Delphi 12.1 with MacOS version and iOS version

[Peter J. 0]

May I ask for Delphi 12.1, which is the highest MacOS version I can install and the highest iOS SDK that I can install and still be able to compile without errors?

(using SQlite in my appt, if that matters)

 

How about for Delphi 12.2 when I eventually upgrade?

 

thanks for the advice!

[Dave Nottage 644]

Just now, Peter J. said:

which is the highest MacOS version I can install

You should be able to use the latest version of macOS (15.3). The issue will the highest version of Xcode, which for Delphi 12.1 is Xcode 16.1, as there were changes to Xcode 16.2 related to provisioning profiles that are not handled by Delphi 12.1, but is by Delphi 12.2

 

[Peter J. 0]

ok thanks Dave! I'm asking as reverting to an earlier OS would be non-trivial!

I assume that iOS would follow the same Xcode 16.1?

[Peter J. 0]

I'll be having an iPhone with iOS 18.3.
Would that be a problem deploying from Delphi 12.1 to this device.
I assume I'll upgrade my MacOS to 15.3 and use XCode 16.1
(Minimum MacOS to run XCode 16.1 is Sonoma 14.5, from what I checked)

 

I won't use any new features in iOS 18.3 - just basic features already found in

lower iOS sdks such as iOS SDK 14 or 15.

Will this cause any problem?

I'm asking because if I buy the iPhone (18.3) and then is stuck with it as I will not be upgrading to 12.2 for a while.

Thanks for any advice!

[Dave Nottage 644]

 

5 hours ago, Peter J. said:

Will this cause any problem?

I'm using macOS 15.3, Xcode 16.2 with an iOS 18.3 device with no issues, other than being unable to debug (which has been a problem since iOS 17).

[Peter J. 0]

Thanks for the feedback, Dave.  I believe you are using Delphi 12.2?

Could I ask if anyone has problems with Delphi 12.1, XCode 16.1 with an iOS 18.3?
(given you mentioned that Delphi 12.1 does not work with XCode 16.2)

[Shano 5]

On 2/8/2025 at 4:12 AM, Dave Nottage said:

 

I'm using macOS 15.3, Xcode 16.2 with an iOS 18.3 device with no issues, other than being unable to debug (which has been a problem since iOS 17).

Hi Dave,

 

I have the same setup as you, thanks for the pointer regarding using 16.1 and not 16.2.

 

When you say no debugging, do you mean you cannot create breakpoints, or can't even transfer the App to the iOS Device via running it with debug and the iOS device selected.

 

I am asking, because I can build and create an ipa file that I can then use the transporter to upload without error, but I cannot click run and install the app onto my registered test devices.

 

I keep getting an error 'Unable to find certificate' 'XXXXXX' in provisioning profile "ffdssdfsdfdsfdsfsdf"

Edited March 13 by Shano

[Dave Nottage 644]

Just now, Shano said:

when you say no debugging, do you mean you cannot create breakpoints, or can't even transfer the App to the iOS Device via running it with debug and the iOS device selected.

I mean not being able to have the debugger attach to the process on the device at all, regardless of whether or not there are breakpoints set.

Just now, Shano said:

I am asking, because I can build and create an ipa file that I can then use the transporter to upload without error, but I cannot click run and install the app onto my registered test devices.

The install process should still succeed.

Just now, Shano said:

I keep getting an error 'Unable to find certificate' 'XXXXXX' in provisioning profile "ffdssdfsdfdsfdsfsdf"

If this an error you receive when attempting to install the app on the device using the IDE, it sounds like you have a development (as opposed to App Store) certificate/profile issue.

[Patrick PREMARTIN 169]

On 2/6/2025 at 4:55 AM, Peter J. said:

May I ask for Delphi 12.1, which is the highest MacOS version I can install and the highest iOS SDK that I can install and still be able to compile without errors?

(using SQlite in my appt, if that matters)

 

How about for Delphi 12.2 when I eventually upgrade?

