating ipa on mac including mac requirements such as https://www.decsoftutils.com/support/thread/805.

I tried this instruction but nothing generated. cordova_ios_debug.sh cordova_ios_release.sh https://www.getappbuilderhelp.com/help/en-US/apache-cordova.html#shellfiles-integration

Thank you in advance.

Hi David.

I checked mac has got

- xcode
- ios sdk
- npm
- git
- node

when click on the cordova_ios_debug.sh, this just open the sh file on xcode. It does not generate folders or ipa file (in windows, generate platforms\android\app\build\outputs\apk\debug).

Please help.

Hello Jhonson,

Please, sorry for the delayed reply. You did not mention if you installed Apache Cordova into the Mac OS. Maybe you already install it, because you refer Node, NPM and GIT, for example. In order to install Cordova, you can try to execute the below line in a terminal / console, even when you can find if Cordova is installed by executing "cordova --version" in a terminal / console):

sudo npm install -g cordova

About to execute the "cordova_ios_debug.sh" file, please, don't try to do it by double clicking the file, but, execute it also from the terminal / console. What I do is to navigate to the folder of that file, and then change the permissions of the file, and then execute the file, in a similar way than below:

cd Downloads/app chmod +x -/cordova_ios_debug.sh ./cordova_ios_debug.sh

Remember, Jhonson, that, what the "cordova_ios_debug.sh" file generates after execute it, is a project for XCode, that is, if everything is ok, what we get is a complete XCode project in order to be opened by XCode. In fact, I never use the "cordova_ios_release.sh", because, we always need to open the project with XCode and then run the app from XCode or Archive the project (to get the IPAs, for example, or to upload the files to the Apple Store) from XCode, so, the "debug" file is enough for that.

P.S. If you find any trouble when execute the "debug" file, maybe it's possible that the problem are related with the permissions of the folder in which the "debug" file is. What I do is to use always the "Downloads/app" folder, so, I give all the permissions to the "Download" and the "app" folder: doing that I did not get any problem related with the permissions when execute the "debug" file.

P.S.2. You mention that you have XCode installed, but, maybe the Command Line tools are not installed. You can do it from XCode (make a search around how to install the Command Line tools in XCode) or maybe it's also possible to install it following this Cordova documentation. Anyway, remember that we are talking about Apache Cordova / XCode / Mac OS: if you see any trouble, probably you can get the right answer by searching a bit around internet with the particular error message, for example. I don't say that to avoid to give you the right support, Jhonson, it's because certainly we are talking about possible problems related with Apache Cordova / XCode / Mac OS, and, probably the already solved problems that we can find can help us to get the right answer more quickly.

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Thank you David. I could generate the project file. What is the minimum XCode version required to open the *.xcodeproj file?

Hello Jhonson,

I always try to use the latest XCode version, the latest stable one, to be exactly: not the possible beta releases. In fact what I do is to download the latest release of XCode from this website: https://xcodereleases.com/, so, instead of install or update the installed XCode, what I do is to download the release from the referred file, then extract / unzip it, and finally execute the obtained "app" file.

Curiously I can see in the referred page a XCode 12.5 release. In your case I will try with this latest release, even when in my latest compilation I use the 12.4 release (XCode is updated very quickly sometimes). So that's what I do: instead to upgrade the installed XCode, what I do is to download the "xip" file from the referred page, then extract / unzip that file and then directly execute the "app" file, which is like "Xcode.app". Doing that I use always the very latest release, without need to update the installed version, which commonly requires more time.

So the answer is "use the latest stable release". Note that this may also requires a specific version of iOS (if you plain to run the app in a device attached in the Mac OS computer, in order to test the app if you needed). Commonly we no need to do this, because, if the app works as expected in the AB debugger, maybe also try it in an Android device (which is more easy to try than in a Mac OS / iOS device), we can assert 99% of the times that the app also works in a iOS device as expected.

Please, just post here if you have any trouble. Remember that I mention above that you can also search around the web for specific problem / error messages: this is honestly not to avoid to help you, sir, it's because some problems can be specifically related with your Mac OS / XCode version / Cordova version, etc., and, commonly we can find the proper solution by searching for the error message, for example, so you can get the right help more fast and quickly, but, of course, I am here if I can help in something.

Said that, I must recognize that unfortunately I am not very confident with the Mac OS / XCode environment, for example, in order to upload the IPAs to the store, or to get the IPAs using other ways like "Enterprise" or "Adhoc" modes (you can see all these possible ways when "Archive" the project from XCode), somethings are needed, like the right certificates, provisioning profiles, etc. I am not very confident with this part... because these certificates, provisioning profiles, etc., must be created using the Apple account, and this is something that my customers do for me.

But again, just post here in case you find any problem and I will try to help you as best as possible. What I can guarantee is that once we configure the environemtn in the proper way, that is, once XCode is ready, Cordova is ready, etc., run the apps in an attached device or get the IPA files ("Enterprise" or "Adhoc"), or upload the IPA to the Apple Store, all of these are quite simple once we have the environment ready. Not as easy as Windows / Android, because in this last case the things are more easy, but, I compile and get the IPA and publish to the store in Mac OS without too much troubles once the environment is ready and the possible problems are solved, for example, maybe a new version of XCode requires to download and install again the proper Command Line tools, etc.

P.S. Don't forget to use the very latest release of AB (updated just yesterday) since a new option is included in order to get the Cordova's configuration file with the right stuff to use the latest WKWebView for iOS, which is required by the Apple Store and recommended instead to use the old WebView. So update your AB copy in order to use the current release, and your Cordova's config file will be ready to use the latest WKWebView. Before this release we can add the right stuff using the Cordova -> Configuration -> Extra XML option, but, with the latest release we no need to use this option to add the right stuff to use the WKWebView webview: AB add the right stuff automatically for us.

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