[Sencha Cmd] iTunesArtwork is not correct in native iOS apps if packaging on Windows

[VladimirTechMan]

Ext version tested:

• Sencha Cmd 3.0.0.230 for Windows (all previous versions of Sencha Cmd and Sencha SDK also have this problem)
• Sencha Touch 2.1.0 RC2
• iTunes 10.7 for Windows and MacOS

Description:

• Though there is iTunesArtwork.png file in Sencha Touch application resources, the native iOS apps packaged with Sencha Cmd on Windows and installed inside iTunes on PC or Mac don't actually have that artwork image shown in LIBRARY/Apps inside iTunes

Steps to reproduce the problem:

• Package a Sencha Touch 2 application with Sencha Cmd as native iOS app
• Drag and drop the package into LIBRARY/Apps inside iTunes, to put it into the library and make it ready to be installed on the connected iOS devices (when sync'ed)

The result that was expected:

• The application appears inside LIBRARY/Apps in iTunes, with its application name and the provided artwork image shown

The result that occurs instead:

• The application does appear inside LIBRARY/Apps in iTunes, with its application name, but without the artwork image that is provided in Sencha Touch application resources

Workaround:

• Copy the iTunesArtwork.png file inside the native application package directory that was created with 'sencha app build native'. Rename that copy into iTunesArtwork (i.e. remove the file extension).
• Now, when the application package is dragged and dropped into LIBRARY/Apps in iTunes, the application will have the correct artwork image shown, as expected.

Notes:

• I see that Sencha Cmd now copies iTunesArtwork.png into the webapp and webapp/resources/icons sub-directories inside the native application package directory. I am wondering if those two copies inside the native package are actually required and ever used. (If not, then removing them would slightly reduce the size of packaged native iOS applications, which is a good thing.)
• It is suggested at developer.apple.com that iTunesArtwork has resolution 512x512. Currently the default artwork image coming with Sencha Touch has resolution 500x500. Though iTunes is able to handle that resolution too, it would be great if the Sencha team could also re-size the default artwork image supplied, in accordance to Apple's guidelines.

[mitchellsimoens]

Thanks for the report! I have opened a bug in our bug tracker.

[voloshyn]

OK, fixed, in 2.2. You need to put iTunesArtwork file in resources/images and it will be automatically used by packager.
Apple requirements to iTunesArtwork file is: 512x512, png format, no extension.

[VladimirTechMan]

OK, fixed, in 2.2. You need to put iTunesArtwork file in resources/images and it will be automatically used by packager.
Apple requirements to iTunesArtwork file is: 512x512, png format, no extension.

Cool! Many thanks, Alexander. Truly appreciated! I have one extra question, though:

Currently there is file iTunesArtwork.png inside resources/icons (it is automatically created when using sencha generate app). I am wondering what that file is for? It looks as if it is not used for something really useful now. And it appears, to me, that the file was intended as a default artwork for iTunes for Sencha Touch apps (much like the default Sencha PNG icons in that same folder). If that is correct, may I propose that Sencha developers move that iTunesArtwork.png file inside resources/images in the coming 2.2 version? -- and also remove its extension? (It may also be a good idea to scale it up a little bit, to 512x512 -- right now it is 500x500).

What do you think?

[voloshyn]

Yeah, sorry, it's resources/icons, Apple requires this file without extension but it's no problem, with or without extension packager will rename it automatically, as for 500x500 I will talk to the guys to resize that

[VladimirTechMan]

Great! Thanks for all your help!