How to build an iOS framework with weak-linked CocoaPods libraries

Question

I am trying to build an iOS Framework (Test.framework) using the new template offered by Xcode 6 for creating Cocoa Touch Frameworks. The framework has different dependencies (as AFNetworking or FacebookSDK) specified in a Podfile. I don't want dependencies to be included in the framework, I just want to link against them.

The problem is that when I build the framework, the libPods.a is linked and included. Q: How can I link against libPods.a library, but not include it in the framework?

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More details:

I have read about weak linking: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPFrameworks/Concepts/WeakLinking.html But I don't have much experience playing with the project settings, I'm not a PRO.

I tried marking libPods.a as an "Optional" but nothing changed, dependencies were still included.

I tried removing the libPods.a from the section "Link Binary With Libraries" in Build Phases, but I got this error (after cleaning project folder and building again):

ld: library not found for -lPods-MyFramework-AFNetworking

I tried removing all the flags from "Other Linker Flags", but it gives me undefined symbols:

Undefined symbols for architecture armv7:
  "_OBJC_CLASS_$_FBSession", referenced from:
      objc-class-ref in TestClass.o
ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture armv7

Here is the source code for a clean project with libraries included: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0ymuzw6kiagz02j/AABzyHiZVaQQvBEnjBgRBq3ua?dl=0

Sada

Answer 1

The post_install code below goes at the bottom of your Podfile. It allows you specify which targets you want and the frameworks that will be weak linked. We are able to utilize this to weaklink a Framework inside our Dynamic Framework Target but continue to have it linked correclty when compiling our core application.

targets_to_weaklink=['Target1']
frameworks_to_weaklink=['Framework1']
post_install do |installer|
  targets_to_weaklink.map!{|t| t="Pods-#{t}"}
  installer.pods_project.targets.each do |target|
    next unless targets_to_weaklink.include?(target.name)

    target.build_configurations.each do |config|
      base_config_reference = config.base_configuration_reference
      unless base_config_reference.nil?
        xcconfig_path = base_config_reference.real_path
        xcconfig = File.read(xcconfig_path)
        frameworks_to_weaklink.each do |framework|
          xcconfig = xcconfig.gsub(/-framework "#{framework}"/, "-weak_framework \"#{framework}\"")
        end
        File.open(xcconfig_path, "w") { |file| file << xcconfig }
      end
    end
  end
end

Octane

Answer 2

I can not comment yet so I will answer here. I think you can not do that. Cocoapods create a static library not a dynamic one so all the code should be there when you compile and is embedded in your framework.

Cocoapods documentation, go to "What is happening behind the scenes?" for a detail explanation

If you want to put together some basic configuration for some of your usual pods probably the best way to go is making a custom cocoapod with the other ones as dependencies. That way you can rely in cocoapods to manage versions and have the code updated per your preferences. I am using a similar approach myself and I am quite happy with the results.

Homogenous

does anyone know what is "-weak_framework" in cocoapods ? – Rakeoff