What are the methods of developing for iOS with C++? I am familiar with using Objective-C++ within Xcode, by selecting Obj-C as my language when creating a new project, but what else is there. I know there are tools like Xamarin that allow for iOS development in C#, however i'm curious as to what officially supported ways of developing for iOS in C++ there are? Can an iOS app be written completely in C++ with no Objective-C and compile?
I have an app that pretty freely intermingles Objective-C (.mm files), Objective-C++ (.m files), and C++ (.cpp) as needed. The C++ code is legacy functionality that implements the heavy lifting of our app and has worked across a number of platforms for 20+ years. No need to re-implement that.
To write a C++ object in XCode, just do it. Create .cpp and .h files like you would anywhere else.
When you need to interact with a C++ object from Objective-C, you can either go into the properties of the .m file in XCode and change it to use the Objective-C++ compiler, or (better yet) just name it .mm instead of .m. Then you can include your C++ header files with standard #include statements, create C++ objects with new, delete them with delete, and access members with dot notation and pointer notation just like you would from C++.
Objective-C is a lot easier to use when dealing with the UI and system calls. It isn't hard to learn. There are probably ways to access all of those objects and methods from C++, but the gymnastics you would have to do each time might make it easier to simply learn enough Objective-C (or Swift) to do those parts in the language Apple intended. (Keep in mind that to figure out how to do everything in C++ while looking at sample code and documentation that assumes Objective-C or Swift, you're going to have to master those languages anyway.)
Yes, you can even go to extreme lengths to avoiding Objective-C, you won't be able to do so completely since UIKit depends on it, but nearly every other framework has a C API. Take a look at this question and the answer to it How to write iOS app purely in C
C is not C++, but the answer will give you a hint on what you can do. It will involve including the objc runtime, and using objc_msgsend.
Related
We have an android application having the critical code written in C++ in JNI library.
We are about to implement iOS version of the same application. The plan is to implement in Objective-c as it's straight forward to integrate C code with it. However, as Swift is picking up, we would like to have suggestion on Swift vs Objective-C keeping in mind that we have to use the existing C++ libraries and any Swift bottlenecks.
The way to reuse C++ code is to write an Objective-C wrapper class, with the header file containing nothing that is C++, but the implementation file written in Objective-C++ (.mm suffix).
An Objective-C class can be used from Swift and from Objective-C, so for a Swift project, it doesn't matter if you have a few Objective-C classes.
There is no way currently to call C++ from Swift directly, and I wouldn't expect it for a while. And if you look at how you call C from Swift, you'll probably decide that you are quite happy with the situation.
Thanks for responding. After careful consideration, we decided to go with Objective-C and even released the application.
One of the key reason was that most developers in our company are proficient in C/C++ and Objective-c was easy to get comfortable with than the Swift.
Integration with existing C/C++ code was easy without any bridging code once we defined the Makefile templates and used them within existing Makefiles. Only additional thing was to make scripts for fat libraries.
Hence based on our experience, I will recommend Objective-C over Swift.
There is no problem writing a Swift application and integrate in it a c++ source code.
Here are the steps:
1) Add the c++ source files to your Xcode project. If you are using a 3rd party libreries you will need to add it as framework to your project.
2) create a Header bridge file and add it to you project. This file will have the c++ functions signature you will like to use from the swift modules. as explained in https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/Swift/Conceptual/BuildingCocoaApps/MixandMatch.html
3) When you call the c++ functions mention in the Header Bridge file you need to create a special pointers object, as described in -
https://gist.github.com/neilpa/b430d148d1c5f4ae5ddd
Hope this will help.
I have no Objective-C experience whatsoever but have a strong C++ background. Is there an automated tool/script or, worst case, some manual method using some excellent reference to port code written in Objective-C to C++? What are the difficulties involved?
Edit:
I'm told the code uses Objective-C fairly trivially. It's an iPhone app that probably doesn't use much in the way of OS-level UI. The C++ version is meant for a non-Apple platform where GNUStep is not an option, so Objective-C++ is not an option.
