how do I reference a separate project in xcode 4?

Question

How do I reference another project which has code I wish to leverage in XCode 4. In particular I'm trying to make use of the NSDate extensions from here.

Some notes:

• I was assuming I should probably reference rather than trying build a framework
• I tried copying the existing "Hello World" xcode project file across into my project, however this didn't seem to work
• Do I need to create a new "Target" based on "coco touch static library" option?
• Then would I need to Edit the current Product Scheme so that when I build the new target would build
• What do I need to do on my project side exactly - should going Add Files, and choosing the extensions Xcode Project File be enough?

thanks

Answer 1

I was assuming I should probably reference rather than trying build a framework

yes, reference and link with it, unless you need only a bit of it. at this stage, separating the bits you want may be an advanced topic (depends on the lib's layout/depends as well). you should prefer to reference and link because it will normally minimize your maintenance time, especially if you use it in multiple projects.

I tried copying the existing "Hello World" xcode project file across into my project, however this didn't seem to work

you don't create a project, you add the library's xcode project to your app or library, set the lib as a dependency, add the library to your search paths if needed, then link with the library.

Do I need to create a new "Target" based on "coco touch static library" option?

no

Then would I need to Edit the current Product Scheme so that when I build the new target would build

no. you configure it as a dependency. you may need to alter the lib's build settings if there is a major conflict, which the linker or compiler would point out.

What do I need to do on my project side exactly - should going Add Files, and choosing the extensions Xcode Project File be enough?

start with the process outlined above.

Answer 2

There is no reason to bring in an actually project. Either you can bring in the source files themselves and you could even use the same exact files instead of copying them if you want. However, if you have more than just a few files, and you don't think you will be changing the code much, then creating a static library would probably be the best option.