iOS Tutorial iStore - In App Purchases

The iStore library allows you to use the store In-App Purchases features inside your app.
You can let the user purchase digital products from inside your app.

(Unsurprisingly) the configuration required is a bit tedious.

In order to test this feature (and later release it) you need to create an app in iTunes Connect and create one or more in-app products. You don't need to actually upload the app binary file however you do need to fill all the fields and prepare the app. Later you can change them as needed.

After you've created an app placeholder in iTunes you need to carefully follow these instructions:
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/technotes/tn2259/_index.html

The main steps:

1. iOS Paid Applications contract should appear under "contracts in effect".
2. You need to create an explicit App Id (without wildcards) and download a new provision file.
   You can use #ProvisionFile to tell the IDE which provision file should be used.
3. Create a test account as explained in the tech note. Later you will sign out of the store from the Settings app. Note that you should not sign in to the store with the test account from the Settings app. The test account should only be used inside your app.
4. Create one or more in-app products and make sure not to upload a screenshot during development.

iStore library supports two types of products: consumable and non-consumable products.
Consumable - The user can purchase these products multiple times. For example in a game a user can purchase extra health or coins.
Non-consumable - The user can purchase such products once. For example the user can use such product to permanently remove ads from the app. If you are selling such products then you need to allow the user to restore such products if the user switches to a different device (with a "restore transactions" button).

Code

The code is quite simple.
First you initialize a Store object and check whether the device supports this feature:

Dim MyStore As Store 'declare it in Process Globals / Class_Globals
...
MyStore.Initialize("MyStore")
If MyStore.CanMakePayments = False Then ...

Later you can request a payment and then handle the PurchaseCompleted event:

MyStore.RequestPayment("product.id")

Sub MyStore_PurchaseCompleted (Success As Boolean, Product As Purchase)
   Log("Purchase completed")
   If Product.IsInitialized Then
     Log("Product: " & Product.ProductIdentifier & ", date=" & DateTime.Time(Product.TransactionDate) & _
       ", Transaction identifier=" & Product.TransactionIdentifier)
   End If
   Log("Success = " & Success)
End Sub

The user will be asked to log in to his store account (use the test account here) and approve the purchase.

Restoring non-consumable purchases

As noted above, if you are selling such products then you are expected to provide a way for the user to restore completed transaction.
Once the user requests to restore transactions you need to call MyStore.RestoreTransactions. The PurchaseCompleted event will be raised for each previous purchase of non-consumable products.
The TransactionsRestored event will be raised at the end.

Note that the user might be asked to log in to his account, therefore you shouldn't call this method when the apps starts to find existing purchases (unlike the Android library).

 

[tufanv]

was waiting for this ! TY

 

[ilan]

Great!

 

[tucano2000]

Why do I have this error message in b4i using hosted mac builder ?

Error occurred on line: 0 (main)
Class not found: B4IStore
Stack Trace: (
CoreFoundation <redacted> + 154
libobjc.A.dylib objc_exception_throw + 38
CoreFoundation <redacted> + 0
iStore Test -[B4IShell createObject:] + 206
iStore Test -[B4IShell raiseEventImpl:method:args::] + 1910
iStore Test -[B4IShellBI raiseEvent:eventarams:] + 1316
iStore Test -[B4IStaticModule initializeModule] + 534
iStore Test -[b4i_main initializeStaticModules] + 84
iStore Test -[B4IShellBI raiseEvent:eventarams:] + 228
iStore Test __33-[B4I raiseUIEvent:eventarams:]_block_invoke + 74
libdispatch.dylib <redacted> + 10
libdispatch.dylib <redacted> + 22
libdispatch.dylib <redacted> + 278
CoreFoundation <redacted> + 8
CoreFoundation <redacted> + 1300
CoreFoundation CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 522
CoreFoundation CFRunLoopRunInMode + 106
GraphicsServices GSEventRunModal + 138
UIKit UIApplicationMain + 1136
iStore Test main + 116
libdyld.dylib <redacted> + 2
)
Application_Start
Application_Active

 

[Erel]

Are you using a local mac builder?

 

[tucano2000]

Hosted mac builder

 

[Erel]

Fixed. It will now work.

 

[tucano2000]

Thanks Erel. It is working now.

 

[kurng]

Any one have complete code for example .

 

[Erel]

All the required code appears in the first post. You just need to add it to your project.

 

[kurng]

Thk Erel in time I see. Ha ha

 

[ilan]

hi,

i have followed the instruction and i am trying to make a purchase (debug mode)

this is the log i get

Copying updated assets files (65)
Application_Start
can make payments
Application_Active
Purchase completed
Product: chips1500, date=02:00:00, Transaction identifier=98143452-C84D-4F14-A7D9-E46919B709D5
Success = false

is success false because i am in debug mode??

i also check on app start if can make purchase and app can...

If MyStore1.CanMakePayments = False Then
Log("cannot make payments")
Else
Log("can make payments")
End If

 

[Erel]

Have you already "purchased" this product? The user can only purchase each non-consumable product once.

 

[ilan]

no i have not purchase it (and its a consumable product) so multi time purchase like chips for poker game...
and when i try it get success = false and nothing happens (no direct to appstore...)

 

[tufanv]

Erel,

What is the screenshot for ? after we complete our work we will get screenshot of what ? and upload it for review =?

 

[ilan]

uppssss. sorry erel it is working
i tried to make a purchase with my apple account and i missed the part to create a sandbox (test account)

thank you very much for this lib, now i only need a big containers to store the money i will make with iStore...

 

[tufanv]

uppssss. sorry erel it is working
i tried to make a purchase with my apple account and i missed the part to create a sandbox (test account)

thank you very much for this lib, now i only need to some big containers to store the money i will make with iStore...

Do you have idea about the screenshot Ilan ?

 

[ilan]

Do you have idea about the screenshot Ilan ?

Do you mean the screenshot that we need to add to the in app purchase??

when you create a new in app purchase product you must upload a screenshot (i have uploaded a screenshot of my purchase screen)
i am not sure for what they need it but you know "APPLE"

 

[tufanv]

yeah I am talking about that. It is really hard to work with them

 

[Erel]

See this link about the screenshots: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4802810/iphone-in-app-purchase-screen-shot