No document container created with .IPA app installation

Background: I am developing an app within my company for internal usage that stores some data files in the Documents folder of the document container for the app. I have been designated a developer, and once I finished creating the app, I gave it to my team leader, who then created an .ipa file for the app via the enterprise distrubution method.


Problem: When I install the app using Xcode, run the app, and use some iPhone file explorer (iExplorer in my case), I can see my documents stored properly AppName -> Documents -> 12_6_16_data.dat etc. When I install the app using the .ipa file, it looks like the document container. The Documents, Library, and tmp folders don't show up under the app, and for some reason the date modified for the app shows Dec 31st, 1969. I have used the iTunes method as well as the finder method to install the app from the .IPA. All other functionality of the app, seems to work however.


Please advise, how this issue could be resolved. Thanks.


Additional comments:

1. What is the suggested way to view the document container? I have a hunch that this could issue could be becasue iExplorer isn't able to recognize apps installed via the .ipa method.

Replies

First up, I can’t really speak to iExplorer; there’s no supported way to do what it’s doing, so all bets are off.

If you want a supported way to look at your app’s container, check out the Devices window in Xcode (this post has details).

However, this only works if you app is signed to allow it. It definitely works for developer-signed apps and it definitely doesn’t work for apps downloaded from the App Store. The other cases I’m less familiar with, but my understanding is that iOS 10 prevents it working for enterprise-signed apps.

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Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"

Hi Quinn,


We have the same problem in our company mobile app and we observed that iExplorer doesn’t work after the app has been signed with the enterprise distribution certificate and on iOS 10. iOS 9 is working fine. When signed with the developer certificate it is also working fine.


By your post, do you mean that some features are working using a developer certificate, but doesn’t work using an enterprise distribution certificate?


Is this something that we should ask iExplorer to look at or is this an iOS issue or an iOS feature by design?


Thanks very much!


I really can’t discuss iExplorer, other than to say that there’s no supported API to do what it’s doing.

What’s your actual goal here? If you can explain that, I might be able to suggest a way forward that is supported.

Share and Enjoy

Quinn “The Eskimo!”
Apple Developer Relations, Developer Technical Support, Core OS/Hardware

let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@apple.com"