"Header Search Paths" vs. "User Header Search Paths" in Xcode?

Question

What's the difference? When would you use either?

Cabrilla

Answer 1

Use the User Header Search Paths for paths you want searched for #include "..." and use the Header Search Paths for #include <...>. Of course, if you check the option to Always Search User Paths, then #include <...> will also work for the user paths.

Melmon

thanks! Yeah i kind of figured that, but why would you use one or the other? To me, <> should be system includes only, and everything else should be in "", but that's just my training from programming in C. I guess <> could point to well-known libraries which are not system includes? – Cabrilla

Yes, I think "well-known libraries" is about right. Personally I use < > for Boost headers as well as system headers. – Melmon

did not know about Boost (boost.org)! Thanks, it looks very interesting. – Cabrilla

< > is for frameworks -- .a and .frameworks "libraries" -- and it doesn't matter if it's a system framework, one of your own or a 3rd party (like Boost.) " " is for project headers -- .h files that are part of the set of files being compiled. Hope that helps clarify. – Jesus