mac apps and ios apps the same code?

[Tomtheman2]

I want to find out before I pay out the $99 fee whether I can just load up one of my apps in xcode like normal and then send it to the mac app store instead of the itunes store? Or do you have to re program the whole app?

Thanks,

[Justinmichael]

Originally Posted by Tomtheman2

I want to find out before I pay out the $99 fee whether I can just load up one of my apps in xcode like normal and then send it to the mac app store instead of the itunes store? Or do you have to re program the whole app?

Thanks,

I've no experience with this but I think it is pretty obvious. There are differences between the iOS API and the Mac OS APIs and these are places you will need to edit your app. For example, touch events on iOS and mouse events on Mac store. I don't think there will be any way to make a universal or Mac / OS targets in the immediate future, but who knows what is planned down the line.

There is the glaringly obvious issue about what you are saying too; you shouldn't just release an iOS game for the mac really, you should make it with mac in mind. I don't see minimum effort iPhone ports being any good on the mac (the same goes for the iPad). I'd recommend taking your time and making a good port instead of trying to the minimum possible. Whether that actually affects your revenue, I can't say.

Hope this is helpful, and hope you manage to port your app.

[MarkC]

XCode already has the option to build a new Mac program - try it for yourself and see which libraries aren't available.

[Ed99]

You can use the same XCode, but there will be a lot of differences between a Mac and iOS app -- mainly in a Mac app all the objects are NS objects instead of UI objects (ie, NSWindow and NSApplication instead of UIWindow and UIApplication). A lot of these objects will have similar names, but you won't be able to do the same stuff to them. For example I had a real hard time modifying a hierarchy of NSViews whereas it is pretty easy with UIViews.

If you have mainly an openGL app, you're probably in a better position as I'm guessing most of the openGL stuff could remain the same.

Also, before you actually build your app for distribution you will have to download the Application Tools xCode addon from the Mac Development Center (you probably have to register as a Mac developer for this). I think the application tools only pertain to code signing, but I could be wrong.