How do I use Swift Package Manager with an existing macOS project?

Question

I've been using Cocoapods to manage dependencies for my Swift project. I came across this package which is not listed at Cocoapods. Instead it suggests using Swift Package Manager. However, whenever I try to use Swift Package Manager to do basically anything, it ends up completely destroying my entire project.

So, in order to figure out how to actually use Swift Package Manager, I'm playing with it in a test project.

Here's what I've tried:

Create a new project from Xcode

File -> New -> Project -> Cocoa App

Product Name: basic-ssh-test

This creates a basic application which loads a blank window when I hit "Run". Just for fun I added print("test") to the applicationDidFinishLaunching function in my AppDelegate so the debug window says "test" when I run the program.

Now I want to add the Shout package as a dependency.

swift package init --type executable

This creates the following files:

Creating executable package: basic-ssh-test
Creating Package.swift
Creating README.md
Creating .gitignore
Creating Sources/
Creating Sources/basic-ssh-test/main.swift
Creating Tests/

Now I'm going to add the "Shout" dependency to my new Package.swift file:

// swift-tools-version:4.0
import PackageDescription

let package = Package(
    name: "basic-ssh-test",
    dependencies: [
        .package(url: "https://github.com/jakeheis/Shout", from: "0.2.0")
    ],
    targets: [
        .target(
            name: "basic-ssh-test",
            dependencies: ["Shout"]),
    ]
)

And I'll pull in the dependencies:

swift package resolve

This results in the dependencies being pulled into the .build directory:

Fetching https://github.com/jakeheis/Shout
Fetching https://github.com/jakeheis/CSSH
Fetching https://github.com/IBM-Swift/BlueSocket
Cloning https://github.com/IBM-Swift/BlueSocket
Resolving https://github.com/IBM-Swift/BlueSocket at 0.12.91
Cloning https://github.com/jakeheis/CSSH
Resolving https://github.com/jakeheis/CSSH at 1.0.3
Cloning https://github.com/jakeheis/Shout
Resolving https://github.com/jakeheis/Shout at 0.3.0

Now I regenerate the xcodeproj file:

swift package generate-xcodeproj

Now when I open the xcodeproj file there is a new group called Sources that has a single directory basic-ssh-test with a single swift file in it main.swift with print("Hello, world!").

The code that I'm actually interested in running is now in a blue folder called basic-ssh-test. All of the necessary files are still in there, but instead of running my application, Xcode is running the main.swift file. I can tell because the debug output is "Hello, world!" instead of "test".

I've read a couple of tutorials that claim that Swift Package Manager will move my source files and continue to build the same as before, but that's clearly not the case.

There's also no longer a "Main Interface" option in my Build Settings, so I can't select "MainMenu.xib" as my application starting point.

This is essentially the same thing that happens when I try to use Swift Project Manager with my existing project. It pulls in the dependencies, but it basically ignores my entire existing project and just runs the "hello world" code.

How do I use Swift Package Manager to add a dependency to an existing project without ignoring the existing codebase?

Thanks @MatthewLuiHK. I created a new build target, but it has the same options as the existing build target, i.e. no "Main Interface" option in Build Settings. How do I set the main interface? — Ben Harold
– Ben Harold, Commented Mar 19, 2018 at 20:53

allenh · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-13 00:52:41Z

7

+25

I think SPM is only compatible with Mac command line executables or libraries. This explicitly states SPM doesn't support iOS, watchOS, or tvOS platforms at all. But, since macOS AppKit/Cocoa application targets are very similar to iOS or tvOS Xcode targets, I would say this statement implies that SPM can't be used with macOS Cocoa applications out of the box either, which is what I think you're hoping for.

It looks like there is some work here on how to use it with iOS application targets which should largely translate to a macOS Cocoa target.

answered Mar 13, 2018 at 0:52

allenh

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2 Comments

Ssswift Over a year ago

That link also says that UIKit and AppKit "should work if they are present in the proper system location". I'm not sure how they expect UIKit to work if iOS doesn't. It sounds more like "You have to figure it out yourself", and not "It will not work at all".

allenh Over a year ago

@Ssswift I think there they’re referring to importing UIKit to compile against it as a dependency.

shafrianadhi · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-28 04:42:17Z

5

+250

Until the time of this writing answer, Swift Package Manager do not support the iOS, tvOS, and watchOS. Instead, you will have to add the files from the package directly to your project.

I would suggest you creating a Dependencies group in your project and a group below that with the package name, like this answer:

So, first you will add the files dependency that you want to import into your project to the name of the package name that included in Dependencies group that we make before.

After you add the files then you can access the code as you usually would when you write it yourself like the image below. No need imports. You can see more details in here. hope it helps.

edited Mar 28, 2018 at 4:42

answered Mar 28, 2018 at 4:25

shafrianadhi

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rougeExciter · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-20 07:01:51Z

You can create a windowed application using SPM (I have a whole project sitting waiting for ABI that does this) you just need some boiler plate in swift.main. I’ll dig it out.

However the method others are suggesting is never going to work (with current versions of SPM).

However, what I am seeing is that you really want to use SPM to manage dependencies (keeping up to date etc). So I think you could do that much more easily.

Rather than creating a executable as your default target, instead create a library (perhaps call it basic-ssh-dependencies). Generate your Xcode project and drag THAT into your primary Xcode project and configure your target to to depend on it. When you update the library from SPM for changes in dependencies you should re-gen your Xcode-proj.

Let me know your mileage and any wrinkles, or if I’ve misunderstood what you are trying to achieve.

BigHeadCreations · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-26 19:19:33Z

2

Update for XCode 11

This is A LOT easier now with XCode 11. As of this writing the current version of XCode is 11.3.1.

For an existing XCode project simply:

go to File->Swift Packages->Add Package Dependency...
enter the URL of the hosted package you want to add
choose the rules about which versions your app will use
click Finish

answered Jan 26, 2020 at 19:19

BigHeadCreations

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