1471

I can't find the good old "Add existing frameworks" option. How do I do this?

We're talking about Xcode 4 DP2 (in the context of iPhone development, as far as it matters...).

Peter Mortensen
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Ariel Malka
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    I can't believe that: a. there's a (integrated, none the less) IDE+SDK out there in 2012 that still doesn't make clear how to add one of the bundled frameworks to a project. b. such a (normally) trivial subject got so much attention. c. the solution in so convoluted. – Shivan Dragon Aug 19 '12 at 08:14
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    I kept right-clicking the Frameworks folder in my project figuring there should be a contextual menu item there for this; there isn't, and xcode, somewhat like the over-extended iTunes app, is often not consistent, logical or intuitive. Sadly, with my xCode version (4.4), using help menu search crashed the app just as the relevant help page came up. I'm one update behind the latest xCode release, but switching horses with an overdue deadline seems like a bad idea (even though I hope they fixed the "help" crashing in the update) – wkw Sep 08 '12 at 14:03
  • I would like to point out that if you can't find "Link Binaries With Libraries" in your build phases tab click the "Add build phase" button in the lower right corner. – Considerate Mar 14 '11 at 19:57

10 Answers10

1748

As per Apple's documentation:

  1. In the project navigator, select your project.
  2. Select your target.
  3. Select the "Build Phases" tab.
  4. Open "Link Binaries With Libraries" expander.
  5. Click the + button.
  6. Select your framework.
  7. (optional) Drag and drop the added framework to the "Frameworks" group.
Amal Murali
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Cyber
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    For me at least, if you move the framework into any of the groups after this, it stops working. – mk12 Aug 17 '10 at 23:08
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    I just tried this with the latest build and didn't have any issues with moving the framework to the Frameworks group after it was added to the build. – memmons Feb 24 '11 at 19:28
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    They have made this so dumb... I think I kinda miss the old XCode... So many chnages... even some shortcuts dont work :P – vivianaranha Mar 16 '11 at 03:38
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    If i have 2 targets, then i have to add 2 times? – samwize Mar 20 '11 at 07:07
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    @vivianaranha, me too missing the old Xcode... xcode 4 crashes most of the time for me.. – Hanuman Mar 24 '11 at 11:50
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    Compare "right click, add, existing framework" to the above and yeah, no wonder people miss old Xcode. Why're they complicating stuff? *baffled* (+1 for answer, not that you need it with 131 +'es already but hey! :P) – Kalle Mar 25 '11 at 15:12
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    Same, lots of crashes. I really like most of the new stuff they added, as it makes stuff a lot clearer. It just needs some heavy development... let's hope the next version will be great ;) – Erik S Mar 25 '11 at 16:11
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    The learning curve from xCode 3 to 4 is high. Hard not to swear at the Apple engineering team when our projects are over due. Thank you for helping relieve this stress. – Wayne Lo Apr 01 '11 at 23:53
  • @Cyber, adding a target dependency should ask for recursive option. At the first time it asked me for recursive option in a project. Then I have created a new project and tried it there, but its not asking! Even if I remove the dependency from the first project(where recursive option was asked), and try to add again, its not asking for recursive option!! whats wrong here? I am using xcode4. thanks. – Sadat Apr 05 '11 at 04:54
  • If you move the framework into any of the groups after this, it may turn red, but just leave and go back to the view and it went back to green for me. – ma11hew28 Apr 12 '11 at 17:49
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    I like xcode 4, I know its gonna take time to switch, but you all will love it when you're used to it, be patient with learning :) Cheers – chunkyguy Apr 14 '11 at 19:59
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    I am new to xcode, and just having problem with this, because the tutorial use xcodd 3 (I think). +1 for the steps – swdev May 04 '11 at 16:53
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    this is crap - just like the debugging in xcode 4. +1 for your info, very helpful – theiOSDude Jun 10 '11 at 16:02
  • What if i have multiple targets in my project and I want to add a framework to all these targets at once? – Imran Raheem Aug 19 '11 at 09:57
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    Well done Apple instead of making it easy with a simple CNTRL-click on Frameworks, you've added a colorful array of unnecessary steps. – Zigglzworth Aug 21 '11 at 10:18
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    this places the framework as the first thing under your project, not in your Frameworks folder. if you try to drag it into your Frameworks folder, it will only allow it to be inserted at the top, not in the middle or the bottom. why? – user102008 Sep 07 '11 at 02:38
  • If you need to add the same framework to multiple targets, add for the first one and then drag the framework from the navigator tree into 'Link Binary With Libraries' build phase for the other targets. – leolobato Sep 15 '11 at 21:57
  • When i drag'n'drop framework in Frameworks folder (7 step) its missing from 'Link Binaries With Libraries' expander :) Epic xcode 4.2 fail! To fix that u must again drag'n'drop it from Frameworks to 'Link Binaries With Libraries' expander area – Valerii Pavlov Nov 23 '11 at 13:35
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    For step 7: Do not worry if framework's name turns red in the 'Link Binary With Libraries' section after you move it - this is only temporary. In my case, quit and enter XCode will show it correctly. I have to say 'I HATE it!' – OnTheEasiestWay Nov 25 '11 at 07:08
44

