• Static libraries: foo, boo. Represent third party code.
• Dynamic framework bar. Depends on foo and boo. Represent developer's code.
• Application roo from project bar can be used to test bar framework from the same CMake project.
• Application baz load dynamic framework bar. Represent CMake (Xcode generator) user's code.
• Native Xcode iOS project abc use bar.framework. Represent native Xcode (no CMake) user's code.

Requirements

• Dynamic frameworks available since iOS 8.0 (Xcode 6)
• CMake 3.5+ with IOS_INSTALL_COMBINED feature
• Python 3 for polly.py script

polly.py script should be in PATH:

> git clone https://github.com/ruslo/polly
> export PATH=`pwd`/polly/bin:$PATH
> which polly.py

Build framework for arm64 architecture:

> ./jenkins.py --toolchain ios-11-4-dep-9-3-arm64

> ls _install/bar.framework
...

> lipo -info _install/bar.framework/bar
Non-fat file: _install/bar.framework/bar is architecture: arm64

Build universal 5 architectures framework:

> ./jenkins.py --toolchain ios-11-4-dep-9-3

> ls _install/bar.framework
...

> lipo -info _install/bar.framework/bar
Architectures in the fat file: _install/bar.framework/bar are: i386 x86_64 armv7 armv7s arm64

Adding framework to Xcode project

• Build dynamic framework bar.framework first (!) See previous section.
• Open abc Xcode project: File -> Open -> ios-dynamic-framework/abc/abc.xcodeproj
• Run abc target on iOS device/simulator

If you want to test the adding of framework from scratch:

• Remove bar.framework link

• Choose Remove Reference because file should not be removed from disk

• Select project and choose Add Files to "abc"...

• Pick bar.framework from _install directory

• Add a command to copy the framework: Build Phases -> New Copy Files Phase -> Set Destination to Frameworks -> +

• Choose bar.framework and click Add

• Verify that Code Sign On Copy is set

• Verify that Framework Search Paths is set to ../_install (project relative location)

• Run abc

Headers

Project bar installs bar.hpp header to <install-prefix>/include/bar/bar.hpp. So bar.hpp can be included by C++ directive #include <bar/bar.hpp> if used in a plain non-framework configuration. For frameworks location will be bar.framework/Headers/bar.hpp and can be included by the same C++ directive #include <bar/bar.hpp>.

Visibility

Default

Export all symbols (default):

> ./jenkins.py --toolchain ios-11-4-dep-9-3-arm64

> nm -gU _install/bar.framework/bar
... T __Z3barv
... T __Z3boov # from static library boo
... T __Z3foov # from static library foo

File with exports

Exported symbols can be listed explicitly in file using -exported_symbols_list option:

> cat bar/libbar.exports
__Z3barv

> ./jenkins.py --toolchain ios-11-4-dep-9-3-arm64 --export-file

> nm -gU _install/bar.framework/bar
... T __Z3barv

Toolchain

Explicit export (export only BAR_EXPORT, all other symbols are hidden):

> ./jenkins.py --toolchain ios-10-1-arm64-dep-8-0-hid-sections

> nm -gU _install/bar.framework/bar
... T __Z3barv # only bar visible

Note

Achieved by adding -fvisibility=hidded and -fvisibility-inlines-hidded to CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS in toolchain

foo and boo exist but not visible:

> otool -vt _install/bar.framework/bar | grep "^__Z3\(foo\|boo\)"
__Z3foov:
__Z3boov:

App Store Submission

Use toolchain with device architectures only (arm64, armv7, armv7s). For example arm64 + armv7:

> ./jenkins.py --toolchain ios-11-4-dep-9-3-arm64-armv7
> open abc/abc.xcodeproj

Build, archive and submit application.

More

• Hunter package manager
• Polly toolchains