I have a scenario where I need to package some common code into a Swift only framework. I have found many tutorials on how to do this but all involve creating a framework within an iOS app. My goal is to:
Create a seperate Framework project
Build and produce a .framework file
Copy that single file(without all the source files) into some iOS app project, add it under "Linked Libraries" and use it.
Question: Is this possible or do I have to include all of the Classes that are part of the framework?
I have added a framework project to an iOS app and had success using it because all the source code was in the Framework project. I tried to copy that .framework file alone to a new project and use it but when trying to access the classes or instantiate the contents of the framework I couldn't even-though whatever needed to be declared as public was.
Appreciate any help...
Related
I have created a framework in swift where I have made limited number of classes as public.The default header which will be present on creating any a framework has only version number info. But when I try to use the framework, I am not able to access even the public classes and methods.
Can anybody suggest how could we create a swift framework without exposing the implementation.
It's how you pull a Swift Framework target into your app project that matters, not the header file. And if you are using Swift 3, you'll want to designate your classes as open, not public.
Option #1: Add the Framework's .xcodeproj file to your app's project.
You'll be able to edit the framework's source this way, but only only project can have it open at a time.
Option #2: Import the Framework's .framework file to your app's project.
You'll need to add this into your app's Linked Frameworks and Libraries. Also, you'll need to remember to reload it every time you make changes to the framework.
Imagine the following scenario;
I'm developing a cocoa touch framework that requires SomeLibrary (e.g. AFNetworking). My framework is going to be included into someone's project that might require SomeLibrary as well.
How do I accomplish this without running into these nasty duplicate warnings when I include AFNetworking into my framework directly (either via source code or Cocoapods)?
I've tried it with Cocoapods on both projects (my framework, and a test project that includes my framework), but that results in duplicate code warnings as well.
When I don't add AFNetworking into my framework development project, the compiler can't find the required files, which is why I can't build it. I've tried with including AFNetworking's source code directly into the main project, and using the pod, but in both cases the AFNetworking/AFNetworking.h import in the framework project fails.
How can I do this without making a pod out my framework (which isn't really an option)?
I've found this related answer, but I don't know what search path to set for the framework project in order to find a library of the master project;
https://stackoverflow.com/a/23123725/1069487
Any help would be highly appreciated!
You will have to build your framework linked against static library.
You build AFNetworking as a static library (that will give you a .a file as AFNetworking.a)
You build your framework that link against your static library. But be aware that the library won't be embedded in your framework (there is no way to include static library into framework on iOS). Your framework is able to use AFNetworking API because it is linked against it.
any project that use your framework and use AFNetworking methods of your framework need to link with the static library AFNetworking.a that you should provide as a standalone file beside your framework.
See iOS-Framework here for more details : https://github.com/jverkoey/iOS-Framework
I want to create a project with a handful of categories that add useful functionality to UIKit.
I want to keep this as a separate project so that it can be source-controlled separately (and eventually hosted on github, and downloadable as a dependency via cocoa pods...but let's skip this for now.)
But all the Xcode 6.1 project templates imply an app inside. When I select an empty project it complains about missing base SDK. But this cannot be set without a target present. It is quite confusing. I don't need a target. Do I?
The project should be just a shell for a number of categories + a accompanying summary header file.
I want to be able to drag this project as a subproject to any other proper app project, import the summary header file and expose those categories to the main project.
Any advice?
You need a target. Every source file that should be compiled must be a part of a target.
You could reference each source file from the target(s) in your app's Xcode projects, but that'd be tedious as you'd have to add to every project manually when you add source to your shared repository.
Either create an embedded framework project or a static library. Unless you are really going to share code between an app and an app's extension, go with the static library. It is a lot easier to manage.
Create a project that has a static library target, add the files to that static library.
Then create a workspace that has your static library project and your app(s) project(s) in it. Modify the app targets to link against the static library.
I have built an iOS Swift framework with Xcode.
After writing the code I have build the project and took the .framework file inside the Products folder to test it.
To test the framework have open a new application and drag and drop the .framework file previously built and I added it into the embedded binaries list of my application project.
