Creating a new app release

You can create new app releases from the Ivanti incapptic Connect Apps > My Apps detail page.

Procedure

  1. From the Apps page, click an app. The My Apps detail page opens.

  2. Click + New Version. The Upload version binary menu opens.

  3. Click … to open the browse menu. You can also drag-and-drop the file into the Upload field.

  4. Select a file and click Upload. The binary file is uploaded and checked for possible failures or rejections later in the process. If the binary is out of spec for the respective target, it is rejected, and an error message displays.

    The binary is checked for the following information:

    1. Version and build number: Verifies that the version and build number increments, and the file is in the correct format.

    2. Signing: Verifies that the version is signed. 

    3. Package Name:

      • For Android apps, the package name of the submitted file must be set to the package name in the Ivanti incapptic Connect system.
      • For iOS apps, this is not necessary.

  5. SDK: Verifies the minimum SDK requirements that have them, such as public app stores.

    After the check, Ivanti incapptic Connect creates a new release, and the metadata page for the new version opens. The version status is Draft.

    For each single app, there can only be one app release in Draft status. You will not see the create New Version button if there is a draft available.

About editing and submitting an app release

If the app release is in status Draft (for example, following the upload of a new binary), it can be edited. For each target there is a specific metadata structure with certain mandatory and optional fields and elements.

Essential information about the binary is given for all apps, including:

  • The Bundle Identifier or Package name of the submitted file
  • Entitlements
  • SDK
  • Minimum OS version

The forms for public app store apps and Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) apps differs in structure and behavior:

  • Public app store apps: These apps require you to fill out a small form and the data is stored after the submission.
  • EMM apps: The data is stored and checked right after it is entered and the field is changed.

For each new version, the metadata from the previous version is copied, including:

  • Screenshots
  • Videos
  • All custom fields, if any

Tip You will find the details for each metadata structure in their respective articles.

When you have filled out the form, click Submit to save the data. When all metadata is successfully validated, Ivanti incapptic Connect re-signs the binary file.

About signing and re-signing an app

The binary file is re-signed after it has been successfully uploaded to the Ivanti incapptic Connect system and the metadata is entered or updated successfully.

The signing process differs between iOS and Android:

  • For Android: The Ivanti incapptic Connect system expects an Android application package (APK) or Android App bundle (AAB) file which has already been signed with some certificate. It needs to have the same Package Name as it is defined in Ivanti incapptic Connect. Unlike iOS, Ivanti incapptic Connect does not change the Package Name. No connection to Google is necessary for the re-signing. You do need the Android keystone, which is usually created on a local machine.

  • For iOS: The Ivanti incapptic Connect system expects an iOS App Store Package (IPA) file.

Procedure 

After the app is submitted, the app goes through the following steps before being re-signed:

  1. Extract the entitlement information from the submitted IPA file.

  2. Connect to the Apple Developer Portal (https://developer.apple.com/) and set the entitlement as in the submitted IPA file.

  3. Create a new provisioning profile with the maximum validity.

    The validity is limited to the expiration of the latest distribution certificate, at a minimum.

  4. Download the new provisioning profile.

  5. Compare the entitlements in the provisioning profile with those in the submitted IPA file.

  6. Re-sign the app with the provisioning profile and the distribution certificate.

    The entitlements Data Protection and Car Play cannot currently be set through Ivanti incapptic Connect. These entitlements must first be set manually in the Apple Developer portal, otherwise signing will be aborted. Once the entitlement is setup, the signing will not interrupted.