iPhone Game Development - Chris Craft [9]
When a beta OS is on the horizon, the iPhone Dev Center will be divided according to version, with sections for the public and beta versions of the OS. Beta versions of the OS and SDK are sometimes released early to paid members of the iPhone Developer Program. In each section you should find version-specific information and resources. If you are looking at the public/release version of the OS, you probably won't be able to download the OS itself or iTunes there. If iTunes is not there, you can download the latest version of iTunes directly from Apple. If the OS is not there, you can install the publically available OS from the current version of iTunes. Also keep in mind that an application developed on a beta SDK won't be accepted on the App Store until the beta is in general release.
In the iPhone Dev Center you have access to the following resources:
Downloads. Gives you access to the latest iPhone OS, iPhone SDK, and iTunes.
Getting Started Videos. Watch the experts as they guide you through the basic concepts you need to get started.
Getting Started Documentation. Teach yourself the fundamentals and best practices recommended by Apple.
iPhone Reference Library. Find detailed instructions on every concept and library in the frameworks.
Coding How-To's. Find more guidance and instruction on integrating new and existing features into your applications. This is a great first place to look when trying something new.
Sample Code. One of our personal favorites. Download, compile, and execute sample code that was written by the experts. Download it all and pick it apart line by line. (Of course, we love examples, which is why we created http://AppsAmuckcom.)
Apple Developer Forums. When all else fails and you are stuck or question your implementation, this is where you want to go. You can discuss your issues and questions with peers and Apple engineers.
iPhone Developer Program Portal
When you are ready to install your application on your iPhone or iPod touch, you can find detailed information and the resources that you need in the iPhone Developer Program Portal. Preparing your device for development requires that you install a Provisioning Profile and a Development Certificate before you can install applications on it. The iPhone Developer Program Portal is where you need to go to create Development Certificates, create Provisioning Profiles, register Device IDs, and do everything else you need to do to distribute your application (Figure 1.5).
FIGURE 1.5
The iPhone Developer Program Portal provides all the tools and resources you will need for tasks like distributing your application.
The tools and resources found in the iPhone Developer Program Portal enable you to accomplish the following:
Test Applications on Devices. Before you can install an application on your development device, you must have a Development Certificate, Device ID, App ID, and Provisioning Profile. These requirements can be created and downloaded, or registered here.
App Store Distribution. When preparing an application for the App Store, you will need a Distribution Certificate, App ID, and Provisioning Profile.
Ad Hoc Distribution. This type of distribution allows you to share your application with testers and other developers remotely. You will need to get their Device ID and send them the application's Provisioning Profile. Once they have this, they can install your application from iTunes. For Ad Hoc distribution, you need a Distribution Certificate, Device ID, App ID, and Provisioning Profile (Figure 1.6).
Figure 1.6
The iPhone Developer Program Portal contains tools and information that carry you through the steps necessary to publish your application to the App Store or share your application through Ad Hoc distribution.
In App Purchase.