This commit introduces a new section in the README.md detailing the process for building and signing a macOS package for the Mac App Store. It includes requirements for Apple Developer accounts, a manual setup guide for certificates and provisioning profiles, and a command to build the signed upload package. Additionally, it provides instructions for uploading the package to App Store Connect for review.
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Mac App Store (MAS) submission guide (manual steps)
This repo supports a Mac App Store build mode (BUILD_FOR_MAC_APP_STORE=ON) and includes scripts to build a signed upload .pkg.
If you’re blocked because security find-identity only shows Developer ID and not Apple Distribution / Installer, follow the steps below.
Open Keychain Access (macOS “hidden” Utilities)
Any of these work:
- Spotlight: press
⌘ + Space→ type Keychain Access → Enter - Finder: Applications → Utilities → Keychain Access
- Terminal:
open -a "Keychain Access"
The core issue: certificate exists but is not a usable identity
If you see certificates like:
Apple Distribution: ...3rd Party Mac Developer Installer: ...
but security find-identity does not list them, then the certificate is present but the private key is missing (or not paired / in the wrong keychain).
You can confirm with:
./build_tools/macos/check_signing_identities.sh
Step 1 — Create the private keys on this Mac (CSR)
- Open Keychain Access
- Menu: Keychain Access → Certificate Assistant → Request a Certificate From a Certificate Authority…
- Fill:
- User Email Address: your Apple ID email
- Common Name: e.g.
Dry Ark LLC(any label is fine) - CA Email Address: leave blank
- Select: Saved to disk
- Save the CSR (
.certSigningRequest) somewhere safe
This CSR step is what creates the private key locally in your login keychain.
Step 2 — Create + download the certificates (Apple Developer portal)
In Apple Developer → Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles → Certificates → +:
- Create Apple Distribution (use the CSR you just made)
- Create Mac Installer Distribution (or “3rd Party Mac Developer Installer”, wording varies) (use a CSR)
Download the resulting .cer files.
Step 3 — Install certificates into your login keychain
Double-click each downloaded .cer to install it.
Then in Keychain Access → login → My Certificates:
- Find Apple Distribution: ... and expand it
- You must see a private key under it.
- Find ... Installer ... and expand it
- You must see a private key under it.
If there’s no private key under the certificate, it will not be usable for signing on this Mac.
Step 4 — Verify identities from the CLI
security find-identity -p codesigning -v
security find-identity -p basic -v
./build_tools/macos/check_signing_identities.sh
Expected:
Apple Distribution: ...shows up under codesigning... Installer ...shows up as an installer identity (used to sign upload.pkg)
Step 5 — Create + install the provisioning profile (Mac App Store)
In Apple Developer → Profiles → +:
- Platform: macOS
- Type: Mac App Store
- App ID:
com.dryark.strawberry(or your own bundle id) - Select the Apple Distribution certificate
- Generate + Download
Install it by double-clicking it, or place it under:
~/Library/MobileDevice/Provisioning Profiles/
Step 6 — Build the signed upload package (.pkg)
This repo provides:
build_tools/macos/build_mas_pkg.sh(build → deploy → embed profile → sign → productbuild)
Example:
./build_tools/macos/build_mas_pkg.sh --run --release --clean \
--codesign-identity "Apple Distribution: Dry Ark LLC (7628766FL2)" \
--installer-identity "3rd Party Mac Developer Installer: Dry Ark LLC (7628766FL2)" \
--provisionprofile "$HOME/Library/MobileDevice/Provisioning Profiles/XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX.provisionprofile"
Outputs:
cmake-build-macos-release-mas/strawberry.appcmake-build-macos-release-mas/strawberry-mas.pkg
Step 7 — Upload + submit for review
- Upload the
.pkgusing Apple’s Transporter app (App Store Connect). - In App Store Connect, wait for processing, select the build, then Submit for Review.