Creating iOS LiveCode applications requires that LiveCode must have access to the iOS SDK. This is installed as part of the Xcode developer tools and is a Mac-only program. Also, when you upload an app to the iOS App Store, the application used is Mac only and is part of the Xcode installation. If you are a Windows-based developer and wish to develop and publish for iOS, you need either an actual Mac based system or a virtual machine that can run the Mac OS. We can even use VirtualBox for running a Mac based virtual machine, but performance will be an issue. Refer to http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/63147/is-mac-os-x-in-a-virtualbox-vm-suitable-for-ios-development for more information.
The biggest difference between becoming an Android developer and becoming an iOS developer is that you have to sign up with Apple for their developer program even if you never produce an app for the iOS App Store, but no such signing up is required when becoming an Android developer. If things go well and you end up making an app for various stores, then this isn't such a big deal. It will cost you $25 to submit an app to the Android Market, $99 a year (with the first year free) to submit an app to the Amazon Appstore, and $99 a year (including the first year) to be an iOS developer with Apple. Just try to sell more than 300 copies of your amazing $0.99 app and you'll find that it has paid for itself!
Note that there is a free iOS App Store and app licensing included, with LiveCode Membership, which also costs $99 per year. As a LiveCode member, you can submit your free non-commercial app to RunRev who will provide a license that will allow you to submit your app as "closed source" to iOS App Store. This service is exclusively available for LiveCode members. The first submission each year is free; after that, there is a $25 administration fee per submission. Refer to http://livecode.com/membership/ for more information.
You can enroll yourself in the iOS Developer Program for iOS at http://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/:
While signing up to be an iOS developer, there are a number of possibilities when it comes to your current status. If you already have an Apple ID, which you use with your iTunes or Apple online store purchases, you could choose the I already have an Apple ID… option. In order to illustrate all the steps to sign up, we will start as a brand new user, as shown in the following screenshot:
You can choose whether you want to sign up as an individual or as a company. We will choose Individual, as shown in the following screenshot:
With any such sign up process, you need to enter your personal details, set a security question, and enter your postal address:
Most Apple software and services have their own legal agreement for you to sign. The one shown in the following screenshot is the general Registered Apple Developer Agreement:
In order to verify the e-mail address you have used, a verification code is sent to you with a link in the e-mail, you can click this, or enter the code manually. Once you have completed the verification code step, you can then enter your billing details.
It could be that you might go on to make LiveCode applications for the Mac App Store, in which case, you will need to add the Mac Developer Program product. For our purpose, we only need to sign up for the iOS Developer Program, as shown in the following screenshot:
Each product that you sign up for has its own agreement. Lots of small print to read!
The actual purchasing of the iOS developer account is handled through the Apple Store of your own region, shown as follows:
As you can see in the next screenshot, it is going to cost you $99 per year or $198 per year if you also sign up for the Mac Developer account. Most LiveCode users won't need to sign up for the Mac Developer account unless their plan is to submit desktop apps to the Mac App Store.
After submitting the order, you are rewarded with a message that tells you that you are now registered as an Apple developer!
Sadly, you won't get an instant approval, as was the case with Android Market or Amazon Appstore. You have to wait for the approval for five days. In the early iPhone Developer days, the approval could take a month or more, so 24 hours is an improvement!
You had it easy with the pop quiz about Android OS code names! Not so with iOS.
Which of these names is more likely to be a code name for a future version of iOS?
- Las Vegas
- Laguna Beach
- Hunter Mountain
- Death Valley
Answer: 3
Although not publicized, Apple does use code names for each version of iOS. Previous examples included Big Bear, Apex, Kirkwood, and Telluride. These, and all the others are apparently ski resorts. Hunter Mountain is a relatively small mountain (3,200 feet), so if it does get used, perhaps it would be a minor update!
Once you receive confirmation of becoming an iOS developer, you will be able to log in to the iOS Dev Center at https://developer.apple.com/devcenter/ios/index.action.
This same page is used by iOS developers who are not using LiveCode and is full of support documents that can help you create native applications using Xcode and Objective-C. We don't need all the support documents, but we do need to download Xcode's support documents.
In the downloads area of the iOS Dev Center page, you will see a link to the current version of Xcode and a link to get to the older versions as well. The current version is delivered via Mac App Store; when you try the given link, you will see a button that takes you to the App Store application.
Installing Xcode from Mac App Store is very straightforward. It's just like buying any other app from the store, except that it's free! It does require you to use the latest version of Mac OS X. Xcode will show up in your Applications folder.
If you are using an older system, then you need to download one of the older versions from the developer page. The older Xcode installation process is much like the installation process of any other Mac application:
The older version of Xcode takes a long time to get installed, but in the end, you should have the Developer folder or a new Xcode application ready for LiveCode.
Tip
Coping with newer and older devices
In early 2012, Apple brought to the market a new version of iPad. The main selling point of this one compared to iPad 2 is that it has a Retina display. The original iPads have a resolution of 1024 x 768 and the Retina version has a resolution of 2048 x 1536. If you wish to build applications to take advantage of this, you must get the current version of Xcode from Mac App Store and not one of the older versions from the developer page. The new version of Xcode demands that you work on Mac OS 10.10 or its later versions. So, to fully support the latest devices, you may have to update your system software more than you were expecting! But wait, there's more… By taking a later version of Xcode, you are missing the iOS SDK versions needed to support older iOS devices, such as the original iPhone and iPhone 3G. Fortunately, you can go to Preferences in Xcode where there is a Downloads tab where you can get these older SDKs downloaded in the new version of Xcode. Typically, Apple only allows you to download one version older than the one that is currently provided in Xcode. There are older versions available, but are not accepted by Apple for App Store submission.
Open the LiveCode Preferences and choose Mobile Support:
Click on the Add Entry button in the upper-right section of the window to see a dialog box that asks whether you are using Xcode 4.2 or 4.3 or a later version. If you choose 4.2, then go on to select the folder named Developer at the root of your hard drive. For 4.3 or later versions, choose the Xcode application itself in your Applications folder. LiveCode knows where to find the SDKs for iOS.