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Open a Mac app from an unidentified developer. If you try to open an app that isn't registered with Apple by an identified developer, you get a warning dialog. This doesn't necessarily mean that something's wrong with the app. For example, some apps were written before developer ID registration began. Download Visual Studio Community, Professional, and Enterprise. Try Visual Studio IDE, Code or Mac for free today. July 15, 2019: Apple releases macOS 10.14.6 beta 5 for developers. Apple has just released macOS Mojave 10.14.6 beta 5 for developers. If you already have the macOS developer beta installed, head to Mac App Store Updates and download away. If you've been waiting for macOS 10.14.6 to start testing with macOS, now's the time to start downloading. To start enrollment for the Apple Developer Program visit this page and login to the developer section with your Apple ID. After logging in, you will be prompted to accept the Apple Developer Agreement in order to proceed. Next, you will select 'Join the Apple Developer Program'. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2019 using preproduction 2.3GHz 8-core Intel Core i9-based 16-inch MacBook Pro systems with 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. The wireless web test measures battery life by wirelessly browsing 25 popular websites with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%.
Free provisioning allows Xamarin.iOS developers to deploy and test theirapps on iOS devices without being part of the Apple Developer Program.While simulator testing is valuable and convenient, it is also essential totest apps on physical iOS devices to verify that they function properlyunder real-world memory, storage, and network connectivity constraints.
To use free provisioning to deploy an app to a device:
- Use Xcode to create the necessary signing identity (developercertificate and private key) and provisioning profile (containing anexplicit App ID and the UDID of a connected iOS device).
- Use the signing identity and provisioning profile created by Xcode inVisual Studio for Mac or Visual Studio 2019 to deploy your Xamarin.iOSapplication.
Important
Automatic provisioningallows Visual Studio for Mac or Visual Studio 2019 to automatically setup a device for developer testing. However, automatic provisioning is notcompatible with free provisioning. In order to use automatic provisioning,you must have a paid Apple Developer Program account.
Requirements
To deploy your Xamarin.iOS applications to a device with free provisioning:
- The Apple ID being used must not be connected to the Apple Developer Program.
- Your Xamarin.iOS app must use an explicit App ID, not a wildcard App ID.
- The bundle identifier used in your Xamarin.iOS app must be unique and cannot have been used in another app previously. Any bundle identifier used with free provisioning cannot be re-used.
- If you have already distributed an app, you cannot deploy that app with free provisioning.
- If your app uses App Services, you will need to create a provisioning profile as detailed in the device provisioning guide.
Take a look at the Limitations section of this documentfor more information about limitations associated with free provisioning,and refer to the App distributionguides for more informationabout distributing iOS applications.
Testing on device with free provisioning
Follow these steps below to test your Xamarin.iOS app with free provisioning.
Use Xcode to create a signing identity and provisioning profile
If you do not have an Apple ID, create one.
Open Xcode and navigate to Xcode > Preferences.
Under Accounts, use the + button to add your existing Apple ID. It should look similar to the screenshot below:
Close Xcode preferences.
Plug in the iOS device to which you'd like to deploy your app.
In Xcode, create a new project. Choose File > New > Project and select Single View App.
In the new project dialog, set Team to the Apple ID that you just added. In the drop-down list, it should look similar to Your Name (Personal Team):
Once the new project has been created, choose an Xcode build scheme that targets your iOS device (rather than a simulator).
Open your app's project settings by selecting its top-level node in Xcode's Project Navigator.
Under General > Identity, make sure that the Bundle Identifierexactly matches your Xamarin.iOS app's bundle identifier found in Info.plist.
Important
Xcode will only create a provisioning profile for an explicit AppID, and it must be identical to the App ID of your Xamarin.iOS app.If they differ, you will not be able to use free provisioning todeploy your Xamarin.iOS app.
Under Deployment Info, ensure that the deployment target matches or is lower than the version of iOS installed on your connected iOS device.
Under Signing, select Automatically manage signing and select your team from the drop-down list:
Xcode will automatically generate a provisioning profile and signing identity for you. You can view this by clicking on the information icon next to provisioning profile:
Tip
If there is a failure when Xcode attempts to generate a provisioningprofile, make sure that Xcode's currently-selected build schemetargets the connected iOS device rather than a simulator.
To test in Xcode, deploy the blank application to your device by clicking the run button.
Deploy your Xamarin.iOS app
Connect your iOS device to the Mac build host via USB or wirelessly.
In the Visual Studio for Mac Solution Pad, double-click on Info.plist.
In Signing, select Manual Provisioning.
Click the iOS Bundle Signing… button.
For Configuration, select Debug.
For Platform, select iPhone.
Select the Signing Identity created by Xcode.
Select the Provisioning Profile created by Xcode.
Tip
If you cannot see your signing identity or the correct provisioningprofile, you may need to restart Visual Studio for Mac.
Click OK to save and close the Project Options.
Select your iOS device and run the app. How do i get word on my mac.
Make sure that Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 has been paired to a Mac build host.
Connect your iOS device to the Mac build host via USB or wirelessly.
In the Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 Solution Explorer, right-click on your Xamarin.iOS project and select Properties.
Navigate to iOS Bundle Signing.
For Configuration, select Debug.
For Platform, select iPhone.
Select Manual Provisioning.
Select the Signing Identity created by Xcode.
Select the Provisioning Profile created by Xcode.
