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I would like to send someone the Xcode simulator version - not the device version - of my iPad app. I have located the .app file in the Finder. Do I just zip it up and send it off or is it more complicated than that?

Thanks,
Doug

UPDATE

Chrisbtoo got the answer on this one however he left of some critical bits for those of you trying this at home:

Path to Xcode simulator (the simulator can be run standalone.):
/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneSimulator.platform/Developer/Applications/iPhone Simulator.app

Path to app that appears in the home screen of the simulator:
/Users/turner/Library/Application Support/iPhone Simulator/3.2/Applications/{GUID}

It is instructive to watch what happens in the app simulator directory as you build for simulation, delete apps from the simulator desktop and generally use the simulator as an actual device.

Bottom line: This is a viable approach for sharing apps in a "simulated" ad hoc manner without the mind numbing, soul sucking process of true ad hoc app sharing.

Cheers,
Doug

Brad Larson
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dugla
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  • A couple of further notes: (1) The 3.2 part of the path is the OS version, so it won't be the same for everybody - 3.2 is for iPad. (2) It may very well be against the developer agreement for you to distribute the simulator itself, which is why I suggested your tester sign up for the free developer account. – chrisbtoo Jun 24 '10 at 02:23
  • Good point christboo. My tester will in fact sign up for an Apple dev. account. Cheers. – dugla Jun 24 '10 at 11:45
  • Is there a reason a simulator app built on a Macbook pro wouldn't work on an older iMac but would work on other Macbook pros? – MikeN Dec 23 '10 at 22:16
  • Note that with more recent versions of Xcode (starting around 4 I believe) the simulator is located here: `/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/iOS Simulator.app` – ThomasW Apr 17 '15 at 01:28

4 Answers4

16

Assuming the other person already has the simulator installed, you can just zip up the stuff under ~/Library/Application Support/iPhone Simulator/3.2/Applications/{GUID} (includes both the .app and any data directories needed) and send it to them - they'll need to unzip it under that same directory. What I've done in the past was to rename the {GUID} part to a more friendly name - the sim will still pick it up.

If they don't already have the simulator, they will need to sign up for a free iphone dev account and download Xcode, etc.

progrmr
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chrisbtoo
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  • Chrisbtoo, ~/Application Support does not exist on my Mac. If I right-click MyApp.app in the Products folder in the Groups & Files section of Xcode I see the following: MyApp.app MyApp.app.SYM Is that what you are refering to? – dugla Jun 23 '10 at 20:15
  • There is one last missing step: How does someone launch this app in the simulator? How do I point the simulator at the app? – dugla Jun 23 '10 at 20:24
  • Apologies for the bad path - my mac is in for repair so I was winging it :-| The simulator should just find the app, and give you an icon in the springboard, if it's in the right place. – chrisbtoo Jun 24 '10 at 02:19
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    For some reason, this is no longer working in XCode 4.3.2. They've moved the simulator, but even when you find it and run it, apps which are in the proper place do now show up in springboard. I'll still trying to make it work. – David Apr 30 '12 at 18:16
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    More recent versions of Xcode have moved the simulator images. It is discussed here: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/24290989/xcode-6-iphone-simulator-application-support-location – ThomasW Apr 17 '15 at 01:14
0

We just put up a little tool that will help you with this. It manages both what you need on the dev side and also the tester.

Here it is

http://blog.placeit.net/ios-app-packager/

It basically creates a little zip that you can pass to the tester and it'll install the app in the right directory and also open it up for the user with the right device selected.

navidsafa
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-5

I would think you want to send the entire project folder to the other person- presumably you are expecting them to open it in their XCode- and presumably they have the sdk for the app.

LDCodes
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    I do **not** want to distribute my source code. That is the whole purpose of this exercise. – dugla Jun 23 '10 at 20:04
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You have to distribute via AdHoc or App Store for beta testing.

Become a developer and then look into how to do this.

You need to have a provisioning profile, and then select the UDID's for the device you want to beta test to.

Go to the iPhone Provisioning Portal

and here is a document with more detail

user370507
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