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

Fri Feb 27 09:06:16 EST 2009

I'm only interested in legitimate means.

I registered at the Apple Developer Program for info on the iPhone, and I looked around the site reading docs and watching videos.  Yet, I was unable to find anything about the minimum RAM and recommended RAM requirements on the development machine for creating iPhone applications.  And the requirements for hard disk space.  I think the iPhone SDK is about 2GB.

It would be nice if Unity had a cheaper edition of Unity and iPhone Publishing for those who want to explore building C# applications on the iPhone.  The cheaper edition could be made to only work on the virtual iPhone or some other limitation.  If someone thinks their apps would be usefull to others, they could upgrade to an edition which allows deployment to an iPhone or Apple's AppStore.  

To be honest, this would be only a hobby.  And I do not plan on writing games. 

--- On Fri, 2/27/09, Mariner, David <DMariner at nds.com> wrote:

> From: Mariner, David <DMariner at nds.com>
> Subject: Re: [Mono-dev] How do I develop mono/C# applications for the AppleiPhone?
> To: mono-devel-list at lists.ximian.com
> Date: Friday, February 27, 2009, 6:51 AM
> 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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