TESTFLIGHT..Question

CaptFinnCaptFinn Member Posts: 1,828
in Working with GS (Mac)

Anyone using testflight to bypass the viewer? Has TestFlight replaced the viewer? I REALLLY hate having to reinstall the viewer everytime a new update is downloaded. Is there not a way to default the viewer? Does every update " just have to" negate the current viewer?

Comments

  • pHghostpHghost London, UKMember Posts: 2,342

    The best way is ad-hoc, to be honest.

    You just publish your app on the GS website, sign it with a testing certificate and drag-drop it on your phone. Off you go. And since it stays on your phone, you can test it untethered and all.

  • Braydon_SFXBraydon_SFX Member, Sous Chef, Bowlboy Sidekick Posts: 9,273

    I have never downloaded or used the viewer. I always do adhoc builds.

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  • jamie_cjamie_c ImagineLabs.rocks Member, PRO Posts: 5,772

    I always do AdHoc builds to test as well. The only time I've ever used the viewer is when I was doing research for my book.

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  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,369

    I'm a big fan of the viewer. Using it enables you to do a lot of testing in a very short amount of time. I'd go crazy if I had to publish and wait and sign and install every time I wanted to quickly test something. I tend to install a new viewer only when there's a new stable build, though, not for RCs. This means the viewer only gets reinstalled every so often, and at most I have to open the project in the last stable to get a quick preview of it. It would be great not needing a new viewer every new build of GS, but I get why they need to do it.

    I don't see TestFlight as a replacement in any way. You realistically only need to use TestFlight if you're wanting to push your builds to other testers, or want to test IAP. Otherwise testing via a standard ad hoc is just fine.

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  • KevinCrossKevinCross London, UKMember Posts: 1,894

    @Armelline said:
    I'm a big fan of the viewer. Using it enables you to do a lot of testing in a very short amount of time. I'd go crazy if I had to publish and wait and sign and install every time I wanted to quickly test something.

    Me too!

    It would be great not needing a new viewer every new build of GS, but I get why they need to do it.

    It would be great if it was available on the App Store and updated automatically when they release a new version.

  • jamie_cjamie_c ImagineLabs.rocks Member, PRO Posts: 5,772

    It would be great if it was available on the App Store and updated automatically when they release a new version.

    Even though I don't use it, I have to agree. It would make it that much easier for those that do use it.

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  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,369

    @KevinCross said:
    It would be great if it was available on the App Store and updated automatically when they release a new version.

    I can't see that happening for a couple of reasons. One, Apple would likely not allow it - it runs code in a way they've taken a dim view of in the past. Two, we'd have to wait a week for a new viewer build after every release. Also, how would they handle the three different versions for Mac alone?

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  • KevinCrossKevinCross London, UKMember Posts: 1,894

    @Armelline said:
    I can't see that happening for a couple of reasons. One, Apple would likely not allow it - it runs code in a way they've taken a dim view of in the past.

    While that may be true there are other game development packages that do have a viewer on the App Store, which work in the same way.

    Two, we'd have to wait a week for a new viewer build after every release. Also, how would they handle the three different versions for Mac alone?

    Why 3? Main and Nightly Builds are the only ones I'm aware of.

  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,369

    @KevinCross said:
    While that may be true there are other game development packages that do have a viewer on the App Store, which work in the same way.

    Hopefully that means Apple have loosened up a bit! I remember seeing them specifically reject similar things in the past, but that was a few years ago now so a lot has probably changed!

    @KevinCross said:
    Why 3? Main and Nightly Builds are the only ones I'm aware of.

    Release candidates.

