When I get a 3rd party static library, I can use it in my debug or release builds for both the simulator and device. However, when I build locally, it is targeted for debug simulator/device or the same for release. I then have to coordinate my host app to match the library build. How can I create a single static library build that works with all build versions of the host app like many 3rd party static libraries do?
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A:
I don't think there's a "magical" solution for the iPhone for this. I once looked for the same thing didn't find any "easy to use" solution. Best I could find : http://www.clintharris.net/2009/iphone-app-shared-libraries/ Especially the part regarding "Fat libraries", that refers to http://latenitesoft.blogspot.com/2008/10/iphone-programming-tips-building-unix.html But the MAKE configuration doesn't look easy (at least for me).
The way I do it : I build the static libs separately for all configurations I need (simulator x86 debug, and device arm debug for instance). This gives me two different .a files. I renamed them mylibrary_arm.a and mylibrary_x86.a
Then, for any project that wants to use those 2 libraries, I drag and drop THE TWO .a FILES into the client project that needs the .a library + the .h headers that will enable the use of those libraries. Then, when I choose simulator or device in this client project, the compiler chooses the right .a AUTOMATICALLY to compile and run properly .
So in the end, the only boring phasis is the generation of the .a themselves, but the use of them is quite easy and XCode adjusts itself automatically.
yonel
2009-12-27 12:07:09
Ok, good idea. I'm guessing the resulting .app file will only include the .a file that corresponds to its build?
4thSpace
2009-12-27 19:11:00
as this is a static link, you don't really see the resulting .a in the .app file (one single executable is generated for the current selected target).But if I look at the generated binary size, it looks quite correct = no useless executable code seems to be embedded into this binary.
yonel
2009-12-27 20:16:37
Do you create debug/release versions for the simulator and also for the device and end up with four versions of library files in the host project? I noticed Xcode doesn't complain if you have two of the same file names in a project - mylib_debug.a for simulator and device.
4thSpace
2009-12-27 23:00:00
For the release / debug I couldn't say, I didn't do it in practice. But for the device / simulator (I was always building in debug): XCode doesn't complain and takes the right one to build. I would expect it to do the same for the release / debug and take the right one ..... :/
yonel
2009-12-28 10:50:48