Use different GoogleService-Info.plist for different build schemes

I am using a build scheme for prod and one for staging (with 2 different bundle identifiers) and I am trying to use a separate GoogleService-Info.plist for each scheme. Is there any way to manually select the plist file to use when initialising GCM (and goole login)? Or is its possible to avoid using the plist and do the setup manually?

Thanks!

Details

Tested on:

• Xcode 9.2
• Xcode 10.2 (10E125)
• Xcode 11.0 (11A420a)

Solution

1. Create folder with all your Google.plist files (with different names) in project

2. Add run script

> Do not forget to change PATH_TO_GOOGLE_PLISTS value

Code

PATH_TO_GOOGLE_PLISTS="${PROJECT_DIR}/SM2/Application/Firebase"

case "${CONFIGURATION}" in

   "Debug_Staging" | "AdHoc_Staging" )
        cp -r "$PATH_TO_GOOGLE_PLISTS/GoogleService-Info-dev.plist" "${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app/GoogleService-Info.plist" ;;

   "Debug_Poduction" | "AdHoc_Poduction" | "Distribution" | "Test_Poduction" )
        cp -r "$PATH_TO_GOOGLE_PLISTS/GoogleService-Info-prod.plist" "${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app/GoogleService-Info.plist" ;;

    *)
        ;;
esac

> Build schemes names

@inidona 's answer worked for me. After I converted it to Swift

for Swift 2.3:

let filePath = NSBundle.mainBundle().pathForResource("GoogleService-Info", ofType: "plist")
let options = FIROptions(contentsOfFile: filePath)
FIRApp.configureWithOptions(options)

for Swift 3.0:

let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "GoogleService-Info", ofType: "plist")!
let options = FIROptions(contentsOfFile: filePath)
FIRApp.configure(with: options)

for Swift 4.0:

let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "GoogleService-Info", ofType: "plist")!
let options = FirebaseOptions(contentsOfFile: filePath)
FirebaseApp.configure(options: options!)

Check this article: https://medium.com/@brunolemos/how-to-setup-a-different-firebase-project-for-debug-and-release-environments-157b40512164

On Xcode, create two directories inside your project: Debug and Release. Put each GoogleService-Info.plist file there.

On AppDelegate.m, inside the didFinishLaunchingWithOptions method, put the code:

Objective-C

  NSString *filePath;
#ifdef DEBUG
  NSLog(@"[FIREBASE] Development mode.");
  filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"GoogleService-Info" ofType:@"plist" inDirectory:@"Debug"];
#else
  NSLog(@"[FIREBASE] Production mode.");
  filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"GoogleService-Info" ofType:@"plist" inDirectory:@"Release"];
#endif
  
  FIROptions *options = [[FIROptions alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
  [FIRApp configureWithOptions:options];

Swift 4

var filePath:String!
#if DEBUG
    print("[FIREBASE] Development mode.")
    filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "GoogleService-Info", ofType: "plist", inDirectory: "Debug")
#else
    print("[FIREBASE] Production mode.")
    filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "GoogleService-Info", ofType: "plist", inDirectory: "Release")
#endif

let options = FirebaseOptions.init(contentsOfFile: filePath)!
FirebaseApp.configure(options: options)

Drag & drop both Debug and Release folders to the Build Phases > Copy Bundle Resources:

That's it :)

If the GoogleService-Info.plist has a different name it will affect your analytics results. Firebase will warn you about this. For this reason, none of these runtime-solutions will provide the best analytics results.

There are two solutions that won't mess with Analytics.

1. Use a different target with each scheme and associate each version of GoogleService-Info.plist with its own target. See Target Membership in the File inspector on the right hand side in Xcode. For further info See this question.

