Download and run stacks on iOS

[ctceismc]

I wonder if Apple would notice/mind if you put the stack in a SQLlite database, downloaded the db, and extracted the stack to the local file system and ran it from there? This would allow you to create one app that could run lots of other apps. A digital bookshelf for interactive books or a series of on demand games for example.

[Jellicle]

I wonder if Apple would notice/mind if you put the stack in a SQLlite database, downloaded the db, and extracted the stack to the local file system and ran it from there? This would allow you to create one app that could run lots of other apps. A digital bookshelf for interactive books or a series of on demand games for example.

Why bother putting it in a database?

Gerry

[Jellicle]

Run this stack in the iOS simulator, and click the download button - it'll download a stack and, when it's downloaded, it'll go to it.

Enjoy.

Gerry

[SparkOut]

There's a difference between "it working" and "Apple noticing" and "Apple minding" though

[Jellicle]

There's a difference between "it working" and "Apple noticing" and "Apple minding" though

Oh sure. We are mice. Apple's the cat. LiveCode isn't alone in being able to do this and it's up to Apple to catch apps that break their rules. I'd never use this method, nor encourage its use; it's just a proof of concept.

Gerry

[FourthWorld]

We are mice. Apple's the cat. LiveCode isn't alone in being able to do this and it's up to Apple to catch apps that break their rules. I'd never use this method, nor encourage its use; it's just a proof of concept.

Unfortunately, the cat in question also has the power to ban a developer from its store. Given that such systems can be used to build custom stores, it seems unlikely Apple would be very forgiving if caught.

So with this policy Apple offers one more advantage to Android, where things like this are completely acceptable.

[trevix]

Hi.
This is an old topic but I'll try at it anyway.

I feel that this is just an Apple gimmick to make more money, because security should be taken care by sandboxing, wright? And also how come that you can do it in desktop and is not allowed by Apple in iOS? Just because they tough about it to late ?
I think there could be a nice niche for companies that need to distribute their in-house apps this way...
Share your thinking...
Trevix

[FourthWorld]

My understanding is that Apple's main concern is that they could reivew an app, and then the app could download code which could entirely change what it does, perhaps becoming an entirely different type of app, or worse, could download malicious code.

When stack files contain no code I can't imagine Apple would have a problem with downloading them, any more than they'd have a problem with any other binary data format.

For the case you propose, in which we could use this for deployments internal to an organization, it would seem a really great solution that Apple shouldn't have an opinion about, since it's up to an organization what they run on their own devices.

Indeed, I'm not sure how Apple could stop such a deployment even if they did have an opinion about it. After all, it's not like they could pull it from the app store if it was never in the app store to begin with.

Still, they may be able to revoke runtime privileges, so it may be prudent to double-check with them first before undertaking any substantial investment in an app that relies on this.