PKG with main app and helper app

Hi everyone,


I hope you're all well. I have a .pkg with two .app files inside - my main app, which users will have in their Applications folder, and a helper tool that the pkg installs to /Library/Application Support/com.mycompany.myapp. Due to sandboxing issues, this is necessary. (Quick check - if my main app is sandboxed but my helper tool is not, will that be accepted by the Mac App Store?)


I have created a bundle ID for both - com.mycompany.myapp and com.mycompany.myapp-helper. However, when uploading through Transporter, I get the error "No suitable application records were found. Verify your bundle identifier 'com.mycompany.myapp-helper' is correct."


I'm thinking this is because my app in App Store Connect uses the ID com.mycompany.myapp, so Transporter doesn't know what to do with the helper tool.


If anyone can assist me I'd be hugely grateful - I know it's possible because apps like Microsoft Office, which definitelyhave helper tools, are on the App Store. If it changes anything, my installer also adds a .plist into /Library/LaunchAgents so the app starts at login.


I can distribute outside of the App Store, but I really don't want that as it limits the number of users I have access to.


Thank you so much in advance, and I hope you're all staying safe and well during this time.

Accepted Reply

Quick check - if my main app is sandboxed but my helper tool is not, will that be accepted by the Mac App Store?

No. All code in a Mac App Store app must be sandboxed. Also, Mac App Store apps must be self contained, so you won’t be able to install your helper in

/Library/Application Support/
.

What does your helper do?

Share and Enjoy

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

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

Replies

Quick check - if my main app is sandboxed but my helper tool is not, will that be accepted by the Mac App Store?

No. All code in a Mac App Store app must be sandboxed. Also, Mac App Store apps must be self contained, so you won’t be able to install your helper in

/Library/Application Support/
.

What does your helper do?

Share and Enjoy

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

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