I just added the existing framework folder manually into the project navigator. It worked for me.

Peter Mortensen
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Tom Wilke
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    Ok, I finally did it, as follows: 1) In the "project navigator", open the "frameworks" folder and select one the existing frameworks (e.g. UIKit.framework) 2) Right click and select "Show in Finder" from the menu 3) From the newly opened folder in the finder, drag the framework folder you are interested in (e.g. OpenGLES.framework) into the "frameworks" folder in XCode 4) Be sure not to "copy items into destination's group folder" 5) Choosing "Create groups for any added folders" seems to make it – Ariel Malka Jul 29 '10 at 22:03
22

Follow the below five steps to add a framework in your project.

  1. Click on Project Navigator.
  2. Select Targets (Black arrow in the below image).
  3. Select Build phases ( Blue arrow in the below image).
  4. Click on the + button (Green arrow in below image).
  5. Select your framework from the list.

Framework

Here is the official Apple page.

Peter Mortensen
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Hemant Singh Rathore
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17

Another easy way to do it so that it is referenced in the project folder you want, like "Frameworks", is to:

  1. Select "Show the Project navigator"
  2. Right-click on the project folder you wish to add the framework to.
  3. Select 'Add Files to "YourProjectName"'
  4. Browse to the framework - generally under /Developer/SDKs/MacOSXversion.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks
  5. Select the one you want.
  6. Select "Add"

It will appear in both the project navigator where you want it, as well as in the "Link Binary With Libraries" area of the "Build Phases" pane of your target.

LinusGeffarth
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GTAE86
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11

The frameworks directory is as follows in my computer:

/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS5.0.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks

Not the directory

/Developer/SDKs/MacOSXversion.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks
Peter Mortensen
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rml
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  • Right - it depends on what you have installed. Also, the XCode 4.3 release causes them to be installed to a completely new location - under the XCode distribution path. On my two machines, it is: /applications/xcode.app/contents/developer/platforms/macosx.platform/developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.7.sdk/system/Library/Frameworks – GTAE86 May 22 '12 at 14:42
8

In Project:

  1. Select the project navigator
  2. Click on Build Phases
  3. Click on link binary with libraries
  4. Click on the + button and add your Frameworks
Peter Mortensen
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sabir
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7

Follow the screenshots:

Go to linked framework and libraries

Enter image description here

You are ready to go!

Peter Mortensen
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Tunvir Rahman Tusher
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3

  1. In the project navigator, select your project.

  2. Select your target.

  3. Select the "Build Phases" tab.

  4. expander. Click the + button.

  5. Select your framework.

  6. (optional) Drag and drop the added framework to the "Frameworks" group.

    enter image description here

SARATH SASI
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3

Xcode 12

Just drag it into the Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content of the General section of the Target:

enter image description here Done!

Note that Xcode 11 and 10 have a very similar flow too.

Mojtaba Hosseini
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1

Xcode add a framework

Starting Xcode v11 you should use

<Project settings> -> <App Target> -> Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content
//or
<Project settings> -> <Framework Target> -> Frameworks and Libraries

[Xcode pre-v11. Embedded Binaries vs Linked Frameworks and Libraries]

[Xcode v11. Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content plus Frameworks and Libraries with Embed vs Do Not Embed]

Also do not forget to check Library Search Paths or Framework Search Paths. I would recommend you to use drag-and-drop[About]

[Step-by-step examples here]

yoAlex5
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