Xcode 4 - build output directory

Question

I have problems with setting up/locating my output files in Xcode4 (beta 5). They are placed somewhere in ~/Library/Developer/ugly_path/.... I can't even select "show in finder" on my products. It is the same for a simple C project, Foundation tool and even Cocoa bundle. A Debugging works fine.

Could you please point me out where and how to set up / build output directories? (I know it sounds dumb, I've been coding in Xcode3 for months, but I can't figure it out in Xcode4 beta).

Thanks a lot.

score 343 · Accepted Answer · edited May 14 '15 at 19:22

343

From the Xcode menu on top, click preferences, select the locations tab, look at the build location option.

You have 2 options:

Place build products in derived data location (recommended)
Place build products in locations specified by targets

Update: On xcode 4.6.2 you need to click the advanced button on the right side below the derived data text field. Build Location select legacy.

edited May 14 '15 at 19:22

Ramy Al Zuhouri

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answered Nov 26 '10 at 04:07

the Reverend

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This answer explains why this change was made: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5331270/why-doesnt-xcode-4-create-any-products – toofah Mar 25 '11 at 22:48
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Proud Member, what do you mean these are not in Xcode 5? They are in Preferences -> Locations -> Derived Data -> Advanced. – Richard Venable Dec 16 '13 at 18:36
Ok, so my build goes into the `.../XCode/DerivedData/` folder, simple enough. Except that the subfolders seem to be `AppName-asdflkjqwergoobledygook`. Since I'm building from a script, I'd like to actually *find* the build (so I can package it and send via TestFlight :) How do I determine which of the many `MyAppName-xxxx`-s is the right one? Thanks! – Olie Oct 02 '14 at 04:02
@Olie You can also change the derived data location to a path of your own choosing – Gerard Oct 21 '14 at 20:48
@Gerard: I could, but that's not what I want to do. I'm checking out sources from a repo, then building via command line, and I want to know where the build went. It would be inappropriate for my build-script to modify the project in any way (say, by changing the project settings.) – Olie Oct 21 '14 at 23:58

Igor · Answer 2 · 2014-01-25T14:11:40.013

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If you build from command line, you can set output directory in the following way:

xcodebuild -workspace 'WORKSPACE_NAME.xcworkspace' \
           -scheme 'SCHEME_NAME' \
           -configuration 'Release' \
           -sdk iphoneos7.0 CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR='OUTPUT_DIRECTORY'

edited Jan 25 '14 at 14:11

answered May 06 '12 at 09:36

Igor

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To make my sh scripts working I needed to remove single quotes and write just CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR=/Users/... – Stanislav Pankevich Oct 31 '13 at 02:53
@occulus, you're absolutely right as this will fail building the testing target after building the project, I think if you're just building it MIGHT be okay, but better use absolute paths ! – Mostafa Berg Jun 02 '14 at 14:56
In case anyone else is trying to solve a similar problem I convinced XCode 6.x to place the linked binary *exactly* where it was needed using this combination: ```/Users/moi/src/mozbuilds/xul3604/$(CONFIGURATION)/dist/bin``` – J Evans Mar 30 '15 at 16:06

score 29 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 21 '13 at 03:47

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In Xcode 5: Xcode menu > Preferences... item > Locations tab > Locations sub-tab > Advanced... button > Custom option.

Then choose, e.g., Relative to Workspace.

answered Nov 21 '13 at 03:47

Grumdrig

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May you live to be a hundred years old, strong, and healthy sir. *Thank you*! – WhozCraig May 01 '14 at 02:32

score 13 · Answer 4 · edited Oct 29 '11 at 04:26

13

If you have Xcode 4 Build Location setting set to "Place build products in derived data location (recommended), it should be located in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData. This directory will have your project in there as a directory, the project name will be appended with a bunch of generated letters so look carefully.

edited Oct 29 '11 at 04:26

Tim Sylvester

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answered Dec 29 '10 at 15:59

bxiong

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score 10 · Answer 5 · answered May 25 '12 at 23:27

Keep derived data but use the DSTROOT to specify the destination.

