Unable to build XCFramework for my existing project that was building .Framework file from Static Library

Question

I am relatively new to iOS and have been trying really hard to diagnose and find a way to start generating XCFramework instead of .Framework that was being built earlier until xCode 10.

I have went through many different blogs and answers on SO as well but could not find a solution to my issue. I need to build XCFramework with support for both iOS device as well as iOS Simulator on M1 architecture.

I have pasted below, the old as well as the new build scripts that I have been experimenting with.

OLD SCRIPT:

set -e

# If we're already inside this script then abort
`if [ -n "$RW_MULTIPLATFORM_BUILD_IN_PROGRESS" ]; then
exit 0
fi
export RW_MULTIPLATFORM_BUILD_IN_PROGRESS=1

RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME=${PROJECT_NAME}
RW_INPUT_STATIC_LIB="lib${PROJECT_NAME}.a"
RW_FRAMEWORK_LOCATION="${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME}.framework"
function build_static_library {
    # Will rebuild the static library as specified
    #     build_static_library sdk
    xcrun xcodebuild -project "${PROJECT_FILE_PATH}" \
    -target "${TARGET_NAME}" \
    -configuration "${CONFIGURATION}" \
    -sdk "${1}" \
    ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH=NO \
    BUILD_DIR="${BUILD_DIR}" \
    OBJROOT="${OBJROOT}/DependentBuilds" \
    BUILD_ROOT="${BUILD_ROOT}" \
    SYMROOT="${SYMROOT}" $ACTION
}`

`function make_fat_library {
    # Will smash 2 static libs together
    #     make_fat_library in1 in2 out
    xcrun lipo -create "${1}" "${2}" -output "${3}"
}`

# 1 - Extract the platform (iphoneos/iphonesimulator) from the SDK name
`if [[ "$SDK_NAME" =~ ([A-Za-z]+) ]]; then
RW_SDK_PLATFORM=${BASH_REMATCH[1]}
else
echo "Could not find platform name from SDK_NAME: $SDK_NAME"
exit 1
fi`

# 2 - Extract the version from the SDK
`if [[ "$SDK_NAME" =~ ([0-9]+.*$) ]]; then
RW_SDK_VERSION=${BASH_REMATCH[1]}
else
echo "Could not find sdk version from SDK_NAME: $SDK_NAME"
exit 1
fi`

# 3 - Determine the other platform
`if [ "$RW_SDK_PLATFORM" == "iphoneos" ]; then
RW_OTHER_PLATFORM=iphonesimulator
else
RW_OTHER_PLATFORM=iphoneos
fi`

# 4 - Find the build directory
`if [[ "$BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR" =~ (.*)$RW_SDK_PLATFORM$ ]]; then
RW_OTHER_BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR="${BASH_REMATCH[1]}${RW_OTHER_PLATFORM}"
else
echo "Could not find other platform build directory."
exit 1
fi`


# Build the other platform.
`build_static_library "${RW_OTHER_PLATFORM}${RW_SDK_VERSION}"
`
# If we're currently building for iphonesimulator, then need to rebuild
#   to ensure that we get both i386 and x86_64
`if [ "$RW_SDK_PLATFORM" == "iphonesimulator" ]; then
build_static_library "${SDK_NAME}"
fi`

# Join the 2 static libs into 1 and push into the .framework
`make_fat_library "${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${RW_INPUT_STATIC_LIB}" \
"${RW_OTHER_BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${RW_INPUT_STATIC_LIB}" \
"${RW_FRAMEWORK_LOCATION}/Versions/A/${RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME}"
`
# Ensure that the framework is present in both platform's build directories
`cp -a "${RW_FRAMEWORK_LOCATION}/Versions/A/${RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME}" \
"${RW_OTHER_BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME}.framework/Versions/A/${RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME}"
`
# Copy the framework to the user's desktop
`ditto "${RW_FRAMEWORK_LOCATION}" "${HOME}/Desktop/${RW_FRAMEWORK_NAME}.framework"
`

NEW SCRIPT THAT I AM USING TO GENERATE XCFRAMEWORK

SIMULATOR_ARCHIVE_PATH="${BUILD_DIR}/${CONFIGURATION}/${FRAMEWORK_NAME}-iphonesimulator.xcarchive"
DEVICE_ARCHIVE_PATH="${BUILD_DIR}/${CONFIGURATION}/${FRAMEWORK_NAME}-iphoneos.xcarchive"

echo "Simulator Path:$SIMULATOR_ARCHIVE_PATH"
echo "Device Archive Path: $DEVICE_ARCHIVE_PATH"
echo "Build DIR: $BUILD_DIR"
echo "Configuration Path: $CONFIGURATION"

OUTPUT_DIR="./Products/"

# Simulator xcarchive (arm64 + x86_64)
xcodebuild archive \
  ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH=NO \
  -scheme ${SCHEME_NAME} \
  -project "${SCHEME_NAME}.xcodeproj" \
  -archivePath ${SIMULATOR_ARCHIVE_PATH} \
  -sdk iphonesimulator \
  BUILD_LIBRARY_FOR_DISTRIBUTION=YES \
  SKIP_INSTALL=NO

# Device xcarchive (arm64)
xcodebuild archive \
  -scheme ${SCHEME_NAME} \
  -project "${SCHEME_NAME}.xcodeproj" \
  -archivePath ${DEVICE_ARCHIVE_PATH} \
  -sdk iphoneos \
  BUILD_LIBRARY_FOR_DISTRIBUTION=YES \
  SKIP_INSTALL=NO

# Clean-up any existing instance of this xcframework from the Products directory
rm -rf "${OUTPUT_DIR}${SCHEME_NAME}.xcframework"

# Create final xcframework
xcodebuild -create-xcframework \
  -framework ${DEVICE_ARCHIVE_PATH}/Products/Library/Frameworks/${FRAMEWORK_NAME}.framework \
  -framework ${SIMULATOR_ARCHIVE_PATH}/Products/Library/Frameworks/${FRAMEWORK_NAME}.framework \
  -output ${BUILD_DIR}/${FRAMEWORK_NAME}.xcframework

ERROR THAT I AM GETTING:

2023-11-20 23:44:06.736 xcodebuild[8267:239962] Writing error result bundle to /var/folders/ps/r75vk_f95tl2wh16jj2syv7c0000gr/T/ResultBundle_2023-20-11_23-44-0006.xcresult
xcodebuild: error: Unknown build action '.xcodeproj'.
error: the path does not point to a valid framework: /Users/coder/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/CoderSDK-cjavkiibuxlwhgftpsbjmlkavwpx/Build/Products/Debug/-iphoneos.xcarchive/Products/Library/Frameworks/.framework

The archive that is getting generated does not have .framework in it. I also tried using the -library parameter in the xcodebuild -create-xcframework command but that did not help either.

Can anyone please help me understand what is the issue here?

Answer 1

I had a similar problem. In my case the problem was, when searching the .xcarchive file I noticed that the .framework file was not in

/.xcarchive/Products/Library/Frameworks/

but in

/.xcarchive/Products/@rpath/

You can either change this in your script for it to find your .framework file or change it in Xcode under Build Settings -> Installation Directory