[Mono-dev] How do I develop mono/C# applications for the AppleiPhone?

[Mariner, David]

Hi Daniel, 

Firstly, I'll only talk about the authorized development scene for the
device. If you don't already know or can't find out about alternate
methods, then you'll probably have little success with them if I pointed
you in their direction. 

Firstly you're going to need to get a mac to dev on. An intel Mini with
10.5 is minimum requirements for the iPhone toolchain, but will do the
job fine. Spring for some extra RAM, but google around for DIY upgrade,
don't pay the "Apple tax" on it. 

Next you're going to need ADC membership (which is free), and then sign
up to the iPhone dev program (also free) which will let you download the
toolchain (including emulator) but then you'll need to pay over $99 for
a certificate to let you run any apps you develop on the device.

Then you're all set to develop and deploy to the iPhone in general. 

If you're wanting to start hacking around in mono on the device, the
first thing to do would be to check out the source from the SVN server,
and look at ~/mono/build-mono.sh. This is what will enable you to
cross-compile using the apple toolchain. From then on you're into
exposing APIs, working out a nice productive development / deployment
toolchain and all that good stuff. 

Also, bear in mind that the combination of the Apple developer agreement
and Novell's license terms for mono means that if you're going to be a
commercial developer, you'll need to speak to Novell regarding a
commercial license. But IANAL, so take professional advice as necessary.



Or you can go for the Unity option. You'll still need the mac and the
$99 certificate from Apple, but if you want to dev in c# on the iPhone,
it's really going to be your quickest route to deployment. One of the
best things about it is that you can do extremely rapid code-build-test
cycles...in the order of about 3 seconds until you're seeing the results
of your changes. 

I know that it seems like a large outlay, but if you're seriously
looking to develop any game-style applications and you want to avoid a
whole world of pain then I'd really recommend the Unity route. If you're
more in it for the "hacker culture" aspect of cool toys, or if you want
to do applications rather than games then try without it first. 

Once you've got the mac setup, you can always evaluate the 30 day trial
of Unity to see how you get on with it as an environment.

Hope this helps,

Dave

P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, my wife works at Unity. But
that doesn't change the fact that it's the easiest route to getting c#
on an iPhone ;-)


-----Original Message-----
From: mono-devel-list-bounces at lists.ximian.com
[mailto:mono-devel-list-bounces at lists.ximian.com] On Behalf Of Daniel
Morgan
Sent: 26. februar 2009 18:56
To: mono-devel-list at lists.ximian.com
Subject: [Mono-dev] How do I develop mono/C# applications for the
AppleiPhone?

I love the iphone.  I recently got one (my first apple computer if you
think about it).  Now, I would like to develop my own applications for
the iphone, but I do not know where to start.  I have done an internet
search and found stuff, but there is nothing that can get a C# developer
who is used to windows to use and develop iphone apps on a Mac in C#.  

What would be the minimum requirements for a computer to develop iphone
applications with?  Will a Mac Mini with Intel running Mac OS X 10.5
Leopard suffice?  How much RAM and Hard Disk space do I need?

I would rather write these iphone apps in C# than Objective-C.  This is
where Mono comes in mind.  I believe you can use static compilation in
Mono using AOT compilation and a tool called Linker.

I've seen a tool from unity3d, but that tool is expensive.  After
shelling out for the iphone, a mac mini, the apple developer program, i
don't think there will be much left.  Unity Indie for $200 and the
iPhone Publishing Basic for $400 for a total of $600.

So, what does one need to build applications for the iphone in C#?
What tools must I install on the Mac (the iphone SDK and Mono of course)
to do this?  What steps must I take to build these apps?

Thanks,
Daniel




      
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