Is there a way to validate an archive for the App Store with deliver?

[polpielladev]

In my team, we're currently looking at migrating our release process from using a combination of altool and App Store Connect username/password to using deliver with the App Store Connect API.

The upload to App Store Connect seems very straightforward but the issue is that we have a nightly lane that validates an archive and sees if it is suitable for submission to the App Store by using altool:

xcrun altool --validate-app -f ipa_path -t ios -u username -p password

I am aware that we can still use altool and pass in the contents of the App Store Connect api key, but we would ideally want to sunset altool altogether and replace it with a fastlane action. Is there anything we can use? Or could this be a good idea to add a validate option to deliver and see if this logic can be done there? I would not mind looking into it if people think it's a good idea.

👉 Related Issue from a while back

[lucgrabowski]

Hi @pol-piella I currently don't see a way to validate a build with fastlane/deliver.
I see two ways of handling this:

1. Use of altool could be wrapped in fastlane action or used in a custom plugin https://docs.fastlane.tools/plugins/create-plugin/

2. Using transporter to verify the build, similarly to uploading a build.
   As you say, with validate option added to deliver, deliver could verify the build instead of uploading it to appstore connect.
   I've briefly taken a look at transporter guide https://help.apple.com/itc/transporteruserguide/en.lproj/static.html#apdATD1E2248-D1E1A1303-D1E2248A1126 and verify mode looks promising.

If you want to see how build's are uploaded with transporter, you could take a look at build_upload_commands in https://github.com/fastlane/fastlane/blob/master/fastlane_core/lib/fastlane_core/itunes_transporter.rb. I suppose that spec could also be helpful in understanding the code: https://github.com/fastlane/fastlane/blob/master/fastlane_core/spec/itunes_transporter_spec.rb

Transporter is used in deliver's Runner:

fastlane/deliver/lib/deliver/runner.rb

Lines 159 to 195 in 90a0345

	def upload_binary
	UI.message("Uploading binary to App Store Connect")
	upload_ipa = options[:ipa]
	upload_pkg = options[:pkg]
	# 2020-01-27
	# Only verify platform if if both ipa and pkg exists (for backwards support)
	if upload_ipa && upload_pkg
	upload_ipa = ["ios", "appletvos"].include?(options[:platform])
	upload_pkg = options[:platform] == "osx"
	end
	if upload_ipa
	package_path = FastlaneCore::IpaUploadPackageBuilder.new.generate(
	app_id: Deliver.cache[:app].id,
	ipa_path: options[:ipa],
	package_path: "/tmp",
	platform: options[:platform]
	)
	elsif upload_pkg
	package_path = FastlaneCore::PkgUploadPackageBuilder.new.generate(
	app_id: Deliver.cache[:app].id,
	pkg_path: options[:pkg],
	package_path: "/tmp",
	platform: options[:platform]
	)
	end
	transporter = transporter_for_selected_team
	result = transporter.upload(package_path: package_path, asset_path: upload_ipa || upload_pkg)
	unless result
	transporter_errors = transporter.displayable_errors
	UI.user_error!("Error uploading ipa file: \n #{transporter_errors}")
	end
	end

fastlane/deliver/lib/deliver/runner.rb

Lines 232 to 255 in 90a0345

	def transporter_for_selected_team
	# Use JWT auth
	api_token = Spaceship::ConnectAPI.token
	unless api_token.nil?
	api_token.refresh! if api_token.expired?
	return FastlaneCore::ItunesTransporter.new(nil, nil, false, nil, api_token.text)
	end
	tunes_client = Spaceship::ConnectAPI.client.tunes_client
	generic_transporter = FastlaneCore::ItunesTransporter.new(options[:username], nil, false, options[:itc_provider])
	return generic_transporter unless options[:itc_provider].nil? && tunes_client.teams.count > 1
	begin
	team = tunes_client.teams.find { |t| t['providerId'].to_s == tunes_client.team_id }
	name = team['name']
	provider_id = generic_transporter.provider_ids[name]
	UI.verbose("Inferred provider id #{provider_id} for team #{name}.")
	return FastlaneCore::ItunesTransporter.new(options[:username], nil, false, provider_id)
	rescue => ex
	UI.verbose("Couldn't infer a provider short name for team with id #{tunes_client.team_id} automatically: #{ex}. Proceeding without provider short name.")
	return generic_transporter
	end
	end

What do you think about it?

[polpielladev]

Hey @lucgrabowski 👋 Thanks for the super quick reply, I really appreciate it!

I am a big fan of the second idea, I might have a go at implementing it and submit a PR for it to see if people are happy to get it in? Is there a specific process I need to follow?

Thanks 🙌

[lucgrabowski]

Hi @pol-piella you're welcome. Have fun with implementation :)
About the process:
There is a page with https://github.com/fastlane/fastlane/blob/master/YourFirstPR.md that might be helpful.
And when creating a PR you will see checkboxes with things that should be done:

1. I've run bundle exec rspec from the root directory to see all new and existing tests pass
2. I've followed the fastlane code style and run bundle exec rubocop -a to ensure the code style is valid
3. I've read the Contribution Guidelines
4. I've updated the documentation if necessary.

[polpielladev]

Fantastic! I'll get something together 👍

Thanks so much @lucgrabowski 🎉

[polpielladev]

Hi @lucgrabowski 👋

I have opened a Pull Request to for these changes to deliver, would you be able to take a look and see if they make sense to you when you get a chance?

👉 PR: #20247

Also, I have a couple of questions which I am not too sure how to tackle:

1. I have a couple of test failures that seem unrelated to my changes locally, but not sure how to fix them or if they are a red herring?

2. How would I update the docs to reflect the changes on the PR? Is this something that gets automatically done by a docs generator based on the flags?

[lucgrabowski]

Thanks for submitting PR with implementation and with tests :) I'll try to review it as soon as possible. I've just taken a look at it briefly to be able to respond to quesions:

1. I pulled the code and ran test suite and all the tests are running successfully for me - the same way as you can see in CI checks in PR.
2. Docs are done by a generator, docs.fastlane.tools/actions/deliver/#parameters is updated based on FastlaneCore::ConfigItem's description. It will be done after PR is merged.