[Stk] iOS static library

[Richard Dobson]

On 12/03/2014 03:49, Ariel Elkin wrote:
...
> At any rate, I do think it makes more sense to have the STK
> dynamically resolve the raw wave path, rather than require the user
> to manually call setRawwavePath(). It’s a static library’s
> responsibility to know where its resources are.
> ...

I disagree with this - I think it is the app's responsibility - partly 
because it already has that responsibility for so many other resources.
As the developer, I would also want to have explicit control of the 
process in my app code.

Have you seen this blog page about packaging resources in a bundle:

http://www.galloway.me.uk/tutorials/ios-library-with-resources


There are two aspects I get from this. Firstly, using code to load 
resources at runtime is something iOS programmers are already doing 
almost as a matter of routine (see the example towards the bottom of the 
page), so requiring the developer to add another line to obtain the 
rawwaves path is hardly taxing or burdensome.  If such a thing is too 
difficult, using the STK may be even more difficult!

Secondly, I noticed this comment, which reflects a concern I have:

"Can I distribute my app, this way? Because when validating the archive 
I get the message that my app does not contain a single-bundle 
application (I guess because of the static library bundle?)"

A custom resource bundle is a perfectly elegant idea in principle. 
However, Apple has rather strict rules about what constitutes a valid 
iOS app (e.g. no custom dynamic libraries), and adding a resource bundle 
(even though it only contains soundfiles) sounds like it could be a 
problem. I don't know for sure, as I have yet to get as far as 
submitting an app. But I think you need to be ready for the possibility 
that this may not be accepted.

I am also not aware of a C or C++ API which can be used in a .cpp file 
to find the apps bundle directory, so (as I suggested before) it may not 
actually be possible to add something to Stk.cpp which would do the job. 
I am still puzzled as to why you think adding a handful of lines to the 
~AppDelegate.mm etc is something to avoid. It would apart from anything 
else be an important and early component of a curriculum for teaching 
app design in schools, which is already happening here and there, as 
part of the general programme for teaching CS. This is something we in 
CDP are actively working on.

So I remain of the opinion that the most straightforward way to manage 
things is to build the STk static library, copy it to your app project, 
likewise copy the rawwaves folder to your app bundle (root, or inside 
"resources", whatever), add the code to find the app path, and init Stk 
accordingly. No modification to STk source files or headers needed, and 
no danger of an added bundle breaking Apple's rules.

Richard Dobson

** see e.g. http://people.bath.ac.uk/masrwd/smcs/smcslinks.html