How to build a Hybrid App with Intel XDK for iOS r

Question

I've been developed a Hybrid App using Intel XDK + Cordova , It has been built for android platform with no pain and is running in a good condition BUT at the time of build for iOS platform the XDK asks me for mobile-provision and p12 certificates and it's password ! I know I should have the Apple Developer account to build the certicates but please pay attention that now I'm living in Iran and its impossible to create one , beside it there is no need to publish the final app on the Apple official App Store , I just need the certificates for build the app and turn my codes into .ipa file , the final .ipa will be submitted into a local market and they will publish it with their certificates and etc ...

THE QUESTION IS : is there any way or solution to obtain a certificate (even fake one) just for bypassing the build stage of XDK !?

P.S. : while ago I found a fake certificates but the XDK had alert for the password

Answer 1

Nope. To my knowledge, there is no way to get around this. For the build process to even work, you need to generate your certificates using the .csr (certificate signing request) associated with your specific Intel XDK account.

An apple developer account must be involved at some point in the process to get an app that can be built using Intel XDK's cloud building process.

(If someone else has information to the contrary, please feel free to correct me)

Answer 2

I am an active Intel XDK developer with an Apple account as well as Android and Windows. With the Intel XDK you develop your IOS app on Windows or Linux up until you submit the IPA bundle to the App Store for review. You don't need a developer's account until you are ready to build IPA (iPhone build from the Intel XDK), because you need to download the CSR from the Intel XDK IOS build panels and then log into your Apple Developer's account to create an App Store distribution certificate for each IOS app you will be building/submitting. Then download the certificate, include in your Intel XDK project, then upload and build your IPA bundle. The IPA is Apple's bundle as APK is for Android. Here are the steps to build an IPA from the Intel XDK.

1. Click the Build IOS from Intel XDK build tab, the project will be uploaded.
2. When at the Build Screen, don't click Build button, instead click the Ceritifcate edit.
3. Download the CSR, by clicking the download button and save to your desktop.
4. Log into your Apple account at http://developer.apple.com and click Member Center.
5. Create a new account or log into your existing account
6. Click on Certificates, Identifies, & Profiles
7. Click on Certificates
8. Click the Plus button to add a certificate
9. Choose the App Store and Ad Hoc radio button under Production and click Continue.
10. Click Continue again to the Upload your CSR.
11. Now upload the CSR that you downloaded from the Intel XDK build.
12. Once uploaded, click Generate
13. Now click download and save your certificate to your desktop.
14. Back in the Intel XDK, click on browse to upload your new certificate you just downloaded.
15. You cannot build yet because there is no provisioning profile associated with this app. Cancel the build.
16. Go back to your Apple Developer account, and select the App ID's from the left menu, and press the plus button to add a new App ID.
17. Give the App ID a name and a bundle id, the bundle id you will use in the Intel XDK build settings for the App ID.
18. Press Continue followed by Submit.
19. Now select Provisioning Profiles in your Apple developer account,
20. Choose Distribute->App Store and press continue,
21. From the select field, choose the App Id you just create and press continue,
22. Now choose the certificate you just created, and press continue.
23. Give the provisioning profile a name and press Generate
24. Now download your new provisioning profile and save to your Intel XDK project directory under the www subdirectory. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
25. From the Intel XDK on the Build Settings, select IOS tab, and locate the Provisioning Profile selection and choose production,
26. Now click on the Provisioning Profile File and the Add dialog popup appears, then choose the provisioning profile file you just download. You must select from the project www subdirectory.
27. Go back to the build tab, if a previous build page is showing, close that build page, and choose IOS build.
28. Then choose Upload Project, VERY IMPORTANT! as you have new changes which include a provisioning profile. Make sure you App ID in the build settings match the Developer bundle id. Also the CFBundleIdentifier can be set to the version number of the app.
29. When the Build Now page is showm, press the Build button and the Intel servers will build your IPA file.
30. Upon a successful build, download the IPA to your desktop.
31. Now log into your Apple developer account, and choose the ITunes Connect option.
32. From Itune connect, you must create a new App by choosing My App and then clicking the plus button to add a new App.
33. IMPORTANT: choose the IOS platform and the app you are deploying from the Bundle ID, as well as a Name and language. Then press create.
34. You app is ready to receive the previously created IPA.
35. From up til now, you did not need a mac, but to upload the IPA you need a MAC. Copy your recently created IPA to flash drive, or network drive like dropbox, that your mac can also access. If you do not have a mac, there is a service called www.macinacloud.com. If you plan on developing many IOS apps, it is worth buying at least a Mac Mini Intel-edition, not power-pc version.
36. From your MAC, launch the Application Loader and choose your IPA file. You will receive a successful confirmation of the upload. Wait about several minutes, then go back to ITunes connect.
37. Choose you App, and scroll down to the Build section, you should see the newly upload IPA with a version number. Select this IPA, and complete the remaining form for the App to prepare to submit for review.