Why must the bundle identifier be changed prior to submitting an iPhone app to the App Store?

Question

I need to understand this piece better because when I reached that step in the app submission process, my comprehension went to hell.

While developing my app, my bundle identifier was com.yourcompany.${PRODUCT_NAME:rfc1034identifier}.

The instructions say

In the Properties Pane of the Target Info window, enter the Bundle Identifier portion of your App ID. If you have used an explicit App ID you must enter the Bundle Identifier portion of the App ID in the Identifier field. For example enter com.domainname.applicationname if your App ID is A1B2C3D4E5.com.domainname.applicationname. If you have used a wildcard asterisk character in your App ID, replace the asterisk with whatever string you choose.

Here are example App IDs and what should be input into the Identifier field in Xcode.

Example App ID: A1B2C3D4E5.com.domainname.applicationname Identifier to enter in Xcode: com.domainname.applicationname

Example App ID: A1B2C3D4E5.com.domainname.* Identifier to enter in Xcode: com.domainname.

Example App ID: A1B2C3D4E5.* Identifier to enter in Xcode: full_reverse_dns_company_and_application_or_suite_name

In the provisioning protocol, my App id is XXXXXX1111.*. So In the identifier I entered com.mysite.myAppName, which was absolutely arbitrary, but that seemed to be the point. I built the app submitted it, everything seemed to work alright. But then I tried to create the Ad Hoc distribution and upload it to my device and what happens is that the app loads, and then crashes after about 3 seconds. At first I couldnt figure out what was going wrong so I retraced all my steps until finally I got to changing the identifier in the target. I changed it back to com.yourcompany.${PRODUCT_NAME:rfc1034identifier} and my app then started to work perfectly on my device with the Ad Hoc distribution provision.

My question then, is what do I need to write as the value for the identifier in order to make sure that my app doesnt crash when the app store team is reviewing my app?

Thanks!

EDIT

The Ad Hoc Distribution, App Store distribution, and the Development profile i was using all have the SAME app id, which is a wildcard XXXXXXXXXX.. In the organizer, the only provisioning profiles i have for my ipod touch are my team provisioning profile and my development profile. Under the developer profiles category in the organizer, I have team, distribution, ad hoc, and development, all with '' app identifier. in the 'provisioning profiles' i have the same 4, with my ipod touch as an included device on the ad hoc profile.

In my info.plist my id is com.mysite.myappname. Everytime i try running the app on my ipod touch using my distribution ad hoc profile, i get the dialog box:

'cant run "myappname" on ipod "my ipod name"

The ipod 'my ipod name' doesnt have the provisioning profile with which the application was signed. click install and run to install the provisioning profile 'dev name Ad Hoc' on 'ipod name' and continue running 'app name.app'

when i click install and run, the app loads, and then crashes after 3 seconds, as i said before. it seems as though the provisioning profile is failing to install on the ipod touch.

Answer 1

The important thing is that the bundle identifier in your info.plist file, the bundle identifier in your provisioning profile, and the bundle identifier associated with your app ID should all match up.

If you were able to do a distribution build, it means that the bundle identifier in your provisioning profile is the same as the one in your info.plist file. And if Itunes connect accepted your submission, it means that the bundle identifier associated with your app id is also the same. So you are in good shape there.

Reading your description, it is possible that your add hoc distribution profile does not have the same bundle identifier as your app store distribution profile. If so, this would explain why you had to change the bundle identifier in your info.plist when switching from an app store submission to ad hoc distribution.