Itms-services IPA wireless distribution channel not working

Question

I am trying to download IPA through a website. From reading around, I see it being done by itms-services.

My problem is that my link in php is not working - I have a feeling for this syntax, but I can't figure it out. I tried url encoding, etc., but no luck.

Any ideas?

echo '<a href="itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=http://localhost:8888/hockey/hockey/appname_type/info.plist">Click here to donwnload</a></br>'; 

Answer 1

Here's what Apple answers to questions about this:

Yes, itms: // links do not work in the simulator.

Answer 2

I think that now the URL should be HTTPS vs HTTP, for Apple’s security change.

Answer 3

You will need to encode the URL only for the URL. Therefore, instead of

http://localhost:8888/hockey/hockey/appname_type/info.plist

you use this

http%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%3A8888%2Fhockey%2Fhockey%2Fappname_type%2Finfo.plist

Answer 4

Is your url correct for your ipa file in info.plist? It must be an absolute url, fe

<key>url</key> <string>http://localhost:8888/hockey/hockey/appname_type/info.ipa</string>

and it should not be in a secure .htpasswd directory.

Answer 5

If you are not using a jailbroken iOS device that received its own web server, the localhost URL will not work. I suspect that your link to localhost works in Safari on your Mac because it runs a web server serving files.

You need to specify the IP address for Mac in your link, for example

 <a href="itms-services://?action=download-manifest&url=http://192.168.0.100:8888/hockey/hockey/appname_type/info.plist">Click here to donwnload</a></br>'; 

but replace 192.168.0.100 with the IP address of your Mac.

Please note that this will not work in the simulator, since you cannot install applications through itms-services