How to add .a libraries on flutter plugin via podspec - flutter

Question

I am trying to include .a files on the iOS side of the plugin. Below is my file structure.
Now when I try to add .a files via vendored_libraries on podspec, pod install is successfully completed. And when I compile the code, I get Library Not Found -lAccuraFace
I tried to add the .a file on the Link Binary With Libraries section on the build phase on the Pod target. It's still the same, how can I define the podspec in such a way that the .a file is included and linked automatically.
Here is my podspec file for the plugin
Pod::Spec.new do |s|
s.name = 'accuraemirates'
s.version = '0.0.1'
s.summary = 'A new Flutter plugin.'
s.description = <<-DESC
A new Flutter plugin.
DESC
s.homepage = 'http://example.com'
s.license = { :file => '../LICENSE' }
s.author = { 'Your Company' => 'email#example.com' }
s.source = { :path => '.' }
s.source_files = 'Classes/**/*'
s.dependency 'Flutter'
s.public_header_files = 'Classes/*{.h}'
s.private_header_files = 'Classes/CodeScan/**/*{.h,.cpp,.a}'
s.platform = :ios, '8.0'
s.preserve_paths = 'opencv2.framework'
s.xcconfig = {
'OTHER_LDFLAGS' => '-framework opencv2 -lAccuraFace',
}
s.ios.vendored_frameworks = 'opencv2.framework', "CoreVideo.framework", "Foundation.framework", "CoreGrpahics.framework",
"Accelerate.framework", "CoreMedia.framework", "CoreImage.framework", "QuartzCore.framework", "AudioToolbox.framework", "CoreData.framework", "SystemConfiguration.framework"
s.ios.vendored_libraries = 'Classes/Framework/*{.a}', "libz.1.dylib", "c++", "stdc++"
# Flutter.framework does not contain a i386 slice. Only x86_64 simulators are supported.
s.pod_target_xcconfig = { 'DEFINES_MODULE' => 'YES', 'VALID_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]' => 'x86_64' }
s.swift_version = '5.0'
end
Here is the root podfile
ENV['COCOAPODS_DISABLE_STATS'] = 'true'
project 'Runner', {
'Debug' => :debug,
'Profile' => :release,
'Release' => :release,
}
def parse_KV_file(file, separator='=')
file_abs_path = File.expand_path(file)
if !File.exists? file_abs_path
return [];
end
generated_key_values = {}
skip_line_start_symbols = ["#", "/"]
File.foreach(file_abs_path) do |line|
next if skip_line_start_symbols.any? { |symbol| line =~ /^\s*#{symbol}/ }
plugin = line.split(pattern=separator)
if plugin.length == 2
podname = plugin[0].strip()
path = plugin[1].strip()
podpath = File.expand_path("#{path}", file_abs_path)
generated_key_values[podname] = podpath
else
puts "Invalid plugin specification: #{line}"
end
end
generated_key_values
end
target 'Runner' do
use_frameworks!
use_modular_headers!
# Flutter Pod
copied_flutter_dir = File.join(__dir__, 'Flutter')
copied_framework_path = File.join(copied_flutter_dir, 'Flutter.framework')
copied_podspec_path = File.join(copied_flutter_dir, 'Flutter.podspec')
unless File.exist?(copied_framework_path) && File.exist?(copied_podspec_path)
# Copy Flutter.framework and Flutter.podspec to Flutter/ to have something to link against if the xcode backend script has not run yet.
# That script will copy the correct debug/profile/release version of the framework based on the currently selected Xcode configuration.
# CocoaPods will not embed the framework on pod install (before any build phases can generate) if the dylib does not exist.
generated_xcode_build_settings_path = File.join(copied_flutter_dir, 'Generated.xcconfig')
unless File.exist?(generated_xcode_build_settings_path)
raise "Generated.xcconfig must exist. If you're running pod install manually, make sure flutter pub get is executed first"
end
generated_xcode_build_settings = parse_KV_file(generated_xcode_build_settings_path)
cached_framework_dir = generated_xcode_build_settings['FLUTTER_FRAMEWORK_DIR'];
unless File.exist?(copied_framework_path)
FileUtils.cp_r(File.join(cached_framework_dir, 'Flutter.framework'), copied_flutter_dir)
end
unless File.exist?(copied_podspec_path)
FileUtils.cp(File.join(cached_framework_dir, 'Flutter.podspec'), copied_flutter_dir)
end
end
# Keep pod path relative so it can be checked into Podfile.lock.
pod 'Flutter', :path => 'Flutter'
# Plugin Pods
# Prepare symlinks folder. We use symlinks to avoid having Podfile.lock
# referring to absolute paths on developers' machines.
system('rm -rf .symlinks')
system('mkdir -p .symlinks/plugins')
plugin_pods = parse_KV_file('../.flutter-plugins')
plugin_pods.each do |name, path|
symlink = File.join('.symlinks', 'plugins', name)
File.symlink(path, symlink)
pod name, :path => File.join(symlink, 'ios')
end
end
post_install do |installer|
installer.pods_project.targets.each do |target|
target.build_configurations.each do |config|
config.build_settings['ENABLE_BITCODE'] = 'NO'
end
end
end
Is it not possible to add/link .a libraries from podspec file on a flutter plugin.

