The development app is a very convenient bare bones version of the engine that allows you to push content to it over wifi. You install the development app on your device(s), start the app and then select the device as a build target from the editor.
Currently, at least one team member needs to run macOS and act as signer. The signer needs a code signing identity certificate installed on his/her computer. The signer also needs a mobile provisioning profile on his/her computer. (Note that the auto generated free provisioning profile Xcode can generate is only valid for one device)
To upload a signed development app to the Defold Dashboard, the following steps are required:
The Defold dev app is uploaded to the project page on the Dashboard. Each project member can now:
A stand-alone version of the Defold engine is available as a ready made .apk file that you can install on a device and use for iterative development wirelessly.
Download the file, then issue the following adb
command from the location of the .apk:
$ adb install dmengine.apk
4445 KB/s (8706017 bytes in 1.912s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/dmengine.apk
Success
The development “dmengine” app is now available on the device.
To launch your game on your device, the dev app and editor must be able to connect, over the same wifi network or using USB (see below).
When connecting over USB on Windows to a dev app running on an iOS device you first need to install iTunes. When iTunes is installed you also need to enable Personal Hotspot on your iOS device from the Settings menu. If you see an alert that says tap “Trust This Computer?” tap Trust. The device should now show up under Project ▸ Targets when the dev app is running.
On Linux you need to enable Personal Hotspot on your device from the Settings menu when connected using USB. If you see an alert that says tap “Trust This Computer?” tap Trust. The device should now show up under Project ▸ Targets when the dev app is running.
On newer iOS versions the device will automatically open a new ethernet interface between the device and computer when connected using USB on OSX. The device should show up under Project ▸ Targets when the dev app is running.
On older iOS versions you need to enable Personal Hotspot on your device from the Settings menu when connected using USB on OSX. If you see an alert that says tap “Trust This Computer?” tap Trust. The device should now show up under Project ▸ Targets when the dev app is running.
On OSX it is possible to connect over USB to a running dev app on an Android device when the device is in USB Tethering Mode. On MacOS you need to install a third-party driver such as HoRNDIS. When HoRNDIS is installed you also need to allow it to run via the Security & Privacy settings. Once USB Tethering is enabled the device will show up under Project ▸ Targets when the dev app is running.
On Windows and Linux it is possible to connect over USB to a running dev app on an Android device when the device is in USB Tethering Mode. Once USB Tethering is enabled the device will show up under Project ▸ Targets when the dev app is running.