To import it into my ViewController.swift class I wrote:
import frameworkName
No problem until here, this means that the project sees the framework.
When I try to use a public class inside the framework with:
var x : className?
I get the following error:
'className' is unavailable: cannot find Swift declaration for this class
What does it mean? What is the problem?
When you're referencing a framework in the products directory from your workspace, ensure that the location is "Built Products" and the filename is just the framework name, without any additional path components.
If you're referencing a framework that isn't in your workspace, I would recommend using Carthage instead of copying it directly into your repository. This will make versioning much easier, and will ensure that it is built correctly for both simulator and device.
To actual a self defined framework, u really have to do a lot of things.
Firstly, make sure ur framework is used on right device. It's to say framework can only be used on corresponding device(either one of Simulator, Device and Mac). In other words, if framework A built on simulator, project import framework A can only pass compile and successfully built on simulator.
P.S. if universal version desired, -lipo command is what u need to further explore.
Secondly, during implementing ur framework , make sure all the classes, methods and variables u want use outside start with Public.
Thirdly, check ur project setting Embedded Binaries and linked Frameworks and Libraries do contain ur framework.
I wrote a class in Swift. I want to use this code in two separate iOS app projects that I wrote. Both the shared code and the apps are written in Swift. What is the best way of doing that?
I tried to create both a framework and a library in Swift and then add it as a sub-project to my app. In both cases I could not make the app see the module. I tried to add the shared module to "Target Dependencies" and "Link Binary With Libraries" of the main app's target. No luck - the app still can not see the classes of the shared module.
Using Xcode6 Beta6 at the moment.
Solution
As Konstantin Koval and Heliem pointed out, all I needed is to use public in my class and method declarations, in the shared module. Now all works, both if I use workspace and if I add the module as a subproject.
Update
I just found an excellent easy solution for reusing code between projects in Swift. It is called Carthage (https://github.com/Carthage/Carthage). This is not a plug as I am not affiliated with it in any way, I just really like it. It works in iOS 8+.
Create a new project (iOS Cocoa Touch Framework) for your reusable code
Move your classes to that Framework project
Mark your methods and classes, that should be visible to others as public
Create Workspace.
You can create a workspace on step 1. When you create new Framework project, Xcode will ask you if you want to create new workspace and add that project to workspace. This is the best approach
Add both your project and Framework to the workspace
Select you project target -> General tab. Add Framework and Libraries (add your library here)
When you want to use code from your Library in swift file, import it using import 'LibTargetName'
You can take a more programatic approach by using SWM (Swift Modules): https://github.com/jankuca/swm
It is very similar to npm (node.js package manager) or bower (client-side module manager); you declare your dependencies in a swiftmodule.json file like below. It does not have a central module registry like the two mentioned JS solutions, it only accepts git URLs.
{
"name": "ProjectName",
"dependencies": {
"Dependency": "git://github.com/…/….git"
}
}
…run swm install and have the Dependency module (compiled into a *.swiftmodule binary) ready for import in the .modules/ directory.
import Dependency
And if you prefer to skip Xcode for app development, you can also build your whole app using swm build (more info in the project's readme).
The project is still in early stages but it makes itself useful a lot for me at least. It provides the most clean (and clear) way of creating importable modules.
Here is a video which is very straightforward: http://eonil-observatory.tumblr.com/post/117205738262/a-proper-way-to-add-a-subproject-to-another-xcode
The video is for OS X instead of iOS. But you will get it and figure out the process for iOS.
Let's assume that AppA needs to reused code from SharedProject.
The following process works for me in Xcode 7 Beta:
Create SharedProject. Project type must be Framework instead of Application. You write common code in this project and mark the code as public.
Open AppA in Xcode, open the folder which contains SharedProject in Finder. Drag the .xcodeproj file of SharedProject from Finder and drop it into the root folder of AppA in Xcode Project Navigator.
AppA --> Build Phases --> Link Binary with Libraries. Add SharedProject.
import SharedProject and reuse code from SharedProject!
Edit:
Nowadays I suggest you use Carthage. It's better than the home made solution above.