OSX: changing path of .framework
macos, xcode
Solution
You're on the right track.
It happens because on OS X an `"install_name"` is recorded in the library when it's created. That install_name is then copied to any application which links with it.
The "best" way to solve the problem is to modify the source of the framework so that the -`install_name` linkder flag is set when the framework is built.
However, that's often not possible, either because you don't have the source, or the framework has a huge mess of autoconf stuff that makes it near impossible. In that case, use install_name_tool with the -id flag to change the recorded `install_name` in the library.
So, with all that said, what do you change it to?
@executable_path/../Frameworks/Foo.framework/Foo (or whatever the name is)
So, from the directory containing Foo.framework:
install_name_tool -id @executable_path/../Frameworks/Foo.framework/Foo Foo.framework/Foo
At runtime, the loader will resolve @executable_path to the path to the application's executable. Obviously you also need to setup a Copy Files build phase to copy the framework into the Framework folder of the application bundle.
You can also use `install_name_tool` with the -change flag to change the install_name of a library after it's already been linked into the application, but that's obviously suboptimal. Fix it before linking.
Problem
My Mac OS application links with a non-system-provided framework Foo.framework. I added a reference to the framework in XCode and the app builds fine. I also have a rule which copies the framework into the output Frameworks folder (MyApp.app/Contents/Frameworks). However, at runtime the binary is looking for the framework in ~/Library/Frameworks and the app fails to load. otool -l MyApp.app also tells me that it's looking for the framework in /Users//Library/Frameworks. Can someone explain why this happens, and what the right way to make the app look in the application bundle's Frameworks folder is? My hacky workaround is to include a custom script to change the path in the mach-o binary using install_name_tool, but I'm sure there is a clean way of doing this.