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I am programmatically downloading an ipa file (enterprise version of my app) and prompting the user to install it.

The problem is similar to Download and install an ipa from url on iOS, but the difference is that the ipa is already downloaded in my case.

I tried the following variation for the above problem's solution:

  • Modify the plist to contain URL to the local downloaded ipa.

```

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>items</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>assets</key>
            <array>
                <dict>
                    <key>kind</key>
                    <string>software-package</string>
                    <key>url</key>
                    <string>file://{path-to-local-ipa}</string>
                </dict>
            </array>
            <key>metadata</key>
            <dict>
                <key>bundle-identifier</key>
                <string>com.yourCompany.productName</string>
                <key>bundle-version</key>
                <string>1</string>
                <key>kind</key>
                <string>software</string>
                <key>title</key>
                <string>productName</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>
</plist>

```

  • Update itms link to point to the locally updated plist file - itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=file://{path-to-local-plist}

But, when opening the itms link using [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:itmsLink] it doesn't work and gives me an error saying Cannot install applications because the certificate for (null) is not valid

This is with reference to how Facebook distributes its internal app for dogfooding. Want to do something similar so that the user is prompted to install the app after the app is downloaded, thus increasing the turnaround rate for its installation.

Community
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raviagarwal7
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  • Why not just upload your binary to the App Store and let it take care of app distribution? – DDPWNAGE Dec 29 '15 at 00:15
  • This is regarding dogfooding an internal version of the app - [facebook-dogfooding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nffzkkdq7GM&feature=youtu.be&t=39m25s). The distribution version of the App is already there on the AppStore. – raviagarwal7 Dec 29 '15 at 00:18
  • Hi, I am having the same issue when tried the same way. Did below answer helped. We see everything is matching. How you manage to get rid of error. Any one please help me how to solve this and achive install ipa programitically for in-house apps. – alrarea Oct 27 '20 at 07:50

1 Answers1

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You should check your certificates and bundle ID first. The error message gives enough info, you see there is a 'null' which means your app does not have a bundle id? Check your app's bundle ID, certificate settings, provisioning file settings, to make sure they are matched with each other.

One thing you could try to validate your app is, open Xcode-Window-Devices, choose your iPhone device which is connected to your macbook, and drag the ipa you just archived into the apps area, to see if it can be installed. If it can be, check your URL's bundle identifier to be the same one as your app. You should be good to go.

We do similar things like yours. We also distribute our app via in-house distribution.

We will check if there is a version, we will pop up a UIAlertView and ask user to update. User can click OK button, and it will start downloading and installing automatically.

The OK Button's code is like this:

- (void)alertView:(UIAlertView *)alertView clickedButtonAtIndex:(NSInteger)buttonIndex
{
    if (alertView == updateAlert){
        if (buttonIndex == 1 || _forceUpdate) {
            [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:Download_URL]];
        }
    }
}

Where Download_URL can be itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=file://{path-to-local-plist} in your case.

Wingzero
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