Tip
Xcode created this signing identity and provisioning profile andstored them on your Mac build host. They are accessible toVisual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 since it has been pairedto the Mac build host. If they are not listed, you may need to restartVisual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017.
Save and close the project properties.
Select your iOS device and run the app.
Limitations
Apple has imposed a number of limitations on when and how you can use free provisioning to run your application on an iOS device, ensuring that you can only deploy to your device:
Important
Automatic provisioningallows Visual Studio for Mac or Visual Studio 2019 to automatically setup a device for developer testing. However, automatic provisioning is notcompatible with free provisioning. In order to use automatic provisioning,you must have a paid Apple Developer Program account.
Requirements
To deploy your Xamarin.iOS applications to a device with free provisioning:
- The Apple ID being used must not be connected to the Apple Developer Program.
- Your Xamarin.iOS app must use an explicit App ID, not a wildcard App ID.
- The bundle identifier used in your Xamarin.iOS app must be unique and cannot have been used in another app previously. Any bundle identifier used with free provisioning cannot be re-used.
- If you have already distributed an app, you cannot deploy that app with free provisioning.
- If your app uses App Services, you will need to create a provisioning profile as detailed in the device provisioning guide.
Take a look at the Limitations section of this documentfor more information about limitations associated with free provisioning,and refer to the App distributionguides for more informationabout distributing iOS applications.
Testing on device with free provisioning
Follow these steps below to test your Xamarin.iOS app with free provisioning.
Use Xcode to create a signing identity and provisioning profile
If you do not have an Apple ID, create one.
Open Xcode and navigate to Xcode > Preferences.
Under Accounts, use the + button to add your existing Apple ID. It should look similar to the screenshot below:
Close Xcode preferences.
Plug in the iOS device to which you'd like to deploy your app.
In Xcode, create a new project. Choose File > New > Project and select Single View App.
In the new project dialog, set Team to the Apple ID that you just added. In the drop-down list, it should look similar to Your Name (Personal Team):
Once the new project has been created, choose an Xcode build scheme that targets your iOS device (rather than a simulator).
Open your app's project settings by selecting its top-level node in Xcode's Project Navigator.
Under General > Identity, make sure that the Bundle Identifierexactly matches your Xamarin.iOS app's bundle identifier found in Info.plist.
Important
Xcode will only create a provisioning profile for an explicit AppID, and it must be identical to the App ID of your Xamarin.iOS app.If they differ, you will not be able to use free provisioning todeploy your Xamarin.iOS app.
Under Deployment Info, ensure that the deployment target matches or is lower than the version of iOS installed on your connected iOS device.
Under Signing, select Automatically manage signing and select your team from the drop-down list:
Xcode will automatically generate a provisioning profile and signing identity for you. You can view this by clicking on the information icon next to provisioning profile:
Tip
If there is a failure when Xcode attempts to generate a provisioningprofile, make sure that Xcode's currently-selected build schemetargets the connected iOS device rather than a simulator.
To test in Xcode, deploy the blank application to your device by clicking the run button.
Deploy your Xamarin.iOS app
Connect your iOS device to the Mac build host via USB or wirelessly.
In the Visual Studio for Mac Solution Pad, double-click on Info.plist.
In Signing, select Manual Provisioning.
Click the iOS Bundle Signing… button.
For Configuration, select Debug.
For Platform, select iPhone.
Select the Signing Identity created by Xcode.
Select the Provisioning Profile created by Xcode.
Tip
If you cannot see your signing identity or the correct provisioningprofile, you may need to restart Visual Studio for Mac.
Click OK to save and close the Project Options.
Select your iOS device and run the app. How do i get word on my mac.
Make sure that Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 has been paired to a Mac build host.
Connect your iOS device to the Mac build host via USB or wirelessly.
In the Visual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 Solution Explorer, right-click on your Xamarin.iOS project and select Properties.
Navigate to iOS Bundle Signing.
For Configuration, select Debug.
For Platform, select iPhone.
Select Manual Provisioning.
Select the Signing Identity created by Xcode.
Select the Provisioning Profile created by Xcode.
Tip
Xcode created this signing identity and provisioning profile andstored them on your Mac build host. They are accessible toVisual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017 since it has been pairedto the Mac build host. If they are not listed, you may need to restartVisual Studio 2019 or Visual Studio 2017.
Save and close the project properties.
Select your iOS device and run the app.
Limitations
Apple has imposed a number of limitations on when and how you can use free provisioning to run your application on an iOS device, ensuring that you can only deploy to your device:
- Access to iTunes Connect is limited and therefore services such as publishing to the App Store and TestFlight are unavailable to developers provisioning their applications freely. An Apple Developer Account (Enterprise or Personal) is required to distribute via Ad Hoc and In-House means.
- Provisioning profiles created with free provisioning will expire after one week, and signing identities will expire after one year.
- Since Xcode will only create provisioning profiles for explicit App IDs, you will need to follow the instructions above for every app that you wish to install.
- Provisioning for most application services is not possible with free provisioning. This includes Apple Pay, Game Center, iCloud, In-App Purchasing, Push Notifications, and Wallet. Apple provides a full list of capabilities in the Supported capabilities (iOS) guide. To provision your app for use with application services, visit the Working with capabilities guides.
Summary
This guide explored the advantages and limitations of using free provisioning to install applications on an iOS device. It provided a step-by-step walkthrough that demonstrated how to use free provisioning to install a Xamarin.iOS app.
Mac Developer Setup 2019 2020
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