Unable to install provisioning profile on ad-hoc distribution test devices using iTunes 11 and iOS 7

Question

It seems like that there is a problem installing ad hoc distribution apps using iTunes 11. I found out that the specific problem is that the provisioning profile never gets installed on the devices, which causes the application installation to fail and block (the icon stays black).

Use case: distribute ad hoc apps to iOS 7 tester devices that do not have XCode and without having to use third party webservices like testflight.

Installation success when: I install my app on an iPad with iOS 7 with a profile installed using iTunes 10 when it was running iOS 7. This because the profile is still valid.

Installation fail when: I install the app on a new device running iOS 7 via iTunes 11. Looking at: Settings->General->Profiles I do not find any profiles in this case (despite I copied them on iTunes and sync the device).

Hence what I need to find out is how to install provisioning profiles on a iOS 7 tester device with or without using iTunes 11 and without: - using third parties software like TestFlight. - forcing the tester to use XCode

Any help/suggestion?

PS: Good old times when It used to be possible to install the device by just dragging and dropping it on the iTunes 10 icon and then synchronizing it with the device.

Answer 1

Solved!

The issue was that had sent to my collaborators the UUID finder App which apparently has a bug (at least on iOS 7 devices) because it gets the wrong uuid:

It does substitute in the first part of the UUID a series of letters "F" and change the rest of the uuid:

UUID / UDID / UID:
FFFFFFFFrestofuuid(incorrect)

The safest way to get the correct uuid is to copy it directly using iTunes. One you have the correct ad hoc distribution certificate (with the right uuid) then send it to the tester and ask to reinstall (by dragging and dropping it on iTunes and then Synchronizing or by sending it via email and opening the mail from the device - which will prompt the user to an installation process). To check if it is installed on the testers device in the general settings menu.

Notes: I sent the UUID finder App a couple of weeks ago (as of 23 December 2013), so the current version of UUID finder may be working correctly. Double check in case you are in doubt. EDIT: API deprecated, see Deprecated UIDevice Methods - Apple Developer

Answer 2

The situation is way better than "the good old times". You can install both the ad hoc provisioning profile and app directly on the device by directing the user to a specially constructed web page.

That link is a little old. I've created a rough script that creates an over-the-air install from the ad-hoc IPA file you create in the Xcode Organizer (although enterprise would probably work too).

All you need to do is modify yourhost.com and yourhost_via_ssh in the bin/mk_ota file.