Apple shuts down the Testflightapp.com service after February 26 2015

Apple purchased the build distribution service Testflight from its previous owner Burstly almost year ago. After this acquisition, apple dropped support for android from Testflight, there is no wonder in that.

Also, apple started to integrate the testflight into the iTunesConnect. Now like we all expected, apple is going to shut down the separate service for testflightapp.com. It means, we cannot use testflight separately anymore, we have to use the testflight services only from iTunesConnect.

Apple send out email to the developers informing about this transformation. Apple clearly states in this mail that the testflight service will no longer be available after February 26 2015, giving one month grace period for the developers to do the transition.

We can export all our testers from our testflight to the iTunesConnect. The mail also contains the steps to do this. The contacts are exported as a CSV format like "First Name - Last Name - Email" format. You can also export the device list, but there is no need for that with the new iTunesConnect pre-release feature.

In case you still need a service exactly like testflight, there are some alternatives. You can try installrapp.com, http://app.io, http://hockeyapp.net.

How to export testers from TestFlightapp.com

1. Sign in to the TestFlight Dashboard at testflightapp.com
2. Navigate to the "People" tab
3. Check mark the teammates you would like to export
4. Open the "Actions" menu on the right side of the teammates list
5. Select "Export Contact Info" to download the exported CSV file

How to import testers into the new TestFlight Beta Testing

1. Sign in to iTunes Connect at itunesconnect.apple.com
2. Click "My Apps"
3. Select the app you want to enable for beta testing
4. Enter the "Prerelease" tab and select "External Testers"
5. Click the plus sign to add new external testers
6. Use the "Import File" from the "Add New External Testers" page to upload the exported CSV file

Using Souce Control in the projects. (Xcode, Eclipse and Visual Studio.)

Souce Control is available with Xcode, Eclipse and Visual Studio.

Visual Studio: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudioalm/archive/2013/01/30/getting-started-with-git-in-visual-studio-and-team-foundation-service.aspx

Eclipse: http://www.vogella.com/articles/EGit/

What is Souce Control?

 Souce Control is the management of changes to documents, computer programs, large web sites, and other collections of information.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revision_control‎

Why Use Souce Control?

When working on a software project, it can be very useful to use software control management (SCM) to keep track of changes in the code and coordinate work groups. An SCM system, also referred to as source control, saves multiple versions of each file on disk, storing metadata about each version of each file in a location known as an SCM repository.

Uses of Souce Control:

1) Keep the track of changes made to your project

2) Revert back to your old code in case of major issues.

3) When working with a team, source control is very useful.

4) Can push the new code to someone's machine

5) Can work with the major changes without affecting the current code.

6) Always keep the clean master copy of your project.

7) No need to take back-ups

8) We can get to know each and every line is added by who/when

9) Can store a secure copy of the project in the server.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/ms181368.aspx

There are a lot of Source Control software available as free source as well as paid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_revision_control_software

Of all these, Xcode have the built in Source Control systems : Git and Subversion (SVN).

Subversion (SVN) need a remote server whereas Git can be worked in local itself (but also can be connected with server when need).

How to create Git for a Xcode project?

1) If you are creating a new project, the Xcode will ask something like "Create  local git repository for this project" when you choose your project location. Check that check box to create git for your project

2) If you want to create Git for your existing project, then you have to do something in the terminal. Run the following commands in the terminal.

   cd drag/your/project/folder/in/the/terminal

   git init (Create local git in the folder)

   git add . (Add all the files to the Git)

  git commit - m "Initial Commit (You can enter anything here)"

The following terms are used in Xcode while using the Git

Clone:

Use this when the master project is in the remote server and you want to download a copy of the project (called working copy) into your system

Commit:

You have done working with the local project (working copy) and you want to add all the changes with the Git (local repository)

Push:

You have done committing, and now you have to push the latest commits to the server.

Pull:

Someone in your team have pushed the latest commits and you want to download the latest changes to your local working copy.

Track Branch

Clone a particular branch into your local Git from remote Git

Merge:

When you have done working with your temporary branch you can now merge all the changes to the  master branch

 or any other branches

For more details about this topic, please refer the following links.

http://www.raywenderlich.com/13771/how-to-use-git-source-control-with-xcode-in-ios-6

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/ToolsLanguages/Conceptual/Xcode_User_Guide/085-Save_and_Revert_Changes_to_Projects/manage_project_changes.html