 

thanks for the advice!

Official support for each Delphi / C++Builder version is listed on https://docwiki.embarcadero.com/PlatformStatus/en/Main_Page

The minimal OS version is supposed to be needed by the RTL and used components, the highest should be latest in most cases (depending on APIs and what features you use).

 

For Apple devices the debugger or signing projects could not work. They change things sometimes with no compatibility with existing toolchains.

 

We don't have an iOS debugger in Delphi 12.x releases. Use the iOS Simulator if you want to debug.

 

For the certificates, it's probably an error of downloading them (I had it with Xcode 16). Just move them to the good folder on your Mac (check the forum, some post are about this problem).

Check Perhaps this one :

 

Edited March 13 by Patrick PREMARTIN

[Shano 5]

23 hours ago, Dave Nottage said:

I mean not being able to have the debugger attach to the process on the device at all, regardless of whether or not there are breakpoints set.

The install process should still succeed.

If this an error you receive when attempting to install the app on the device using the IDE, it sounds like you have a development (as opposed to App Store) certificate/profile issue.

After wiping my MAC and reinstalling everything again with no luck, I ended up creating a test app in xcode using the certificates and then everything started working and I could then deploy my app to my iOS 18 device. The test project must have put everything in the right place required by the PAserver.

 

On the bright side of life I now have an extremely clean MAC. 🙂

Edited March 14 by Shano

[Rollo62 616]

My old iPhone X with max. version iOS 16.7.12 seems to be banned from Apple development now, so it seems I have to purchase a newer development iPhone iOS 17+.

When I borrowed an iPhone 14 Pro with iOS 17.6.1and using XCode 15.4 with SDK iPhoneOS 17.5 I can build and run fine with Delphi 13 Patch 1.
Only when trying to debug, Delphi 13 P1 shows this ( German message, although IDE is fully english setting ) meaning:
"Debugging of the app on devices with iOS 17 or higher is currently not supported."

What is new now is, that I cannot build and upload an Release any longer, getting this message from Transporter:

Quote

Validation failed (409)

SDK version issue. This app was built with the iOS 17.5 SDK. All iOS and iPadOS apps must be built with the iOS 18 SDK or later, included in Xcode 16 or later, in order to be uploaded to App Store Connect or submitted for distribution. (ID: 369ba78c-1014-4305-a469-53bf64784ded)

So finally I need to install Delphi 13 P1 with the desired XCode version ( XCode 16.4 seems the latest, known supported, from above statements and this additional note from Dave )
https://en.delphipraxis.net/topic/13630-linker-errors-all-of-a-suddenios/?do=findComment&comment=104840

While the latest current version of the 16.x line seems to be XCode 16.4, the next version jumps to XCode 26
https://developer.apple.com/download/applications/
From this thread so far, I would assume that XCode 16.4 line should still work as expected, while the next XCode 26 perhaps breaks even more.

 

By the way, it seems Apples XCode Release notes claims support from iOS 15 still well

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode-release-notes/xcode-16_4-release-notes

Quote

The Xcode 16.4 release supports on-device debugging in iOS 15 and later, tvOS 15 and later, watchOS 7 and later, and visionOS. Xcode 16.4 requires a Mac running macOS Sequoia 15.3 or later.

What puzzles me is the strange table from Embarcadero, for the latest Delphi 13 Florence Version which lists only XCode 15 ??
https://docwiki.embarcadero.com/PlatformStatus/en/Main_Page#Development_Tools_Support

Is that just a typo, or what does it mean?
If that is true, that would mean no upload to AppStore would be possible, right?
Because XCode 15.45 would not include support for SDK 18:

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode-release-notes/xcode-15_4-release-notes

Quote

Xcode 15.4 includes SDKs for iOS 17.5, iPadOS 17.5, tvOS 17.5, watchOS 10.5, macOS Sonoma 14.5, and visionOS 1.2.

