Xcode, how to retrieve developer ID for distribution outside mac store?

Question

I have already published my app on mac store, now I want to distribute my app outside Mac Store.

I am following this tutorial by apple.

Here I am requesting for a Developer ID certificate, in Xcode->preferences->accounts->view details.

When I select the Developer ID option after clicking on the little + icon, I get following error.

I have Developer ID Certification Authority intermediate certificate in my keychain which is needed for Developer IDs

The tutorial also says> Only a team agent can request Developer ID certificates. If you’re an individual developer, you’re the team agent and can request these certificates.

You can see in the screenshot below, that I am an admin, so thats not an issue as well, what am I doing wrong?

I am not quite sure if its relevant, but upon exploring on Mac developer ceriticates, I found out that download button on Developer ID cert was disabled. So I am thinking I must have forgot to create a developer ID, also the expiry of that cert is 2018, which seems weird.

So If at all i have not created the Developer ID for some reason, how do I create those?

Answer 1

So, admin of the team cannot request for developer IDs, only agent can request for developer IDs for distribution outside mac store.

Answer 2

The Team Agent can export the Developer ID certificates using the Keychain Access app and share the resulting .p12 file with a Team Admin. When the Team Admin opens the file on their computer and types in the password, those certificates are imported into their keychain and become accessible to XCode. The Team Admin can now create archives and export apps signed with the Developer ID (no provisioning profile needed).

Answer 3

If you have the Developer ID certificate and you don't have the private key, you don't have an identity and you cannot sign anything with it.

Two situations: 1. you are the team agent and therefore you can generate Developer ID certificates 2. you are an individual and again you can generate Developer Id certificates

Unless you export it, the identity will be present only on the computer you used to request the certificate. So that will be the machine where you can practically sign anything with your Developer ID certificate.

If you are a team member or admin you don't have rights to generate the Developer ID certificates and you will simply not see the option at all. Your screen shows Revoke and Download buttons disabled because they were generated by someone else and you are not allowed to use it in any way.