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Using Github Actions + FastLane to deploy to TestFlight: the "Browser Build" method

These instructions allow you to build iAPS without having access to a Mac. They also allow you to easily install iAPS on phones that are not connected to your computer. So you can send builds and updates to those you care for easily, or have an easy to access backup if you run iAPS for yourself. You do not need to worry about correct Xcode/Mac versions either. An app built using this method can easily be deployed to newer versions of iOS, as soon as they are available.

The setup steps are somewhat involved, but nearly all are one time steps. Subsequent builds are trivial. Your app must be updated once every 90 days, but it's a simple click to make a new build and can be done from anywhere.

Note that TestFlight requires apple id accounts 13 years or older. This can be circumvented by logging into Media & Purchase on the child's phone with an adult's account. More details on this can be found in LoopDocs.

This method for building without a Mac was ported from Loop. If you have used this method for Loop or one of the other DIY apps (Loop, Loop Caregiver, Loop Follow, Xdrip4iOS), some of the steps can be re-used and the full set of instructions does not need to be repeated. This will be mentioned in relevant sections below.

There are more detailed instructions in LoopDocs for doing Browser Builds of Loop and other apps, including troubleshooting and build errors. Please refer to LoopDocs for more details.

Prerequisites

  • A github account. The free level comes with plenty of storage and free compute time to build iAPS, multiple times a day, if you wanted to.
  • A paid Apple Developer account. You may be able to use the free version, but that has not been tested.
  • Some time. Set aside a couple of hours to perform the setup.
  • Use the same GitHub account for all "Browser Builds" of the various DIY apps.

Generate App Store Connect API Key

This step is common for all "Browser Builds", and should be done only once. Please save the API key somewhere safe, so it can be re-used for other builds, or if needing to start from scratch.

  1. Sign in to the Apple developer portal page.
  2. Copy the team id from the upper right of the screen. Record this as your TEAMID.
  3. Go to the App Store Connect interface, click the "Keys" tab, and create a new key with "Admin" access. Give it a name like "FastLane API Key".
  4. Record the key id; this will be used for FASTLANE_KEY_ID.
  5. Record the issuer id; this will be used for FASTLANE_ISSUER_ID.
  6. Download the API key itself, and open it in a text editor. The contents of this file will be used for FASTLANE_KEY. Copy the full text, including the "-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----" and "-----END PRIVATE KEY-----" lines.

Setup Github Match-Secrets repository

This is also a common step for all "browser builds", do this step only once

  1. Create a new empty repository titled Match-Secrets. It should be private.

Setup Github iAPS repository

  1. Fork https://github.com/Artificial-Pancreas/iAPS into your account. If you already have a fork of iAPS in GitHub, you can't make another one. You can continue to work with your existing fork, or delete that from GitHub and then and fork https://github.com/Artificial-Pancreas/iAPS.

If you have previously built Loop or another app using the "browser build" method, you can can re-use your previous personal access token (GH_PAT) and skip ahead to step 2.

  1. Create a new personal access token:
    • Enter a name for your token. Something like "FastLane Access Token".
    • The default Expiration time is 30 days - but you should select No Expiration
    • Select the repo permission scope.
    • Click "Generate token".
    • Copy the token and record it. It will be used below as GH_PAT.
  2. In the forked iAPS repo, go to Settings -> Secrets -> Actions.
  3. For each of the following secrets, tap on "New repository secret", then add the name of the secret, along with the value you recorded for it:
    • TEAMID
    • FASTLANE_KEY_ID
    • FASTLANE_ISSUER_ID
    • FASTLANE_KEY
    • GH_PAT
    • MATCH_PASSWORD - just make up a password for this

Validate repository secrets

  1. Click on the "Actions" tab of your iAPS repository.
  2. Select "1. Validate Secrets".
  3. Click "Run Workflow", and tap the green button.
  4. Wait, and within a minute or two you should see a green checkmark indicating the workflow succeeded.
  5. The workflow will check if the required secrets are added and that they are correctly formatted. If errors are detected, please check the run log for details.

Add Identifiers for iAPS App

  1. Click on the "Actions" tab of your iAPS repository.
  2. Select "2. Add Identifiers".
  3. Click "Run Workflow", and tap the green button.
  4. Wait, and within a minute or two you should see a green checkmark indicating the workflow succeeded.

Create App Group

If you have already built iAPS via Xcode using this Apple ID, you can skip on to Create iAPS App in App Store Connect. Please note that in default builds of iAPS, the app group is actually identical to the one used with Loop, so please enter these details exactly as described below. This is to ease the setup of apps such as Xdrip4iOS. It may require some caution if transfering between iAPS and Loop.

  1. Go to Register an App Group on the apple developer site.
  2. For Description, use "Loop App Group".
  3. For Identifier, enter "group.com.TEAMID.loopkit.LoopGroup", substituting your team id for TEAMID.
  4. Click "Continue" and then "Register".

Add App Group to Bundle Identifiers

  1. Go to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles on the Apple developer site.
  2. For each of the following identifier names:
    • FreeAPS
    • FreeAPS watchkitapp
    • FreeAPS watchkitapp watchkitextension
  3. Click on the identifier's name.
  4. On the "App Groups" capabilies, click on the "Configure" button.
  5. Select the "Loop App Group" (yes, "Loop App Group" is correct)
  6. Click "Continue".
  7. Click "Save".
  8. Click "Confirm".
  9. Remember to do this for each of the identifiers above.

Create iAPS App in App Store Connect

If you have created a iAPS app in App Store Connect before, you can skip this section as well.

  1. Go to the apps list on App Store Connect and click the blue "plus" icon to create a New App.
    • Select "iOS".
    • Select a name: this will have to be unique, so you may have to try a few different names here, but it will not be the name you see on your phone, so it's not that important.
    • Select your primary language.
    • Choose the bundle ID that matches ru.artpancreas.TEAMID.FreeAPS, with TEAMID matching your team id.
    • SKU can be anything; e.g. "123".
    • Select "Full Access".
  2. Click Create

You do not need to fill out the next form. That is for submitting to the app store.

Create Building Certficates

  1. Go back to the "Actions" tab of your iAPS repository in github.
  2. Select "3. Create Certificates".
  3. Click "Run Workflow", and tap the green button.
  4. Wait, and within a minute or two you should see a green checkmark indicating the workflow succeeded.

Build iAPS!

  1. Click on the "Actions" tab of your iAPS repository.
  2. Select "4. Build iAPS". Are you working on a previuos fork of iAPS and not seeing any GitHub workflows in the Actions tab? You may have to change the default branch so that it contains the .github/workflows files, or merge these changes into your default branch (typically master).
  3. Click "Run Workflow", select your branch, and tap the green button.
  4. You have some time now. Go enjoy a coffee. The build should take about 15 minutes.
  5. Your app should eventually appear on App Store Connect.
  6. For each phone/person you would like to support iAPS on:
    • Add them in Users and Access on App Store Connect.
    • Add them to your TestFlight Internal Testing group.