I've tried to stay as long as possible under XCode 15.4, because it was still able to debug iOS, but XCode 15 is quite too old and even XCode 15.4 is not supported any longer.
So the best compatible pathway is a little uncleat still.

The debug issue with iOS 17+ under XCode 16.x is clear, whats not so clear is, if XCode 16.4 can still debug Macos Apps then with Delphi 13 P1.
This would be my last resort emergency fallback, but I assume the next step to XCode 16.x will remove all debug options, is that correct?

Would be good to know what breaks and whats not, before upgrading to XCode 16.4, using Delphi 13 P1 and purchasing a new iPhone.
 

[Patrick PREMARTIN 169]

iOS debugging is not available since 12.x releases. It hasn't been fixed in 13 Florence release of Delphi.

 

Try to launch your app without the debugger on your iOS device, it should work if the iOS version is compatible.

Edited 9 hours ago by Patrick PREMARTIN

[Rollo62 616]

Thanks, but that part was clear to me.

Whats unclear is, how about debugging under Intel MacBook, MacOS Sequoia 15.6 apps itself?
What is the latest, most stable upgrade path for Delphi 13 ( Intel MacBook, MacOS Sequoia 15.6 , XCode 16.4, iOS 18+, ... )?

I cannot move to MacOS Tahoe, because that will break my whole Workstation support as well, not only the iPhone part, and I would have to switch to another Mac.
But I think MacOS Tahoe is far out of reach for Delphi 13 anyway, I hope they can fix this within one year.

My problem now is, that I cannot upload to store anly longer, with my XCode 15.4.

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Rollo62

[Dave Nottage 644]

1 hour ago, Rollo62 said:

Is that just a typo, or what does it mean?

It may mean the table is out of date. Regardless of what the table says, if you're deploying to the App Store, you need a mininum of Xcode 16.x, which Delphi 12.2 and later supports. Delphi 12.3 and 13.0 works fine with Xcode 26.x.

1 hour ago, Rollo62 said:

The debug issue with iOS 17+ under XCode 16.x is clear

The debug problem has nothing to do with whether or not it's Xcode 16.x, but what version of iOS is on the device.

 

Being able to launch an iOS app from Delphi is a different matter. It appears somewhere around the Xcode 16.x era the launcher requires a value for CFBundleIdentifier that has at least one dot (.), e.g. the app will launch with a value of com.delphiworlds.$(ModuleName) but not just $(ModuleName).

 

[Patrick PREMARTIN 169]

8 minutes ago, Rollo62 said:

Whats unclear is, how about debugging under Intel MacBook, MacOS Sequoia 15.6 apps itself?

The simple way : in Delphi you have to use macOS 15.6 sdk and on the Mac I don't remember if you need or not the Xcode release for this version too.

 

[Dave Nottage 644]

4 minutes ago, Rollo62 said:

What is the latest, most stable upgrade path for Delphi 13 ( Intel MacBook, MacOS Sequoia 15.6 , XCode 16.4, iOS 18+, ... )?

For me, it's: Delphi 13.0, Xcode 26.0, macOS 26.0 (Tahoe), iOS 26.0 SDK

6 minutes ago, Rollo62 said:

But I think MacOS Tahoe is far out of reach for Delphi 13 anyway, I hope they can fix this within one year.

As per above, it's working fine for me.

 

You should at least be able to use Xcode 16.4/iOS 18.x SDK to deploy to the App Store using Delphi 13, though by April next year you will need to upgrade.

[Rollo62 616]

2 hours ago, Patrick PREMARTIN said:

The simple way : in Delphi you have to use macOS 15.6 sdk and on the Mac I don't remember if you need or not the Xcode release for this version too.

Yes, I wanted to update to the latest Sequoia version, which should be Macos 15.7.1.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/120283
So that means it will debug this Macos too, not only iOS 17+, which was the last status I have noted in my files?
My understanding ist that the debug issue only affected iOS, not Macos (yet), I hope I'm right.