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  • floatingwoofloatingwoo Los Angeles, Calif.Member Posts: 393

    @Armelline you said" I tend to install a new viewer only when there's a new stable build, though, not for RCs." I was wondering what version ( and it's viewer) you are currently using. I made the mistake of updating my viewer with a newer version RC and now I'm having to back peddle. I personally would like to stay at ver.12.10

  • Thunder_ChildThunder_Child Member Posts: 2,343
    edited June 2015

    Well I personally dealt with another user today with a certain template that DOES NOT function properly in the viewer...and had to adhoc test for him with an IPhone 6+ and iPad to assure him it will work on an actual device...so I NEVER use the previewer. Nevah!

    I find it best to adhoc via Xcode until you have your own "stable" build to testflight...and quite frankly I consider testflighting to only be needed to allow other users to test for you.

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  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,369

    @floatingwoo said:
    Armelline you said" I tend to install a new viewer only when there's a new stable build, though, not for RCs." I was wondering what version ( and it's viewer) you are currently using. I made the mistake of updating my viewer with a newer version RC and now I'm having to back peddle. I personally would like to stay at ver.12.10

    I'm using the Viewer for 0.13.7 currently, but only because I've been a bit ill recently and not got around to updating yet. I've been 99% happy with 0.13.14 though, I'd not go back to 0.12.x. But others seem to have been less lucky!

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  • CaptFinnCaptFinn Member Posts: 1,828

    I thought every time you updated to a newer creator you had to also update to a newer viewer.

  • pHghostpHghost London, UKMember Posts: 2,342

    I only used the Viewer once, way back. Never found it necessary afterwards. The turnaround for generating, signing and loading a small app (which is mostly my case) from Creator onto my iPhone takes just a minute or two, so it's quite quick and I iterate a lot.

  • RossmanBrothersGamesRossmanBrothersGames Member Posts: 659

    @pHghost said:
    The best way is ad-hoc, to be honest.

    You just publish your app on the GS website, sign it with a testing certificate and drag-drop it on your phone. Off you go. And since it stays on your phone, you can test it untethered and all.

    Actually all builds you test on the viewer stay on there so you can access them and play them when away from your computer and home wifi.
    The viewer is definitely the fastest way to get builds on your phone, seconds instead of minutes, but I agree installing it for every build can be a pain. And like others are saying it doesn't take to long to load an adhoc, plus they are a more accurate test

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  • floatingwoofloatingwoo Los Angeles, Calif.Member Posts: 393

    I was told Mac app publishing is a pro feature only. So my choices are the viewer or the arcade?

  • pHghostpHghost London, UKMember Posts: 2,342

    Is it a Mac App? That won't work on the Viewer any way, it's just for iOS.

  • floatingwoofloatingwoo Los Angeles, Calif.Member Posts: 393
    edited June 2015

    @pHghost Maybe I am confusing things but I was given this info awhile ago and I thought that this was the only way to get a project on TestFight?

    "When I work with clients, I typically use TestFlight which allows them to try the app on their actual mobile devices. But it also means they have to provide their UUID and I have to add them to a provisioning profile, etc. So what I've done sometimes is to build the app as a Mac app (yes, let's say MacBook) in GameSalad and then during the publishing phase in GameSalad , there's a point at which you can download a playable Mac application. Sorry, it's been quite some time since I've actually done this so I'm being a big vague about the steps. I would then just .zip the file and email or Dropbox it to my client."

    Perhaps I collapsed the information into one ....

  • pHghostpHghost London, UKMember Posts: 2,342

    @floatingwoo That makes some sense if you need to push it to a client and you don't want to wait a week or so for your beta to be approved by Apple (you don't need the UDID anymore, just emails).

    If you are testing yourself on your device, you just do an ad-hoc straight away.

  • floatingwoofloatingwoo Los Angeles, Calif.Member Posts: 393

    @pHghost Thanks, I will have a look around the forum and gather info on ad-hoc testing.

  • ArmellineArmelline Member, PRO Posts: 5,369

    @FINNBOGG said:
    I thought every time you updated to a newer creator you had to also update to a newer viewer.

    You do, but if you just open the project is an older creator, you'll be able to run it in the older, corresponding viewer.

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