CODEWITHSUNDEEP
iosxcode4autotools
UncleOp
UncleOp

Reputation: 25

Using externally built static libraries with Xcode4

I have a large (thousands of files) product that I am porting to iOS. I have an existing build structure that constructs about 50 static libraries that can then be used by a platform-specific [G]UI. Some of the libraries are 3rd-party tools like zip, ICU, and Xerces. The portable build process is managed by GNU autotools, and I have created some shell scripting to build the code for i386 (simulator), armv6 and armv7. All of this is being done on Apple's Lion with the 5.1 iOS SDK and Xcode4.

The problem I have is that it's a pain to bring these libraries into an Xcode4 project. Drag&Dropping the libraries is tedious. I've been resisting creating a "project" for the libraries in Xcode because I already have a cross-platform build system that works. I'd like to have a "simple" way to type in the list of libraries and their location(s); my searches here show solutions for Xcode3, but they don't seem to apply to Xcode4.

I am able to build an iOS app that uses these libraries, but the thrust of my question is really: How do I avoid all the drag&dropping and retain my portable build structure so that others using my libraries aren't tearing their hair out? If this were an iOS-only app, I'd just use Xcode4 for everything, of course. But since it is multi-platform and "portable" I really want to keep the process simple, where "simple" applies to both the maintenance of the packaging and to the user/developer who is working with my libraries.

An alternate question might be: is there a safe way for me to generate Xcode4 meta-files so that the end result of my autotools-driven-build just looks like a native Xcode4 project?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 138

Answers (1)

David Hoerl
David Hoerl

Reputation: 41642

Two thoughts:

1) It use to be the case that Xcode supported AppleScript pretty well - I use to do such tasks with AppleScripts. Early versions of Xcode 4 were quite lacking in this support though. Not sure if you can do it with 4.4 - you might ask on the AppleScript implementors list on Apple's listserv group.

2) If you put all the libraries (or perhaps links) into one folder, then in Xcode click on the Target, BuildPhase, Link Binary with Libraries, tap the + key, navigate to your folder, then select all libraries and tap OK, you're done. [Well, almost, then in the GUI pane on left you need to select them all again and move them into the Frameworks folder, which due to this annoying bug, I keep at the top of my projects.]

Upvotes: 1

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