react-native run-ios doesn't start packager in debug mode if React is linked via Pods

[noahtallen]

Environment

  React Native Environment Info:
    System:
      OS: macOS 10.14.4
      CPU: (8) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4960HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz
      Memory: 3.11 GB / 16.00 GB
      Shell: 3.2.57 - /bin/bash
    Binaries:
      Node: 11.8.0 - /usr/local/bin/node
      Yarn: 1.13.0 - /usr/local/bin/yarn
      npm: 6.9.0 - /usr/local/bin/npm
      Watchman: 4.9.0 - /usr/local/bin/watchman
    SDKs:
      iOS SDK:
        Platforms: iOS 12.2, macOS 10.14, tvOS 12.2, watchOS 5.2
      Android SDK:
        API Levels: 23, 25, 26, 27, 28
        Build Tools: 27.0.3, 28.0.3
        System Images: android-27 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom, android-28 | Google APIs Intel x86 Atom, android-28 | Google Play Intel x86 Atom
    IDEs:
      Android Studio: 3.3 AI-182.5107.16.33.5314842
      Xcode: 10.2/10E125 - /usr/bin/xcodebuild
    npmPackages:
      react: 16.8.3 => 16.8.3 
      react-native: 0.59.4 => 0.59.4 

Description

At some point through my iOS "journey", I must have disabled launching the packager. I think this happened at the same time I started linking react native exclusively through Pods. As a result, I have no React libs imported into the xcode project manually. I got rid of all of that and did it all through Pods, which has been working much better for linking other libraries!

Anyways, when I did that, it stopped launching the packager, so now I have to do it manually. I suppose I'm wondering A) how do I turn that back on? and B) is it possible the CLI should check and launch the packager itself if it was not launched during the build process?

[thymikee]

cc @lucasbento as he's working on similar field in #310. Feel free to check it out and suggest improvements!

[lucasbento]

@noahtallen: thanks for opening this issue!

By doesn't always do you mean that it launches the packager sometimes and other times not?

Would you be able to provide a small repo with a code that I can reproduce locally?

[noahtallen]

I'll try to create a repo for that! No, I'm sorry for the poor phrasing. It never launches the packager for iOS ewhen running from xcode or from the cli. It does launch for Android. Noah

…

On Apr 15, 2019 at 2:44 AM, <Lucas Bento ***@***.***)> wrote: @noahtallen (https://github.com/noahtallen): thanks for opening this issue! By doesn't always do you mean that it launches the packager sometimes and other times not? Would you be able to provide a small repo with a code that I can reproduce locally? — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub (#317 (comment)), or mute the thread (https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AF-cd5W9DVZ2Mj8chq9vFc6h7SW3Jnzyks5vhB_HgaJpZM4cuzew).

[lucasbento]

@noahtallen: alright, I'll wait for the project then.

[noahtallen]

Howdy! Here's a repo reproducing the issue: test-react-native-packager. Please let me know if you have any questions. You should be able to see instructions in the readme. The rational behind removing the manually linked react is that I got so many build errors conflicting with other Pods and whatnot when I had it linked both ways! Having it this way has really reduced the amount of friction our team has when working with third party dependencies. If I'm not wrong, this is how it would be set up if one was adding react-native to an existing iOS project.

[lucasbento]

@noahtallen: cool, I'll check it out!

[lucasbento]

@noahtallen: FYI I see that you mentioned that you couldn't build it, I updated my local cocoapods to 1.6.1 and did this to get it to run: CocoaPods/CocoaPods#8091 (comment).

[lucasbento]

So, as per what I can see this is because the target React on Pods doesn't have a start packager build phase as it does when you use it without pods.

Without pods

With pods

I believe I can include the script to start the packager here by doing something like https://stackoverflow.com/a/20505234/4252781, I don't have much experience with this so I am not sure.

@thymikee / @grabbou would you be able to point someone that can check if this is the right thing to do or not?

[thymikee]

cc @alloy @orta our lovely CocoaPods experts! :)

[orta]

The file React.podspec will want that script adding via script_phases key 👍

[grabbou]

I was thinking we could do it as a part of new `autolinking` supporting build phases. We could then tell React Native to declare it just like any other dep.

…

On Wed, 17 Apr 2019 at 22:06, Orta ***@***.***> wrote: The file React.podspec will want that script adding via script_phases <https://guides.cocoapods.org/syntax/podspec.html#script_phases> key 👍 — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#317 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AASZZRXQN3HQXNTWBTPYBELPQ57LLANCNFSM4HF3G6YA> .

[orta]

That can work, you can see how the support works here: https://github.com/react-native-community/cli/blob/master/packages/platform-ios/native_modules.rb#L43-L62

I should get some docs on this out