How to set methods deprecated only in public interface in Objective C

Question

setting any method to deprecated is as easy. See How do I flag a method as deprecated in Objective-C 2.0?

BUT: How can I set a method deprecated only for public use?

Answer 1

Another choice is to add a macro that is defined in your build flags and not defined in theirs.

// Add -DBUILDING_MYPROJECT=1 to your own build flags. 
#if BUILDING_MYPROJECT
#   define MYPROJECT_DEPRECATED_API
#else
#   define MYPROJECT_DEPRECATED_API DEPRECATED_ATTRIBUTE
#endif
...    
-(void) method  MYPROJECT_DEPRECATED_API;  // deprecated for clients, not deprecated for you

Answer 2

you could define it in two headers.. in two different categories.

dont define it on the class itself.

that way you separate them

---

e.g. you have:

T has a deprecated property. But internally you want to use it

so to 'clients' you expose it as deprecated in a Category while the private m file just declares it itself not-deprecated

main file : (client)

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import "T+Public.h"

int main(int argc, const char * argv[])
{

    @autoreleasepool {
        T *t = [[T alloc] init];
        NSLog(@"%@", t.deprecated);

    }
    return 0;
}

T.h

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

@interface T : NSObject
@end

and T Public

#import "T.h"

@interface T (Public)
@property(nonatomic, readonly, copy) NSString *deprecated DEPRECATED_ATTRIBUTE;
@end

and Finally T.m that DOESNT import the public interface

#import "T.h"

@interface T ()
@property(nonatomic, copy) NSString *deprecated;

@end
@implementation T

- (id)init {
    self = [super init];
    self.deprecated = @"LALA";
    NSLog(@"%@", self.deprecated); //NOT DEPRECATED!
    return self;
}

@end