Hi After a long time working on it, my iOS app is in the final stages of development and internal testing. In a few days (maybe a week or two depending on Apple) I'll be sending it out to a few Alpha / Beta testers, so if anyone fancies getting involved... read on It's an entertainment / education / knowledge / achievement / skill / collectable / life gamification app for iOS 8+ devices. Yes, I know that sounds vague, but I'll pass on more details to anyone interested. iOS 7+ compatibility may come later on, but for now it's iOS 8+ exclusively. It's great for iPhones but will happily work on iPads. To get the most out of 'some' of it a GPS equipped device is preferred. I'll be using Apple's TestFlight beta distribution system (I've used it previously when it wasn't Apple owned) so if you want to get involved I'll need to know the email address from your Apple ID but that's it, you don't have to 'sign up' or connect the app to any accounts or other security unknowns. The email is purely so I can invite you via Apple's systems. Fire away with questions. Oh, and if you help, I promise to include everyone in the apps acknowledgements if they want it
Thanks peeps. I will be back in touch as soon as I'm at the right stage. I might need to look at another Beta distribution method as Apple have really messed up the Testflight distribution platform since they bought it. I've got several Apple IDs I use for personal / dev purposes and "Invite a tester" system is breaking for my primary and personal Apple ID. If I'm not confident in the system I'm not going to use it with testers. This sucks, as dealing with Apple and bugs in their system is beyond horrendous. It's a black hole. Your file a report and either hear nothing or they get back with a basic response in 3mo time (not joking). There's alternative methods I can use to push beta apps out but they're all from the "Not as good as TestFlight" category which is why Apple bought TestFlight and integrated it into their tools. What is TestFlight? To install my app on your (non jailbroken) devices it needs to be digitally signed. If I know your unique device IDs I could do an 'ad hoc' distribution and send you the app install file to install via iTunes. This is painful for me, and painful for you (Been there - done that) TestFlight 'should' allow me to publish the app as a beta version similarly to how I submit it into the App Store. You use Apple's TestFlight app (from the app store) to see your beta invites and install the beta version. For testers it's dead easy, you get the beta releases without having to go near iTunes etc, and I get any feedback / crash reports. The initial beta version even goes through the app store approval process which should weed out people pushing out contact stealing spyware apps claiming to be betas for something cool. Next steps I'll keep persevering with TestFlight into next week. If I can get it working enough for you guys it's by far the cleanest solution. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks, the more the merrier The app has been Apple approved for their Beta process so I can send out invites as soon as I've got a build I'm happy with. I've got a few more little things to look at, and then it should be ready. With the sprogs back to school tomorrow I'll be back to having more work time. BTW, I still never got my primary Apple ID working nicely with testflight but finally worked out why my test IDs weren't working (Because Apple has bugs in their system) and have successfully sent a Beta to myself... it's a small milestone but it still counts as a win. I'm hoping that 'external' testers don't run into the same issues I've had with the me, myself and I 'internal' testers. It would be nice to get people to test my App and not Apple's half-baked mods to a system that worked fine before they glued it into their development suite. Hidden rules of development : Take one step forwards.. and then spend the rest of the afternoon working why you didn't really move and are now standing on one leg, facing backwards with your t-shirt on inside out.
I got my testflight invite last week but I've only just had time to open it up - currently saying 0.17 is unavailable so I can't download. Has it been pulled?
Sorry for pulling 0.17 and not checking back here yesterday, but was traveling for most of the day. Apple have been a right pain with approving Beta releases. They say they won't need to approve every single version, but for me that's exactly what they're doing and they are...... very.... slow What this means is the 0.18 version that's just been made live is already a few days out of date compared to the version I'm running here and therefore isn't up to date to be really useful. Having a 3 or 4 day turnaround for beta releases is horrendous and negates much of the benefit of getting any of you guys to look at it. By the time you say 'This doesn't work' or 'This is too hard' or 'This isn't right on device X' I've worked out a lot of these issues. Anyway, enjoy 0.18... it's just that 0.19 is even better!
I've been tap tap tapping away, curse you Jen Just installed on both iPhone 4s and iPad mini, but achievents don't transfer PS, how would you prefer feedback? In this thread in public, or via PM/email, or alternative? Cheers
Just a quick update First up, thanks to all who have managed to download it and get it running. Any feedback would be good via email nerineb.badge at gmail.com. Do be aware the version you're using is by the nature of Apple's systems way out of date by the time you get it (Curse you Apple) I've had it up to HERE with Apple and the way their beta system works. I have a version of the app 0.19 here I want everyone to have a look at (There's you guys, family and a few friends) but I can't even submit that version for approval without switching off the current version. Those of you with 0.18 it will still work, but new installs won't work. I'm rambling... and ranting... I'm really close to submitting the app to go live in the store and was hoping to actually get it done today but urgent hospital visits for those around me has (again) thrown a spanner in my plans. I'll switch 0.18 off now (sorry if you didn't have a chance to get it) and keep my fingers crossed Apple can get 0.19 approved this side of Easter!
Another quick update, and repeated thanks to those that installed and tested. V1.0 of the app has now been submitted for App Store approval. The launch content has been finalised and most typos and crazy glitches should be a thing of the past. Assuming Apple doesn't come back with any of there customary gotchas, it could be live by the end of the week So thanks again.
The man from Apple. He say yes. This projects first trip though the notorious app review system went without a hitch Would have launched today if it were not for me me spending the entire day dealing with hospital stuff and the customary medical emergencies that have been delaying this project all this year. Software = Easy. Cancer = A bag of old shite!
Couldn't have put it better myself. Will hopefully get a chance to feedback soon on the app, had similar issues to work through here.
