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I would like to develop an iPhone App based on an existing open-source Objective-C framework, however that framework makes extensive use of the glib library and I cannot find a way to build and include the glib library for an iPhone app (non jailbreak).

Is there any way this can be done, or is there any recommended approach to porting a framework away from glib?

Thanks

Paul
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2 Answers2

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no, guys, using LGPL projects on iPhone (where you indeed need to statically link) is legal as long as you provide your app's object code so the user can (if technically versed) re-link your app with a new version of the LGPL lib. Of course, you still need to re-publish the lib if you change any of that code.

dan
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  • For the non FOSS Experts among us.. Can you elaborate on what you mean by 'providing the apps object code'? As in do I have to host the code online? If so will a github public repo suffice? Or do I have to offer that code wherever I advertise the closed source product? Further.. Assuming what you are saying is correct.. What is the answer to the original question? Ie how can one link glib to an Xcode project for the iphone? – abbood Jan 01 '13 at 16:23
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I would recommend porting away from because glib is GPL licensed, which means that you will have to open source all your application code. Or maybe that is not an issue?

Stefan Arentz
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    No, Glib is LGPL, which has no implications for the licensing of your application. The only requirement is that it not be statically compiled into your application, and that any changes you make to Glib are released. – Pete Feb 09 '10 at 00:09
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    So static linking is your only option on the iPhone. The iPhone does not support dynamic linking for third party applications. This is why the LGPL is also not usable for closed source iPHone projects. – Stefan Arentz Feb 09 '10 at 02:16
  • Thanks, that's what I feared. I'm going to try and port what I need. – Paul Feb 09 '10 at 17:00
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    Any functionality in Glib is probably in the standard iPhone Obj-C libraries anyway: linked lists, timers, threads and such like. – ptomato Feb 10 '10 at 07:41
  • Legality aside folks (see Dan's answer below) what is the way to link a glib to an iphone project (statically or dynamically)? – abbood Jan 01 '13 at 16:25