Ionic project, iOS emulator in Xcode, error: Podfile.lock: No such file, PODS_ROOT empty

Question

This question, from a year ago, never got an answer:

Xcode /Podfile.lock: No such file

I am having exactly the same issue. I'd like to re-open the question.

I have a Cordova/Ionic app, which also uses Firebase, via CocoaPods.

I've never worked with any of this tech before, I'm simply taking over the project because the original developer left. I don't know anything about Cordova or Ionic or Mac iOS.

I ran:

pod install 

and that ran without error. If I do:

 ls -alhrt platforms/ios/

I see:

 pods-release.xcconfig
 pods-debug.xcconfig
 ..
 cordova
 www
 platform_www
 CordovaLib
 .gitignore
 Cher
 frameworks.json
 pods.json
 Cher.xcworkspace
 ios.json
 build
 .DS_Store
 Podfile
 Cher.xcodeproj
 .
 Pods
 Podfile.lock

So the file "Pods" exists, and also "Podfile.lock".

However, if I open this project in Xcode, and try to build, I get the error:

diff: /Podfile.lock: No such file or directory 
diff: /Manifest.lock: No such file or directory 
error: The sandbox is not in sync with the Podfile.lock. Run 'pod install' or update your CocoaPods installation.                    

This error is common and when I searched on Google, there were dozens of pages addressing this issue. For instance:

https://support.layer.com/hc/en-us/articles/204301594-I-m-getting-a-The-sandbox-is-not-in-sync-with-the-Podfile-lock-error-How-do-I-fix-it-

Which suggests:

Deleting the Podfile.lock file in your project folder

Deleting the Pods folder in your project folder

Execute 'pod install' in your project folder

Do a "Clean" in Xcode

Rebuild your project

I've done this repeatedly, but I still get the same error.

Again, if I use the ls command, I can see the file Podfile.lock but Xcode continues to complain that the file doesn't exist.

I believe the solution is something similar to what they tried here:

PODS_PODFILE_DIR_PATH and PODS_ROOT not defined

https://discuss.multi-os-engine.org/t/pods-podfile-dir-path-and-pods-root-not-defined/823

If I do:

grep -iR PODS_ROOT *

I see:

Cher.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj:             "${PODS_ROOT}/FirebaseInvites/Resources/GINInviteResources.bundle",
Cher.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj:             "${PODS_ROOT}/FirebaseInvites/Resources/GPPACLPickerResources.bundle",
Cher.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj:             "${PODS_ROOT}/GTMOAuth2/Source/Touch/GTMOAuth2ViewTouch.xib",
Cher.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj:             "${PODS_ROOT}/GoogleSignIn/Resources/GoogleSignIn.bundle",
Cher.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj:             "${PODS_ROOT}/Manifest.lock",

So if PODS_ROOT is empty, that would explain why Xcode can not find Manifest.lock.

But where and how do I set PODS_ROOT?

Answer 1

The solution is here:

PODS_ROOT and other pods env variables not set when compiling Ionic app

---

So, in short, this was fixed by removing the iOS project:

ionic cordova platform rm ios

And re-adding it:

ionic cordova platform add ios

And then building:

ionic cordova run ios --device

But make sure you already have Cocoapods installed on your system first.