LCFM NativeCompilingDeployingDeploying for iOS - Fine Tuning

Deploying for iOS - Fine Tuning

We've deployed a basic app with the bare minimum needed to let it run on an iOS device. However, if you want the app to have an icon, splash screens, correct permissions to use eg the camera or other features then you need to do some fine tuning. Here's how you access and edit the advanced settings for your app.

Locate the Advanced Settings screen

There are several ways to get to this screen. Starting from the New Projects screen, click "Test and Deploy" next to the project you want to edit.

Now click Edit next to the iOS profile you want to edit. If you haven't yet set up an iOS profile, you can do this by following the steps in this lesson.

You will now see you can change some settings for your app on the General settings screen.

1) Your app name

2) Your identifier

3) Increment your build number here

4) Increment your version number here

5) Space for any copyright notice you want to add

6) Enter your custom URL scheme here. If you are asking "what's a custom URL scheme" you almost certainly don't need to know, and you should leave this blank. However, you can learn more about custom url schemes here.

You also have tabs from this screen to alter or add sync settings and overrides. These are covered in other lessons, I'm going to go next to the specific iOS tab to look at the settings there.

iOS Requirements

There are various other options you can set on this screen.

1) Choose what initial orientation you want your app to open with.

2) Tick all orientations you want your app to support.

3) Automatic scaling lets you fit your app to the screen size of the target device.  If you know the dimensions of the screen your app is going to be used on, for example you know that your clients organization only supplies its staff with an iPhone 6s, then you can design your app to work on that screen only. If you don't know, or you may have a range of target sizes, then automatic scaling can be useful. Choose from

a) Stretch layouts to fill screen - this should be used with caution as you risk distorting objects

b) Scale layouts down to fill screen - this could result in very small objects and text if you have a large and busy layout, but it can work well if you don't have too many items

c) Scale layouts up to fill screen - you could use this one if you have designed for the lowest common denominator, and then want to scale up for anything bigger

d) Center layouts on screen - this can be a good one to use if you design your layouts so that all important objects are a good margin in from the edge.

4) You can set the Status bar on the device to be visible or hidden. You can also force a style for the status bar here from the drop down options. I've left it on default, which means the users settings will be shown.

5) We need to set an icon for the app. iOS apps need some very precise icon sizes. LCFM Native helpfully tells you what they are. Hover over the three dots (circled) and the size required will pop up.  

6) Choose or change your provisioning profile here. If you've come here after creating a basic iOS profile, this will already be filled in.

7) Set the minimum version of iOS you are deploying for. Any later versions will automatically be supported.

Click the dots to choose your icons.

Requirements

This is where you set the permissions you want your app to have. If it has a feature where the user can take a photo, you need camera permissions. If it uses location services eg it tries to detect where the user is, it will need Location Services and GPS. If it informs the user of events eg reminds of an appointment then it will need local notifications. If you don't set these permissions here, the app will not work correctly. However, bear in mind if you just check everything in case the app needs it Apple will probably reject your app when reviewing it for the app store. Another thing to note is that your selections will affect your apps visibility in the App Store. If it requires GPS it will only appear for devices that support GPS. You do need to set only the permissions your app needs.

The Splash Screen

The splash screen for an iOS app is important. It helps to ensure your app loads and displays at the right size and shape. Again, if you hover over the three dots for each selection, it will tell you what size you need. For maximum compatibility, you should add a screenshot for all these options. Because this is a test lesson and life is short, I'm just loading a splash screen for my phone, which happens to be an iPhone 6.

Advanced

At this point, we really don't need to worry about these. You'll probably only want to come here when you've been developing iOS apps for a while and it will all make a lot more sense. You can set options for accessing non https domains or whitelisting urls.

Click Done...

 

Let's Test!

Back on the Deployment Profiles screen, click the Test and Deploy button for your iOS profile.

Plug in your device to your computer. Ensure you have followed the steps to let your computer recognise the device, and that the device is active. Click the Test on your iOS Device button. After some waiting your app should appear, complete with a nice icon.

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