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I'm working to create an iOS static library that I wish to sell. I've walked through the steps for the initial builds and have generated the .a/.h output.

When I include these files in a separate project, I don't see any way to browse the contents on the .a file.

HOWEVER, when a line of code in my library crashes the app (like I said, it's still in development), the debugger shows the entire class (.m) file to me. What's up with this?

I don't really understand what all goes into static libraries, and I'm not sure I compiled that version for both simulator and device. Could that have something to do with it? If so, could someone explain why?

Thanks!!!

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  • Delete the dSYM directory associated with your library, crash your app, no sourceikins. I.e. the dSYM -- the symbol table -- provides a map between the library and the source. Commented Jul 13, 2011 at 5:14
  • The debugger is showing you the file in your Xcode project. The source code is not stored in the .a file. (To do so would cause massive "code bloat" and thus is obviously undesirable even disregarding the security issue.) Commented Feb 22, 2014 at 12:57

3 Answers 3

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Don't worry, your source code is not included in the archive (.a) file.

Xcode is smart enough to find the source code file on your computer, based on the debugging information embedded in the file. If you build the library using the "Release" configuration (or otherwise modify the build settings so that debugging symbols are stripped) and don't have the source anywhere on the machine, a developer will have to resort to their knowledge of x86 or ARM assembly to figure out how your code works.

By the way:

  • Since a lot of Objective-C is handled at runtime, a lot of class names and selector names will be visible in your library. That's just how it works. You could try to obfuscate it, but I think your time is better spent writing more useful code to sell.

  • If you want to give people a static library for iOS development, you'll want to build versions for the iOS Simulator (x86) and the iOS Device (arm) and then use lipo to combine them into a single fat static library. Search around for "lipo xcode fat static library" for different ways to do this. Some solutions are more convoluted than others.

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3 Comments

objective c makes that easy since it loads caller information directly into the registers :)
OK, so you're saying that XCode is actually scouring my computer for the source code JUST TO FREAK ME OUT??!?!@!? I've looked around and seen the "build a fat library", but I'm still pretty early on in the process and mainly still testing my library. Basically, 1. Build in release mode (for simulator and device), 2. Import library into a separate project, 3. Make sure source isn't on machine, and 4. I won't be able to browse the class if a failure occurs? Cool! Thanks!
If it errors out you get an error but not in a specific place, most likely it will give you the address of the error and maybe the data that caused the error (invalid address or something)
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I had the same issue. @benzado is right about what he has mentioned. But I had to strip debugging symbols to solve the issue. To do so, I had to change Build Settings of project library before build as mentioned below.

Select your Target and go to Build Settings. Set

  1. ' Strip Debug Symbols During Copy ' to YES
  2. ' Debug Information Format ' to 'DWARF with dSYM File'
  3. ' Generate Debug Symbols ' to 'NO'
  4. ' Symbols Hidden by Default ' to 'YES'

To see what are these for, refer Apple Build Setting Reference

And build the library using the "Release" configuration. This worked for me.

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Worked like a charm!
In case of a static library, also set DEPLOYMENT_POSTPROCESSING=YES since stripping is only performed on static libraries if post-processing is enabled.
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If you have a project for static library with all .m files on your computer then every copy of this library (.a file) will be symbolicated with its .m file while debugging in xCode.

xCode doesn't search for appropriate .m file through all your disk. It knows the place of original project. So if you distribute only library it fully hides your initial code.

To make sure you can copy your library in some new project then clear .m file in library project. From this moment any attempt to debug methods of library will give empty file on screen.

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