how add manually a cordova plugin to ios existing project - ios

Question

i've a cordova project created via cordova cli command.
i build the project for Android and iOS platform but... i copied the build project into respective workspace (eclipse/xcode) and i updated that single project.
Now i need to add a plugin.
The project into cordova project folder is now so outdate so i would add the plugin via cli and copy the plugin to the respective project.
I copied successfully the generated plugin into the android project, but i'm not able to do the same thing with iOS.
For example i added the console plugin for iOS
cordova plugin add org.apache.cordova.console
if i open and run the build project it work and i see my message in console, but if i try to copy the generated plugin into my existing project it doesn't work.
nobody could help me to understand how add manually a plugin into my existing project?
update
yes i know, i'll try to explain better
i have my cordova project under folder /Document/cordova
when i made an ios build via command line cordova put the built project under /Document/cordova/platforms/ios
well i copied the folder ios under /workspace/my-project-name
after some work under workspace i see that i need to add a cordova plugin.
i added the plugin via command line and it was added to /Document/cordova/platforms/ios
at this poin i have a project under /Document with plugin but asset outdated and one project updated without plugin under /workspace
i'm trying to copy from built project to /workspace project.
i copied
/workspace/my-project-name/my-project-name/Plugins
/workspace/my-project-name/my-project-name/config.xml
/workspace/my-project-name/www/plugins
/workspace/my-project-name/www/cordova.js
/workspace/my-project-name/www/cordova_plugins.js
but it doesn't work... i missed somethings?

Answer 1

After reading it several times I think I get more less the idea...
Well, I am not sure why do you want to copy the ios project outside the current location. I suppose you have a good reason to do it, however you can always tweak that project instead of going back and forward, cordova will not impact non cordova related files each time you run "cordova build".
Are you familiar with control versioning? Git, SVN, mercurial? If so it is simple just we which files were impacted once you add the plugin and copy those... If no, I suggest using control versioning anyways to help keep track of your code changes.
NOTE: Be aware if you build the cordova projet and then you just want to update the files noted above it is highly likely that it won't work, that is why you run "build" is not a simple file sync. I recommend taking the new cordova project with the plugin added and then just add you personal tweaks on the ios in the other folder. Or just tweak the ios folder inside platforms folder...

Answer 2

I hope you are doing for good reason. Anyway you are missing to copy below file to work
/workspace/my-project-name/my-project-name/platforms/ios/my-project-name/config.xml

Answer 3

Copying the cordova iOS platform folder is not a good idea. The reason is, cordova builds an Xcode project in the platform folder, and there is some sort of caching/built in references to absolute location of the original Xcode project. Therefore it would be unclear to you and to Xcode which file is being referenced from within Xcode. This may have caused some other unnoticed errors in the project as well. So therefore, instead of keeping original project path available along with the new path, I would recommend renaming the original project folder in order to remove the ambiguity. This way, you will assure that the right file versions are referenced.