dylib @executable_path path issue in a plug-in bundle
dylib, install-name-tool, plugins, xcode
Solution
From the web and other SO questions: use `@loader_path/..` instead of `@executable_path/..`. See:
- http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/Darwin/Reference/ManPages/man1/dyld.1.html
- http://lapcatsoftware.com/blog/2007/08/11/embedding-frameworks-in-loadable-bundles/
- How to distribute a Mac OS X with dependent libraries?
- Installing IB plugin
Problem
I am developing a plug-in bundle, say `MyPlugIn.bundle` for an application, say `BigApp.app`. This bundle requires a dylib, say `MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/Resources/library.dylib`. I have relocated paths for library.dylib, as I would have done for a simple application bundle: ``` $ otool -L MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/MacOS/MyPlugIn MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/MacOS/MyPlugIn: @executable_path/../Resources/library.dylib (compatibility version 0.0.0, current version 0.0.0) [...] $ otool -L MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/Resources/library.dylib MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/Resources/library.dylib: @executable_path/../Resources/library.dylib (compatibility version 0.0.0, current version 0.0.0) [...] ``` But BigApp.app fails to load this bundle, and Mac OS X's Console.app logs what follows: ``` 19/01/10 15:42:59 BigApp[51516] Error loading /Library/Application Support/BigApp/Plug-Ins/MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/MacOS/MyPlugIn: dlopen(/Library/Application Support/BigApp/Plug-Ins/MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/MacOS/MyPlugIn, 262): Library not loaded: @executable_path/../Resources/library.dylib Referenced from: /Library/Application Support/BigApp/Plug-Ins/MyPlugIn.bundle/Contents/MacOS/MyPlugIn Reason: image not found ``` It seems that @executable_path is not replaced by the MyPlugIn.bundle executable path but by the BigApp.app executable path. Any workaround to that, without absolute path and so that it will work on Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)? Thanks.