Running iOS app on a different Mac / simulator

Question

I have built a demo iOS app on my Mac. My client wants to get the executable and run it on his iOS simulator on his Mac so as to give me feedbacks. I have an Apple developer account and I can deploy my app to my iPad / iPhone or distribute it via AppStore. But I don't know how to generate an iOS simulator executable for him. He only wants the iOS simulator executable. Does anyone have tried this before?

P.S. I can't really distribute it via AppStore since it is just a demo app. It is very likely rejected. Plus, I have to send it to him today so I don't think Apple can pass my app within a day.

P.P.S. I can't give him the source code unless he pays me. But it is not possible after a month.

Please help. Thanks in advance!

Crozier

Do a remote session :) – Filament

@Filament P.P.P.S I can't since he is going to do a online demo alone to other clients using the simulator :) – Crozier

Answer 1

You need to send him the Application folder under the iPhone Simulator folder.

You can find it here:

~/Library/Application Support/iPhone Simulator/<Simulator-Version>/Applications/

Ptomaine

Under my Applications/ folder, I have lots of folders with non-making-sense names. Is there a way to decide which one I should send to him? Or I should send the whole Applications/ folder? If he gets this folder, how can he run it on his simulator? Thanks! – Crozier

@nigong: Just delete all those folders and rebuild & run your project again, it's the easiest way. Or you need to open each and every folder and check for the app name. Or sort the folders by date and check the recently modified folder – Ptomaine

Then how can he run the app? I tried to delete all the folders in the Applications/ folder and then rebuild the app. It generates 7 folders. So I guess I should send the whole Applications/ folder to him. – Crozier

In which 6 folders are of the default simulator apps (like safari, contacts etc.) Open those folders in one of that you can see your app name. Send that folder to him. He need to copy the folder to same location and need to restart his iPhone simulator. The app will be displayed on his simulator – Ptomaine

@nigong: I added the image, please check – Ptomaine

Answer 2

Building upon this answer by @Midhun, for later versions of Xcode (Xcode 6, Xcode 7 and Xcode 8 in my research), the simulators now live here:

~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator/Devices

I was actually trying to use an app built on Xcode 8 for iOS8 simulator and get it to run on an ios7 simulator from Xcode 6 on another Mac. I couldn't find out how to simply copy files around but I did manage to copy the Mine.app folder to the other Mac, then install it using

xcrun simctl install 6DC6323C-504C-423F-ACD6-652557B33D48 Mine.app

where you need to replace 6DC6323C-504C-423F-ACD6-652557B33D48 with your simulator device type ID (find using xcrun simctl list devices).

Spoondrift

Answer 3

iOS Run .app on another simulator

1. Build .app^[About]

• Xcode: Product -> Build
• xcodebuild command^[About]

//building workspace
xcodebuild -workspace "/path/to/workspace" -scheme "MyShemeName" -sdk iphonesimulator CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY="" CODE_SIGNING_REQUIRED=NO

2. Find .app

//1. Build location*. Usually it is derived data folder
//2. Xcode. 
Project navigator -> project -> Products group
//3. Get it from iOS simulator
Activity Monitor -> <App Name>(not Xcode) -> Double click -> Open Files and Ports -> Find <App Name.app> path -> find and copy a file <App Name.app> by path -> save the file locally

[Build location]

3. Install .app

xcrun simctl install booted <app_path.app>

Reduplicate

Answer 4

For running app, build on other mac machine to yours machine simulator. we require .app file for that project.

run below command in terminal

xcrun simctl install booted $LOCATION/FILENAME.app

replace $LOCATION with the path and the FILENAME should be the name.for more details check this link => https://www.webdigi.co.uk/blog/2016/how-to-transfer-your-app-to-an-ios-simulator-on-another-machine-using-app-file-and-xcrun/

Radii

Answer 5

Or you can send just the one app you need from ~/Library/Application\ Support/iPhone\ Simulator/7.0/Applications/GUID-OF-YOUR-APP

Predicament

Answer 6

i have used a similar tool called Simulator Bundler in a recent project with no issues,

https://github.com/landonf/simlaunch/downloads

Stubbs

I don't see Simulator Bundler there any more. – Lakeishalakeland

Answer 7

Midhun MP answer is good but in case of solution don't work then in emergency sometimes making video and sending it to client would help. This tool provide light weight video creation.

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/

You can resize it for your simulator.

Epstein