I recently had issues with Self Hosted 'OTA', where my app would die about 75% through the OTA install process. I traced the issue down to 'URL interpretation issues' in iOS. I ended up having to edit my app.plist to get OTA from my self hosted BT server to work. I wrote up a little 'by the way' How To explaining the process. I'm not sure if anyone else is experiencing the issue, but I can't be the only one in the entire world, so if it saves anyone some time, yay. Located here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/115208762/iOS_OTA.pdf Hope it helps! Cheers! -- Smug

Thank you for the resource @Smug! LA

Nice work Smug! Thanks for including screenshots too:) Ian

Nice work. I wonder if that was the issue I kept running into when I was playing with that OTA. I got a couple of sucessful installs but that was a while back. Maybe this might get more folks to use it. I still like the additional features in TestFlight, but this is nice to have as a back-up. @Smug - How do you deal with getting UDID's from clients? I have used an app called YARG and tried the Test Flight process.

Nice work Smug. Thanks for the resource. The screenshots were very helpful! Mike

@Atrain; I've only gotten one, lol! I just sent them the link to 'UUID Viewer' and had them email it to me. The other devices are mine. Cheers! -- Smug

Thanks Smug! I am sure that this will come very handy soon. Farcat

Gotcha. Getting that UID and then getting the user to wait while you add it to your provisioning profile before they can load the app.... That hasn't worked out well for me in real field testing. I tried at a couple of remote sites with a handful of users and it is a disaster and just makes me look bad. It's that second waiting period that is the problem.

That's kind of what led me to this issue; The Client was having a problem downloading the app, heh. Fortunately it was the day before the Client went on vacation. By the time they returned, I had the issue resolved. Truth be told, the binary just needs to be online somewhere. That whole 'plist' crap is just an Apple OTA thing. I don't hear the first peep out of Android users. But, things are what they are... Cheers! -- Smug (Heh. going through my own 'how to' I couldn't get it to work; I forgot to substitute my domain for the 'www.yourdomain.com' string... I'm such a tool sometimes, lol!)

I am soooo close, but still not quite there! I can open the install page on my iPhone which is included in my provisioning profile When i tap on the icon....i get "Cannot connect to www.mywebsite.co.uk" no more information given, just an OK button My website is up and running with no issues This OTA is driving me nuts....and yes....it iOS and not android..curse you Apple!

So... You're saying that the app installs on the device, but when you launch, you get a 'cannot connect' error? Or do you mean when you tap on the icon on your OTA install page you get the error? Cheers! -- Smug

Sorry. On the install page, I click icon and get the error. The app does not install

If it's the BT OTA page, then your Plist is probably not quite correct. as a test, just put it out somewhere in the root of the web domain... and try and download it from there using something like 'http://www.myspot.com/app.ipa' Cheers! -- Smug

'Download failed Safari cannot download this file'

Well, until it's done successfully, you're going to have this nagging in your head... On your test device, have you successfully installed the app via tethered cable? (the 'usual' test method) If not, do so. First and foremost you have to eliminate all possibilities. After you've downloaded the app into the device, you can delete the app... but you need to ensure that all the provisioning is rock solid, and if it doesn't install from Xcode, it won't install from anywhere. Once successfully installed via tether, then you can look at putting it on the server and trying again. If it doesn't download, I'd check default permissions on the file itself. If it works, then you can play with the plist file, if that's still the way you want to go. Cheers! -- Smug And remember there is no 'one size fits all' provision for a device. It needs to be added to each and every project you want to test it on. And then those new provisioning certs have to be downloaded and installed.

I've had it on my iPhone via the usual cable methods without issue. I need the OTA for someone who is working for me but is not close to me geographically so we have to use the OTA method. I am the only one with a Mac

Hmm. Well, "if" all the provisioning is correct (and if it ran tethered, then it should be ok) and it 'still' won't download directly, I'd check file permissions on the server. I've found it to be far easier to just have the file somewhere available rather than using the 'OTA' method, which I've gotten to work, but just with a lot more unneeded effort. That said, when it works, it works well. But due to each server setup being a 'little' different, sometimes the things that cause an issue for me won't bother you, and somethings that might effect you won't bother me... I'm running out of things to suggest... Hope something comes up soon! :) Cheers! -- Smug

Appreciate your help. I'll be giving up soon!

If you want, give me a copy of the ipa... I can throw it up on my server and see if you can retrieve it... Or try it in your dropbox, although typing some of those urls on the iPhone is a pain... Cheers! -- Smug

i can send you the ipa (email?). i guess that would determine if its my hosting?

just send it email; smug wimp at smug wimp dot com I'll email a link where you can download it. Or try ;) Cheers! -- Smug

Email sent