Edit Xcode xcconfig file and Cocoapods

Question

I want to edit the xcconfig file, but unfortunately Xcode only allows 1 xcconfig file per configuration, and that is Pods.xcconfig because I'm using Cocoapods

So how can I edit the xcconfig without hurting Cocoapods

I can think of several ways

1. Make Xcode use multiple xcconfig files
2. Use my own xcconfig file that includes Pods.xcconfig file

So how to deal with this ?

Silurian

Isn't the cocoapods config file at the project-level? If so just yours at the target-level. – Smoko

@Smoko by target level you mean go to the target build setting panel and manually specify the settings? I don't want that way – Silurian

You don't want that way? Why is that? – Smoko

@Smoko I'm afraid of merging conflict, so using xcconfig I don't have to manually go the the build setting panel – Silurian

What "merging conflict"? Any changes to the Xcode project or source files is a potential merge conflict so if you're afraid of them then you cannot do anything! – Smoko

@Smoko during pod install command Pods.xcconfig automatically placed at Target configuration. If you change this - you should also manually change this after each pods update. So, the question how to avoid it. – Skeptic

Answer 1

Here is a issue in CocoaPods Tracker. A workaround is described here: #1736.

As kylef (owner of CocoaPods repo) mentioned:

Manual Workaround: Use pod install --no-integrate then add #include "Pods/Pods-GCE.xcconfig" from your custom xcconfig files.

I don't think there is a clear solution to automatically fix it, but maybe it would be nice if cocoa pods detected this and told the user. Took me a while to figure out what happened after I did pod install and the projects xcconfig files wasn't being included.

Skeptic

This almost worked, but it seems like CococaPods has changed. I had to #include "Pods/Target Support Files/Pods/Pods.debug.xcconfig" instead of the GCE path. Similarly, in my AppName.release.xcconfig, I did #include "Pods/Target Support Files/Pods/Pods.release.xcconfig". – Parliament

This answer is outdated and must be avoided, check Raphael's answer for a more accurate answer. – Revolting

Answer 2

Nowadays (XCode 9.x, CocoaPods 1.4.0) you just add

#include "Pods/Target Support Files/Pods-MyApp/Pods-Pods-MyApp.debug.xcconfig"

to your custom xcconfig. pod install will complain but automatically do the right thing (nothing); it'll even tell us to do exactly the above.

---

It's not necessary anymore to prevent integration (which would leave us without a workspace, too). FWIW, option --no-integrate no longer exists; if we wanted it, we'd add :integrate_targets => false as option to install! in the Podfile.

Godesberg

Actually, it seems this is unnecessary: if you set your own xcconfig file for the project, and leave the CocoaPods xcconfig for each target, then both config files get used and all is well. – Harbor

@Harbor Sounds reasonable. My use case (not stated above) is using a SwiftPM-generated XC project with pods in an automated fashion; I don't really want to touch the project or workspace manually. And since I can tell SwiftPM only to "use this one config!" without further detail, no luck there I think. – Godesberg

@KarenAnne I don't work on/with Macs anymore (thank god!) so I have no way to check. I recommend you open a new question. Good luck! – Godesberg

@Godesberg If i don't want to add #include file path in my xcconfig file, how can i do that? – Epicarp

@ArshadShaik As I wrote above, I haven't worked with this stack in years, so I can't tell you. I suggest you open a new question, linking to this one for reference. – Godesberg