4 ms·

Neat. ...but it's still violating the iOS developer agreement. Specifically the no interpreter rule except those provided by Apple. They probably didn't notice

Neat. ...but it's still violating the iOS developer agreement. Specifically the no interpreter rule except those provided by Apple. They probably didn't notice but blogging about it may get the apps pulled. Take it from someone that has been on Apple's bad side: this is a bad idea and will probably get you pulled. They also don't like braggers that figured out ways around the rules. I've dealt with these things. There are few options though. Compiling to native (in a AOT style) is one way, (ala MonoTouch and Adobe's Flash Convert tools). The other is just embedding a UIWebView somewhere (even if it's not visible) and IPCing over stringByEvaluatingJavaScriptFromString and URL change notifications.

chc 16y ago
The rule you reference no longer exists. You can run an interpreter as long as the code you're going to interpret is part of the app you submitted for review (i.e. you aren't allowed to use JavaScriptCore to run scripts off a web page, but your app can use any kind of interpreter it wants internally). The rule was horribly misguided and never really enforced — many of the top apps have always embedded scripting languages.
- zbowling 16y ago
  Interesting... You're correct. I wonder when that changed. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING 3.3.2 An Application may not download or install executable code. Interpreted code may only be used in an Application if all scripts, code and interpreters are packaged in the Application and not downloaded. The only exception to the foregoing is scripts and code downloaded and run by Apple's built-in WebKit framework. The rule was however enforced. My own app was pulled for it a year ago for embedding an little tiny Lua interpreter for handling a few game logic changes. The question is still interpreted code that is not included with the app but written by the user in the app. I used to work for TI programming graphing calculators a couple jobs back. I always wondered if we could do a port of one of the later generation calculators to iPhone but I always stopped at TI-Basic or if our CAS engine could be considered an interpretor. Now given the rule change, would user entered code still be considered against the rules. It wouldn't be code shipped with the app... but still.
  - chc 16y ago
    Code written by the user is still forbidden, though Apple are really sketchy as to what they consider "external interpreted code" versus just "a document." To a large degree, it seems like a question of marketing. If the feature feels like writing a program, the reviewers will reject it. I am not sure how sophisticated the calculator you're thinking of is. It's possible Apple could see it as just storing formulae, which they'd be OK with. Tough to say. (And for anyone who thinks I'm splitting hairs: The line between "document" and "program" really is fuzzy. For example, Little Big Planet's game engine turns out to be Turing-complete, so you can build a working computer in the level editor out of game objects. See here for more: http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=57034 http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=57034 )
    - comex 16y ago
      No, it's not. iScheme is in the store and its only purpose is to evaluate code entered by the user. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ischeme/id395305584?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ischeme/id395305584?mt=8)
      - nickmain 16y ago
        Also Pixie Scheme ( http://web.mac.com/Jay_Reynolds_Freeman/My/Pixie_Scheme_III.html http://web.mac.com/Jay_Reynolds_Freeman/My/Pixie_Scheme_III.... ) - which has the notion of a persistent "world", but does not allow code to be loaded from external files.
      - chc 16y ago
        That's very odd. I was sure I remembered somebody getting rejected very recently for running code written by the user. I must have been dreaming. Thanks for the correction.

chc 16y ago

The rule you reference no longer exists. You can run an interpreter as long as the code you're going to interpret is part of the app you submitted for review (i.e. you aren't allowed to use JavaScriptCore to run scripts off a web page, but your app can use any kind of interpreter it wants internally). The rule was horribly misguided and never really enforced — many of the top apps have always embedded scripting languages.

zbowling 16y ago
Interesting... You're correct. I wonder when that changed. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING 3.3.2 An Application may not download or install executable code. Interpreted code may only be used in an Application if all scripts, code and interpreters are packaged in the Application and not downloaded. The only exception to the foregoing is scripts and code downloaded and run by Apple's built-in WebKit framework. The rule was however enforced. My own app was pulled for it a year ago for embedding an little tiny Lua interpreter for handling a few game logic changes. The question is still interpreted code that is not included with the app but written by the user in the app. I used to work for TI programming graphing calculators a couple jobs back. I always wondered if we could do a port of one of the later generation calculators to iPhone but I always stopped at TI-Basic or if our CAS engine could be considered an interpretor. Now given the rule change, would user entered code still be considered against the rules. It wouldn't be code shipped with the app... but still.
- chc 16y ago
  Code written by the user is still forbidden, though Apple are really sketchy as to what they consider "external interpreted code" versus just "a document." To a large degree, it seems like a question of marketing. If the feature feels like writing a program, the reviewers will reject it. I am not sure how sophisticated the calculator you're thinking of is. It's possible Apple could see it as just storing formulae, which they'd be OK with. Tough to say. (And for anyone who thinks I'm splitting hairs: The line between "document" and "program" really is fuzzy. For example, Little Big Planet's game engine turns out to be Turing-complete, so you can build a working computer in the level editor out of game objects. See here for more: http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=57034 http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=57034 )
  - comex 16y ago
    No, it's not. iScheme is in the store and its only purpose is to evaluate code entered by the user. (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ischeme/id395305584?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ischeme/id395305584?mt=8)
    - nickmain 16y ago
      Also Pixie Scheme ( http://web.mac.com/Jay_Reynolds_Freeman/My/Pixie_Scheme_III.html http://web.mac.com/Jay_Reynolds_Freeman/My/Pixie_Scheme_III.... ) - which has the notion of a persistent "world", but does not allow code to be loaded from external files.
    - chc 16y ago
      That's very odd. I was sure I remembered somebody getting rejected very recently for running code written by the user. I must have been dreaming. Thanks for the correction.