Use DEPLOYMENT_LOCATION to force deployment.

Use the undocumented DWARF_DSYM_FOLDER_PATH to copy the dSYM over too.

This allows you to use derived data location from xcodebuild and not have to do wacky stuff to find the app.

xcodebuild -sdk "iphoneos" -workspace Foo.xcworkspace -scheme Foo -configuration "Debug" DEPLOYMENT_LOCATION=YES DSTROOT=tmp DWARF_DSYM_FOLDER_PATH=tmp build

score 8 · Answer 6 · edited Oct 29 '11 at 04:26

8

You can always find the build directory by looking in the build log viewer, and copying the path there into a terminal window.

I use this to analyze my iOS .app bundles before they get installed to make sure no stray files are being included.

edited Oct 29 '11 at 04:26

Tim Sylvester

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answered Dec 07 '10 at 01:50

radven

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And where do I find this build log?? Searching for "build log" in Xcode help returns 0 results. – devios1 Mar 27 '13 at 22:17
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Nm, found the "Log Navigator", which looks like a speech bubble. – devios1 Mar 27 '13 at 22:33

score 4 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 10 '14 at 14:20

For anyone who wants to find the build directory from a script but does not want to change it, run the following to get a list of all the build settings that point to a folder in DerivedData:

xcodebuild -showBuildSettings | grep DerivedData

If you run custom targets and schemes, please put them there as well:

xcodebuild -workspace "Foo.xcworkspace" -scheme "Bar" -sdk iphonesimulator -configuration Debug -showBuildSettings | grep DerivedData

Look at the output to locate the setting output that you want and then:

xcodebuild -showBuildSettings | grep SYMROOT | cut -d "=" -f 2 - | sed 's/^ *//'

The last part cuts the string at the equal sign and then trims the whitespace at the beginning.

score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 03 '13 at 17:28

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If you use the new Xcode4 Workspaces, you can change the Derived Data Location under File -> Workspace settings...

answered Jan 03 '13 at 17:28

DaGaMs

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score 1 · Answer 9 · answered Aug 31 '11 at 16:03

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You can configure the output directory using the CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR environment variable.

Source: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/DeveloperTools/Reference/XcodeBuildSettingRef/0-Introduction/introduction.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003931-CH1-SW1

answered Aug 31 '11 at 16:03

Heath Borders

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no that's unrelated to the derived location / legacy (per target) location behavior – Gregory Pakosz Mar 13 '12 at 15:17
Yes it is. It works either way. From the documentation: "Directory path. Identifies the directory under which all build-related files for the active build configuration are placed." – Heath Borders Mar 13 '12 at 19:16
nope. not with xcode4 it depends on `Xcode > Preferences > Locations > Derived data` setting as explained in the most voted answer. + the document you're referring to was last updated in 2010 – Gregory Pakosz Mar 13 '12 at 19:40
I've actually used this setting to configure the build directory with xcode4 from xcodebuild. Give it a try. – Heath Borders Mar 13 '12 at 21:18
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well I've tried with Xcode 4.3.1 (from the IDE) and without changing the global setting, products are build somewhere in `~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/` and not inside the directory I specify with `CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR`. If I want `CONFIGURATION_BUILD_DIR` to be honored, I have to switch Xcode derived data preferences to "Legacy" – Gregory Pakosz Mar 13 '12 at 23:36

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Jan 22 '15 at 16:24

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Another thing to check before you start playing with Xcode preferences is:

Select your target and go to Build Settings > Packaging > Wrapper Extension

The value there should be: app

If not double click it and type "app" without the qoutes.

answered Jan 22 '15 at 16:24

hasan

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score -1 · Answer 11 · answered May 16 '12 at 17:17

-1

This was so annoying. Open your project, click on Target, Open Build Phases tab. Check your Copy Bundle Resources for any red items.

answered May 16 '12 at 17:17

marbleblue

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Xcode 4 - build output directory

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