'Failed debugging check' when remote build for Distribution via Project Launcher

When attempting to use the Project Launcher to package a project for distribution via remote build to a Macbook, the intended provision file is not used; instead it is rejected with the following message:

UnrealBuildTool: … Failed debugging check (mode=False, get-task-allow=False, #devices=0)

However, get-task-allow has to be false in order for a project to be packaged for distribution for iOS.

Other relevant lines include:

Automation.ParseCommandLine: Parsing command line: -ScriptsForProject=D:/AppleBuild4.17/AppleBuild.uproject BuildCookRun -project=D:/AppleBuild4.17/AppleBuild.uproject -noP4 -clientconfig=Shipping -serverconfig=Shipping -nocompile -nocompileeditor -installed -ue4exe=UE4Editor-Cmd.exe -utf8output -platform=IOS -build -cook -map= -unversionedcookedcontent -pak -createreleaseversion=1.0 -manifests -distribution -stage -package -cmdline=" -Messaging" -addcmdline="-SessionId=D3ADC44A456F475A251E2EB1140BB5CC -SessionOwner=‘Lucian’ -SessionName=‘AppleBuild - IOS App’" -archive -archivedirectory=C:/Users/Lucian/Desktop/4.17Test/IOS/App/1.0

And:

CommandUtils.Run: Run: D:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_4.17\Engine\Binaries\DotNET\UnrealBuildTool.exe AppleBuild IOS Shipping -Project=D:\AppleBuild4.17\AppleBuild.uproject D:\AppleBuild4.17\AppleBuild.uproject -NoUBTMakefiles -remoteini=“D:\AppleBuild4.17” -skipdeploy -noxge -NoHotReload -ignorejunk

Attached is the log: Log of ProjectLauncher

As far as I can determine, UE4 is attempting to produce a development copy for Xcode despite all options indicating this is to be for distribution. Or is get-task-allow=True necessary for Xcode to even deal with the file in the first place?

Any insight into this would be appreciated. Thanks.

Update to this: I never got it to work, it still thinks that having get-task-allow=False is a crime that doesn’t allow that provisioning profile to be used despite it being the desired one, and still tries to select development profiles. If I remove all the other provisioning profiles except the distribution provisioning profile and certificate, it rejects the distribution profile nevertheless and falls back to a default UE4Game.provision. I replaced that default provision with the distribution provision, and this time it actually got all the way to the Mac, but then failed when it could not find an ‘iOS Development’ key to sign the application with (it should be trying to find ‘iOS Distribution’).

In the end I set it to Shipping configuration, built it with the development certificates, then resigned it with the distribution certificates on the Mac using iResign. It at least gets onto TestFlight and runs on at least one test device, but I’m not sure if that holds for it making it onto the App Store proper.

You are not alone, we are facing the same problem. UE always uses the developement mobile provisioning file and want’s the related certificate. Never mind if it is a shipping build, flagged for distribution.

Well,I’m facing this problem too. Let me join you waiting for someone to figure it out.

same here…

Same issue here…

Same here…
When uploading this signed version, it doesn’t “behave” in TestFlight as in Development deployment. It doesn’t request the permissions (camera and notifications) and it’s stuck on the splash screen.

Tried the stuff on this thread, also with no change: Warning: unable to build chain to … | Apple Developer Forums

I got an answer from UE devs concerning the distribution issues so I’ll paste it here:


It is HIGHLY recommended that any
build being uploaded to iTunes be
built on a Mac and not over the remote
build system. Not only is there this
bug, but none of the metal shaders
will be offline compiled which will
cause stutters when a material is
first used as it will need to compile
the shader then.

And:

The workaround is to make sure the
development certificate and provision
are on the remote mac. It will use the
development certificate when doing the
build, and then when it signs on the
PC it will re-make the entitlements
and sign it with the distribution
certificate.


They also said that the underlying issue for distribution on remote build is being fixed for 4.19 but after going through QA it’s still not completely fixed.

These are actually good enough reasons for me to switch to Mac for distributing iOS apps (it’ll maybe also solve other issues with packaging size/features).

Likewise, me too thanks, etc. Has anyone successfully built a UE game for distribution on iOS?

I’m building on a Mac, so the remote build thing isn’t part of the problem.

I’m building on a Mac and I still have this problem. I’m most likely missing something but I cannot get UE to package and sign a distribution build for iOS using distribution certs. It will always fail over get-task-allow.

I worry that I’ll have to package and then re-sign it with XCode and I’m not really a mac developer, so the whole process is a bit arcane.

Are you doing package using File > Package Project > iOS, or trying to package from the Launch > ? Just in case you use the latter, that one will fail from that reason. The former should work (assuming everything is in place).

Hi, as I stated in my second post, I never got this process to work BUT I had a workaround in the form of packaging for development using the development certificate first, then resigning the resulting ipa using the actual distribution certificate on the Mac using iResign. So if you just want to push it out without moving the whole project over to Mac, you can try that method.

Yeah. That could work. Depending on the app though. Mine had some features not working when using this workflow… But if it works, then great.

Same issue here…