Installing an Ad Hoc Distribution

Development, iOS, macOS, Windows

[title type=“h3″ class=“tfuse“]What is Ad Hoc Distribution?[/title]

Ad Hoc Distribution allows you to try an application before it’s available in the iTunes App Store. This is how we distribute iPhone applications to beta customers.

These instructions assume you have a .zip file. You can also look at instructions for .ipa files.

Developers, if you have any customers running Windows Vista, you’re better off distributing with an .ipa file, so that iTunes handles the unzipping. To create a .ipa, move your AppName.app directory into a new directory called Payload, then zip the Payload folder and change the file extension to .ipa.

[title type=“h3″ class=“tfuse“]What You’ll Need[/title]

Before beginning the installation process you’ll need:

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  • The .zip file for the application (usually AppName.app.AdHoc.zip)
  • The .mobileprovision file for the application (usually Ad_Hoc_Distribution_Profile.mobileprovision)
  • Your Device: the iPhone or iPod Touch whose UDID you emailed us previously (Remember?)
  • The computer you normally sync with your Device
  • We usually send the .zip and .mobileprovision files to you via email.

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[title type=“h3″ class=“tfuse“]Installing the Application – Windows XP[/title]

[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]1.[/dropcap1] If you have the .zip (.ipa) and .mobileprovision files in an email, save them to a convenient location, such as your Desktop.[/row_box]
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[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]2.[/dropcap1] Drag-and-drop the .mobileprovision file onto Library → Applications in iTunes. On the Mac, you can just drag it to the iTunes icon in your dock.
Extract the .zip file. To do this, right-click the .zip file and select Extract All… . Step through the wizard and accept the defaults by clicking Next.
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[box type=“warning_box“ class=“border box_pink box“]WINDOWS VISTA USERS: The built-in “Extract All…” command corrupts the application so that it cannot be installed. You should try using a different zip program like WinZip or WinRar to extract the Zip file. Better yet, ask the application developer to send you the application as a .ipa file instead of a .zip file, then you don’t have to unzip it. [/box]
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[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]3.[/dropcap1]
Find the .app folder (usually AppName.app).
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[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]2.[/dropcap1]
Drag-and-drop the whole .app folder onto Library → Applications in iTunes. On the Mac, you can just drag it onto the iTunes icon in the dock.
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[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]4.[/dropcap1]
Verify that the application shows up in Library → Applications. Note that it will not have its normal icon.
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[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]5.[/dropcap1]
In iTunes, select your Device under Devices, choose the Application tab, and make sure that the new application is checked.
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[row_box class=“border box_white box“][dropcap1]6.[/dropcap1]
Sync your Device and try out the new app!
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[box type=“note_box“ class=“border box_yellow box“]If you run into any trouble installing an app, please email the application developer. Please don’t email us here at Webblazer unless you’re having trouble with one of our apps (probably Webcam).[/box]
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