Answer 1

Finally found the issue..
Pod::Spec.new do |s|
# other obvious values
s.source_files = 'Classes//*{.h,.a,.swift,.mm,.m,.hpp}'
s.resources = 'Resources//'
s.static_framework = true
s.public_header_files = "Classes/VideoCamera/VideoCameraWrapperDelegate.h", "Classes/VideoCamera/VideoCameraWrapper.h",'Classes/.h',
s.private_header_files = 'Classes/CodeScan//{.h,.cpp,.hpp}'
s.platform = :ios, '8.0'
s.preserve_paths = 'opencv2.framework', 'Classes/Framework/.a'
s.xcconfig = {
# here on LDFLAG, I had to set -l and then the library name (without lib prefix although the file name has it).
'OTHER_LDFLAGS' => '-framework opencv2 -lc++ -lAccuraFace -lAccuraEmirate -lDocRecog -lz',
'USER_HEADER_SEARCH_PATHS' => '"${PROJECT_DIR}/.."/',
"LIBRARY_SEARCH_PATHS" => '"${PROJECT_DIR}/.."/*',
}
s.vendored_frameworks = 'opencv2.framework' # Various framworks you need
# Here the name of the library can include lib as the file name has it too.
s.vendored_libraries = 'AccuraFace','libAccuraEmirate','libDocRecog'
end
Notice two values here OTHER_LDFLAGS and vendored_libraries. Although I have same file, they need names with and without lib prefix. Weird but worked.

Answer 2

You definitely CAN add .a libraries, try to check the following configuration path
TARGETS->Build Settings->Search Paths-> Library Search Paths
Right there, add path where .a library was located.
Here is a valid path configuration demo:
==========================================================================
UPDATE
For flutter plugin
As for ship as flutter plugin ,file with .a suffix is actually static library, here is a snippet for how to do it in a .podspec file:
s.subspec 'Core' do |sc|
sc.ios.library = 'z'
sc.frameworks = 'SystemConfiguration', 'QuartzCore', 'CoreText', 'WebKit'
sc.source_files = 'AppboyKit/headers/AppboyKitLibrary/*.h', 'AppboyKit/ABKIdentifierForAdvertisingProvider.m', 'AppboyKit/ABKModalWebViewController.m', 'AppboyKit/ABKNoConnectionLocalization.m', 'AppboyKit/ABKLocationManagerProvider.m'
sc.resource = 'AppboyKit/Appboy.bundle'
sc.vendored_libraries = 'AppboyKit/libAppboyKitLibrary.a'
sc.weak_framework = 'CoreTelephony', 'Social', 'Accounts', 'AdSupport', 'UserNotifications'
end
Pay attention to line start with sc.vendored_libraries there.Here is the complete source.

Answer 3

ios framework into flutter_plugin
import your Famework or library in both path => Flutter_Plugin/example/ios and Flutter_Plugin/ios .
IN Flutter_plugin/ios/flutter_plugin.podspec file
s.preserve_paths = 'YOUR_FRAMEWORK.framework'
s.xcconfig = { 'OTHER_LDFLAGS' => '-framework YOUR_FRAMEWORK' }
s.ios.vendored_frameworks = 'YOUR_FRAMEWORK.framework'
s.ios.vendored_libraries = 'YOUR_FRAMEWORK'
make your framework embeded and signin in xcode(Flutter_Plugin/example/ios).
!sometimes in DerivedData/.../debug_iphone/flutter_plugin.framework - its not there so make that Flutter_plugin.framework move to that debug_iphone folder , it inside the flutter_plugin folder.