I worked on same problem. And have some solutions:
Microsoft now offers its own Objective C "bridge", albeit only for UWP apps.
https://github.com/Microsoft/WinObjC
In 2007 I tried to support Objective-C in Visual Studio and wrote my own ObjC runtime, but I do not have more time for writing parser for it. If you have, you can :)
http://code.google.com/p/qobjc/
I wrote the basic functionality of Foundation Framework in C++. In this case, you need to port manually; your code will be on C++ but it will be like on Objective-C. This library worked on iPhone.
http://code.google.com/p/dcocoa/
There are no automated tools that I'm aware of. The dynamic nature of Objective-C is very hard to translate to C++, so quite a bit of brain effort is going to be required for all but trivial Objective-C code. Are you willing to stay on OS X (or keep the GNUStep dependency if you're one of the few people using Objective-C on an OS besides OS X)? If so, the easiest approach is to use Objective-C++ to build a bridge beteen the Objective-C and C++ code. Objective-C++ is an Apple extension to Objective-C and the GCC compiler that allows you to mix Objective-C and C++ code. You can thus create Objective-C objects that call or reference (but not inherit from) C++ objects and you can send Objective-C messages to Objective-C instances from within C++ code.
Objective-C was just a pre-processor (and a runtime library). You'll find more problems in porting all the libraries than the end-user code.
Nil-eating behavior is going to be fun when translating.
You are likely to start seeing bad design in all c++ code after using Objective-C frameworks for a while.
I would like to create a portable library for iPhone, that also could be used for other platforms.
My question is the fallowing:
Does anyone knows what is the best to be used on the iPhone: Objective-C or Objective-C++? Does it works with C++ the same way as Objective-C with C or not?
Reasons: Objective-C is a superset of C, but Objective-C++ is not a superset of C++.
Thanks in advance!
UPDATE: What about memory usage, speed in the same implementation of an use case?
UPDATE1: If anyone can provide any more information, he'll be welcome.
If you're writing a portable library, and don't need specific language features for it, why not write it in straight C? It can be easily called from C++, C, Objective-C, and many, many other languages.
If you require specific language features that aren't available in C, you should tell us what they are so you can get better advice =)
I believe your information is incorrect. Objective-C++ is a superset of C++. Any C++ is legal Objective-C++. In addition, you can mix Objective-C and C++ code in an Objective-C++ (usually .mm) file and (with some restrictions) mix Objective-C and C++ class instance variables within an Objective-C++ class. Objective-C++ is particularly useful for interfacing between Objective-C and a C++ library. Write your cross-platform library in C++. You can then call it from Objective-C++ within an application. Re-read the Objective-C++ section of the Objective-C language guide for more info.
The major downside to using Objective-C++ is increased compile times (Objective-C++ is even worse than C++ and the Clang LLVM compiler doesn't handle Objective-C++ yet). There is no performance difference between Objective-C and Objective-C++ beyond any differences in the code that's called (e.g. if you're a better C++ dev., your C++ will probably be more efficient than your C library and visa versa).
They're not really different languages. Objective-C++ is just Objective-C with slightly limited support for including C++ code. Objective-C is the standard dialect, but if you need to work with C++, there's no reason not to use it. AFAIK, the biggest practical difference (aside from allowing use of different libraries) is that Objective-C++ seems to compile a bit slower. Just be sure to read up on it first if you do decide to go that route, because the merging of C++ and Objective-C is not 100% seamless.
If you are going to use this library on platforms other than the iPhone and Mac OS, you should use C++. If you plan only to port it to Mac OS, then go ahead and use Objective-C. Objective-C++ is just a way to integrate existing C++ code into Objective-C projects. Thus, you would not write a library in it. You might, however, use Objective-C++ to use this library from an iPhone or Mac project.
The truth is you can use C or C++ in Xcode. The reason to use Objective C for Cocoa and Cocoa Touch (iphone) is because of it's ease of use and how it handles many of the memory issues you would come across on it's own. Objective C and Xcode work like a dream. I would also recommend checking out http://www.kevincallahan.org/software/accessorizer.html
Accessorizer is amazing and cuts development time into nothing.
Having said that I see no problem in writing functions/methods in C or C++ and using them within a part of your XCode project. Just do not expect to use Objective C to play as nicely on other platforms. Apple and Windows development IDE's are different and Microsoft has a nice habit for not making things as compatible with other environments (not just Apple.)
I am glad to hear someone out their trying to reuse their code for other projects : ) Too many people forget to create their own libraries these days and I haven't the slightest idea why.
I hope this helps. Cheers,
Matthew
Here is your caveat: Spend the hundred on becoming a developer and launch xcode the IDE you will be working with on the Mac - this would be the best way for you to decide as it is apparent that you do not fully understand how this platform works at all.