 

2 hours ago, Dave Nottage said:

For me, it's: Delphi 13.0, Xcode 26.0, macOS 26.0 (Tahoe), iOS 26.0 SDK

As per above, it's working fine for me.

Great, that sounds very promising that its already running.
 

2 hours ago, Dave Nottage said:

You should at least be able to use Xcode 16.4/iOS 18.x SDK to deploy to the App Store using Delphi 13, though by April next year you will need to upgrade.

Thats my plan, to move slowly step-by-step, to avoid additional, unwanted issues.
Currently I'm a little under fire, because of missing updates, so I don't want to mix up anything.
To upgrade until next year April will be fine.
First I have to get back some stable ground again, in the Delphi / Apple / Android swamp, to move on safely.  

Actually I thought that it would last until September 2026 with its Tahoe enforcement, but if you say its only April 2026,
then this means I have to re-structure my whole setup hardware here too, with a new Mac machine.
The (old) Intel MacBook Pro was a nice piece of hardware, but not worth it, if it lasts only a handful of years as development machine,
so my plan for the new year will be to move entirely from MacBook Pro Intel to MacMini M2+x ( and maybe a Windows Workstation instead, if the MacMini doesn't to Parallels VM well ).
Apple is always the source for the biggest headaches, just before Android.


 

 

[Patrick PREMARTIN 169]

8 minutes ago, Rollo62 said:

My understanding ist that the debug issue only affected iOS, not Macos (yet), I hope I'm right.

 

I can confirm : there is no problem to debug for macOS (if Apple toolchain is coherent : Xcode + macOS SDK at the same level). If not you can compile, but debugging can work or not depending on the stars position in the sky.

(and just notice I'm on a M1 Mac mini with only 256Gb SSD and 8Gb of RAM, Parallels and Windows VM works, you can try it if you have a M2 processor somewhere)

[Rollo62 616]

46 minutes ago, Patrick PREMARTIN said:

(and just notice I'm on a M1 Mac mini with only 256Gb SSD and 8Gb of RAM, Parallels and Windows VM works, you can try it if you have a M2 processor somewhere)

Yes, but I currently run Delphi 13 under Parallels VM, thats why I have 32GB machine to run it smooth.
This is what I meant, by changing the whole infrastructure.

Do you run Delphi under Parallels VM on the MacMini M1 8GB too and if so, isn't it too slow?
My plan would be at least to have 16 GB, but Apples RAM pricing strategy is really ridiculous.
 

[Patrick PREMARTIN 169]

29 minutes ago, Rollo62 said:

Yes, but I currently run Delphi 13 under Parallels VM, thats why I have 32GB machine to run it smooth.
This is what I meant, by changing the whole infrastructure.

Do you run Delphi under Parallels VM on the MacMini M1 8GB too and if so, isn't it too slow?
My plan would be at least to have 16 GB, but Apples RAM pricing strategy is really ridiculous.
 

I use a PC only when I travel. My main computer is this Mac even when I stream.

 

16Gb of RAM are needed to be more confortable and if you want to have more than 1 VMs up at the same time like a "real" Linux + Windows. If not 8Gb works as expected with Windows started. Parallels manages it very well.

 

For the disk I only have 256Gb (in fact less than 10 to 30Gb free) and use a 1Tb SanDisk Extreme Pro external SSD connected on an USB port for the VMs and my datas.

[Rollo62 616]

Interesting, 8GB would feel a little too small for me.
Nevertheless, I use a MacMini M2 for such tests running XCode on ARM M2, but I have never tried to install a VM with Delphi on it.
I only remote-access the PAServer there, to build ARM M2 binaries, which works very well. 

Perhaps I'm forced to try the Delphi on MacMini in April, sooner as I loved to. 
Nevertheless, it would make more sense to run Delphi from a Windows Workstation.
But the MacBook is not completely dead directly, it might still be used as Delphi workstation, only using the external MacMini for builds and iOS.