Cocoa framework development: sharing between projects

Question

I am currently developing a handful of similar Cocoa desktop apps. In an effort to share code between them, I have identified a set of core classes and functions that can be common across all of these applications. I would like to bundle this common code into a framework which all of my current applications (and any future ones) can link against.

Now, here's the hard part: I'm going to be developing this framework as I go, so I need each of my desktop apps to have a reference to it, but I want to be able to edit the framework source code from within each of the app projects and have the framework automatically rebuilt as required.

For example, let's say I have the Xcode project for DesktopAppNumberOne open, and I decide that one of my framework classes needs to be changed. I would like to:

1. Open and edit the source file for that framework class without having to open the framework project in Xcode.
2. Hit "build" on DesktopAppNumberOne, and see the framework rebuilt first (because one of its sources has changed), then see parts of DesktopAppNumberOne rebuilt (because one of the frameworks it links against has changed).

I can see how to do this with only one app and one framework, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to do it with multiple apps that share a single framework.

Has anyone had success with this approach? Am I perhaps going about this the wrong way? Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Make an XCode Project for you framework.

In the 'Groups & Files' Panel > See the Blue Project Icon at the very top left? Drag and drop that into the 'Groups & Files' Panel of any other project you like.

So, make an app project, and drag in the project icon from your framework project.

CMD-i on your app target. Here you set your dependency on the framework and Link against it.

A few points

Linking multiple apps to one framework can be stressfull. You will either need to install your framework into /Library/Frameworks or equivalent or bundle up into each app.

For development purposes, i find setting a custom, common build directory for each of the projects eases things. I set each project to build into /Code/Build/Debug. This means that framework search path for debug build can be $CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR. For your release builds you will still have some work todo with install paths, rpaths, etc. Pain in the Ass!

XConfig files are your friends. The Open source google mac toolbox stuff is a good example of how to use them. You will probably need at least a Project_debug.xconfig, Project_release.xconfig, Target_framework.xconfig, Target_application.xconfig.