Cocoapods: "Unable to find host target(s)" with static library target

[mirkoluchi]

What did you do?

Run pod install to install dependencies on a project StaticLib containing a single Cocoa Touch Static Library target.

What did you expect to happen?

Install all pod dependencies correctly.
Note that if I had a project containing a single Cocoa Touch Dynamic Framework target, pod install would just log a warning about missing host target instead of failing.
I think that the same should happen for static library targets.

What happened instead?

Installation fails with the following error message:

[!] Unable to find host target(s) for StaticLib. Please add the host targets for the embedded targets to the Podfile.
Certain kinds of targets require a host target. A host target is a "parent" target which embeds a "child" target. These are example types of targets that need a host target:
- Framework
- App Extension
- Watch OS 1 Extension
- Messages Extension (except when used with a Messages Application)

CocoaPods Environment

Stack

   CocoaPods : 1.2.1
        Ruby : ruby 2.0.0p648 (2015-12-16 revision 53162) [universal.x86_64-darwin16]
    RubyGems : 2.0.14.1
        Host : Mac OS X 10.12.4 (16E195)
       Xcode : 8.3.1 (8E1000a)
         Git : git version 2.11.0 (Apple Git-81)
Ruby lib dir : /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib
               master - https://github.com/CocoaPods/Specs.git @ a91d4fe9993eea485f42845382746218dcaf38a9

Installation Source

Executable Path: /usr/local/bin/pod

Plugins

cocoapods-art          : 1.0.0
cocoapods-deintegrate  : 1.0.1
cocoapods-dependencies : 1.0.0
cocoapods-plugins      : 1.0.0
cocoapods-search       : 1.0.0
cocoapods-stats        : 1.0.0
cocoapods-trunk        : 1.2.0
cocoapods-try          : 1.1.0
slather                : 2.3.0

Podfile

platform :ios, 10

target 'StaticLib'
pod 'AFNetworking'
project 'StaticLib/StaticLib.xcodeproj'

Project that demonstrates the issue

See project at https://bitbucket.org/mirkoluchi/cocoapods-issues (folder issue-6673)

[nharlow89]

Having this same issue using CocoaPods v1.2.1. Temporary fix for me was downgrading to v1.0.1.

[benasher44]

Erg. Yep I think I forgot one piece of the static lib puzzle when I was working on support for this. Will fix. I was recently on vacation, so I'm still catching up on issues and things while I was out. I'll try to get a fix up shortly (next week or so). Thanks for the report!

[markst]

Posting this here since I'd rather not create another issue & I believe this is related.
I'm currently getting this issue & had a rough time trying to figure.

Working with this example project:
https://github.com/benasher44/CocoaPodsLibExample

To reproduce, remove the subproject "SampleStaticLib.xcodeproj" from the "SampleApp" project whilst maintaining it added within the workspace:

Then run pod install. The output will be as follows:

[!] Unable to find host target(s) for SampleStaticLib. Please add the host targets for the embedded targets to the Podfile.
Certain kinds of targets require a host target. A host target is a "parent" target which embeds a "child" target. These are example types of targets that need a host target:
- Framework
- App Extension
- Watch OS 1 Extension
- Messages Extension (except when used with a Messages Application)

Which does not provide an adequate explanation as to what's wrong.

---

I might add that prior to 1.2.1 I was able to install pods against both targets fine without having to add the project as subproject within "SampleApp" and to Target Dependencies.

[xingheng]

Encountered the same issue here, it seems that it happens in version 1.2.x only, I've used the following command to resolve it temporarily.

pod _1.1.1_ install

It didn't happen for me in version 1.1.1.

[idokleinman]

Same here, static lib target/project in a workspace that also contains a framework target (uses same source files but not cocoapods). Downgrading to 1.2.0 fixed the issue so bug is in 1.2.1 not 1.2.x as mentioned earlier.

[benasher44]

Fix is up. I'd appreciate if someone could verify the fix here: #6721. Thanks!

[benasher44]

The fix is now on CocoaPods master and should be available in the next release. I'd appreciate though if someone could try using CocoaPods master and give a 👍 :)

[wvpelt]

What's is the solution to make it work with CocoaPods 1.2.1. I have another Pod dependency to React that requires 1.2.0 at least.

[mirkoluchi]

I tested the fix but, unless I didn't correctly install the gem from the master branch, the fix is not working.

I did this:

• cloned https://github.com/CocoaPods/CocoaPods
• changed lib/cocoapods/gem_version.rb so that version is 1.2.2
  VERSION = '1.2.2'.freeze unless defined? Pod::VERSION
• changed cocoapods.gemspec hardcoding dependency from cocoapods-core 1.2.1
  s.add_runtime_dependency 'cocoapods-core', "= 1.2.1"
• built the gemspec
  gem build cocoapods.gemspec
• installed the built gemspec
  sudo gem install cocoapods-1.2.2.gem

Launching pod install on the sample project at https://bitbucket.org/mirkoluchi/cocoapods-issues (folder issue-6673) gives the the same error for which this issue was opened:

[!] Unable to find host target(s) for StaticLib. Please add the host targets for the embedded targets to the Podfile.
Certain kinds of targets require a host target. A host target is a "parent" target which embeds a "child" target. These are example types of targets that need a host target:
- Framework
- App Extension
- Watch OS 1 Extension
- Messages Extension (except when used with a Messages Application)

Here my environment:

### Stack

CocoaPods : 1.2.2
Ruby : ruby 2.0.0p648 (2015-12-16 revision 53162) [universal.x86_64-darwin16]
RubyGems : 2.0.14.1
Host : Mac OS X 10.12.5 (16F73)
Xcode : 8.3.2 (8E2002)
Git : git version 2.11.0 (Apple Git-81)
Ruby lib dir : /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib
Repositories :
master - https://github.com/CocoaPods/Specs.git @ c28100e5298731e0aa8bf93dd4f0d06bc428b454

### Installation Source

Executable Path: /usr/local/bin/pod

### Plugins

cocoapods-deintegrate : 1.0.1
cocoapods-plugins : 1.0.0
cocoapods-search : 1.0.0
cocoapods-stats : 1.0.0
cocoapods-trunk : 1.2.0
cocoapods-try : 1.1.0
slather : 2.3.0

### Podfile

```ruby
platform :ios, 10

target 'StaticLib'
pod 'AFNetworking'
project 'StaticLib/StaticLib.xcodeproj'

```

[markst]

Can confirm 1.3.0.beta.1 has fixed this for me.

[iHTCboy]

sudo gem install -n /usr/local/bin cocoapods --pre

update cocoapods version over 1.2.1! has fixed this problem.