Please don't be rude to everyone trying to help you. This community is built on respect. The people here really actually do help out and care and there are few places like this on the net left.
Go for C or C++ - I do not see any reason for recommending one over the other without knowing more about your goals.
In terms of memory usage, C++ and C do demand more disciplined coding. In terms of speed, C and C++ will in virtually any case be faster than any ObjC/ObjC++ solution. I do frequently mix my Objective C applications with C and C++ code and was always pleased with the results. As Jonathan correctly stated, ObjectiveC++ is mostly a bridge for using C++ code/libraries within your Objective C application/s.
You can freely use C++ objects from within Objective C++. You can however NOT use Objective C/C++ objects within C++. So its a one-way-road. To overcome any limitations imposed by this restriction, simply wrap your C++ objects with Objective C++ classes where needed.
"Objective-C is a strict superset of C, and Objective-C++ is a strict superset of C++." - https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/CppRuntimeEnv/Articles/SymbolVisibility.html
I think I understand how Objective-C++ works in relation to Cocoa, and I am fairly versed in the basics of command-line C++ but sort of afraid to try mixing it with Objective-C. I can create a GUI with Interface Builder in Xcode, and even make classes (.h and .m files) for the interface automatically. The outlets, maybe actions (I still get those confused) leave the curly brackets open to put your own code in. So could I just put C++ code in those brackets to to take input from those buttons (and see the output, etc.)?
I guess if this is the case, one wouldn't have to learn any Obj-C, as long as they knew where to put the C++ code! Am I wrong?
Also, could anyone help me figure that out or at least point me somewhere I can learn more about this? This topic is fairly scarce on the web and I don't understand Apple's documentation.
My suggestion would be to have Objective-C files in your project (the .m file), then keep your Objective-C++ in separate files (as diciu mentions, .mm files).
One strategy would be use to these Objective-C++ classes simply as wrappers over C++ classes: write your code in C++, in .cpp files like normal. Then, when you need to access some functionality from your C++ from an Objective-C file, write a wrapper Objective-C++ class and call that from your Objective-C.
This last bit feels like a lot of work for small projects, and it is, but if you have a lot of C++ that you need to use, and a comparatively little bit of Objective-C to write, this works pretty well. (Imagine a situation where you are writing a Cocoa interface for a well-factored Windows or Linux program: where all the application logic was written in a platform agnostic manner, and you "just" have to write the UI in Cocoa to get it running on the Mac.
But, another reason for doing this wrapper approach is that Objective-C++ is a hybrid language, so has limitations as to what it's capable of, in both directions.
The thing you need to understand about objective-c++ is that the name is a lie. or at least implies a lot more than you might think.
Objective-c++ does not mean you can write hybrid objective-c++ "objects". It means that you can use c++, and objective c, in the same file. they can reference each other directly - the cannot inherit or derive from each other.
Rename .m files to .mm and you will be able to write (Objective-)C++ code in them.
I want to use some C++ STL collections in my Objective-C iPhone app. Apparently this is possible by giving files the extension ".mm" . What are some of the quirks/surprises associated with this?
I want to use the basic containers that I'm familiar with (vector, queue, set, ...)
Cheers!
See Using C++ With Objective-C for a detailed list of what you can and can't do. You can do most things that you would expect. You just can't do things like have a C++ class inherit from an Objective-C class or vice-versa, you can't mix C++ exceptions with Objective-C exceptions, and C++ introduces several new keywords not present in Objective-C.
The major quirk of Objective-C++ is that if you don't pass -fobjc-call-cxx-cdtors to g++, it won't call the constructor and destructor of C++ instance variables in of ObjC objects. So remember to turn that option on and you should be good.
The files will be compiled with the Objective-C++ compiler, so things will behave more like g++ than gcc, but since that's what you want it probably doesn't count as a surprise. From the Objective-C side, I'm not aware of any gotchas, and I've worked on several large projects that made significant used of Objective-C++. Just keep in mind that Objective-C reserved words are reserved in Objective-C++ as well, so you can occasionally run into issues with third-party C++ libraries (e.g., if they use "id" as a parameter in a public interface).
You'd be surprised how well it works. I haven't really gotten into any problems intermixing Obj-C and C++ in a .mm file.