2. Use a build phase script to copy the correct version of GoogleService-Info.plist into the build directory. I use a different bundle ID for staging and production. This enables me to have both versions of the app installed in parallel. It also means with the script below I can name my different GoogleService-Info.plist files with the bundle ID. For example:

• GoogleService-Info-com.example.app.plist
• GoogleService-Info-com.example.app.staging.plist

Build Phase Script

PATH_TO_CONFIG=$SRCROOT/Config/GoogleService-Info-$PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER.plist
FILENAME_IN_BUNDLE=GoogleService-Info.plist
BUILD_APP_DIR=${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app
echo cp $PATH_TO_CONFIG "$BUILD_APP_DIR/$FILENAME_IN_BUNDLE"
cp $PATH_TO_CONFIG "$BUILD_APP_DIR/$FILENAME_IN_BUNDLE"

Note: You will have to change PATH_TO_CONFIG to suit you setup.

I think you can use this way to configure your GoogleService-Info.plist dynamicly and use different names for different bundle identifiers.

ciao Andreas

NSString *filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"GoogleService-Info" ofType:@"plist"];
FIROptions *options = [[FIROptions alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
[FIRApp configureWithOptions:options];

This answer is very much inspired by @abbood's answer, but a bit more specific on how to do it.

For each of your targets, e.g. dev, stg, prod:

• Download the corresponding GoogleService-Info.plist to a separate folder named after your target
• In Xcode, right-click your app folder and choose Add files to "your app"
• Select the folder containing the target's GoogleService-Info.plist, make sure Copy items if needed and Create groups are selected, check only the corresponding target in the list of targets, and press Add

That's it. Now you should have something similar to this structure

When you build a target, the correct GoogleService-Info.plist will be used.

I noticed that google expects the filename to be GoogleServiceInfo.plist in the code:

 * The method |configureWithError:| will read from the file GoogleServices-Info.plist bundled with
 * your app target for the keys to configure each individual API. To generate your
 * GoogleServices-Info.plist, please go to https://developers.google.com/mobile/add
 *
 * @see GGLContext (Analytics)
 * @see GGLContext (SignIn)
 */
@interface GGLContext : NSObject

the key phrase is this one > read from the file GoogleServices-Info.plist bundled with your app target

So I simply copied the same file and put it into different directories, and bounded it to different targets:

Late but I think I must post this answer to help new developers, I found a very good article that resole my problem and I promise it can help you as well :)
Check this article that resolve your problem as well.

Step 1:
Copy the GoogleService-Info.plist corresponding to your Firebase development environment into the Dev directory. Similarly, copy the GoogleService-Info.plist corresponding to your Firebase production environment in the Prod directory. Make sure to uncheck “Copy items if needed” and all targets under “Add to targets”.

Step 2:
In the Xcode project navigator, select the app target. Switch to the Build Phases tab at the top, then add a New Run Script Phase. Name the phase “Setup Firebase Environment GoogleService-Info.plist”, or something to that effect, and place it before the “Copy Bundle Resources” step.

Step 3:
Implement a shell script that will copy the appropriate GoogleService-Info.plist into the app bundle based on the build configuration. Copy and paste the following shell script into the run script phase you just created:

# Name of the resource we're selectively copying
GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST=GoogleService-Info.plist

# Get references to dev and prod versions of the GoogleService-Info.plist
# NOTE: These should only live on the file system and should NOT be part of the target (since we'll be adding them to the target manually)
GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_DEV=${PROJECT_DIR}/${TARGET_NAME}/Firebase/Dev/${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST}
GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PROD=${PROJECT_DIR}/${TARGET_NAME}/Firebase/Prod/${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST}

# Make sure the dev version of GoogleService-Info.plist exists
echo "Looking for ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST} in ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_DEV}"
if [ ! -f $GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_DEV ]
then
    echo "No Development GoogleService-Info.plist found. Please ensure it's in the proper directory."
    exit 1
fi

# Make sure the prod version of GoogleService-Info.plist exists
echo "Looking for ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST} in ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PROD}"
if [ ! -f $GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PROD ]
then
    echo "No Production GoogleService-Info.plist found. Please ensure it's in the proper directory."
    exit 1
fi

# Get a reference to the destination location for the GoogleService-Info.plist
PLIST_DESTINATION=${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app
echo "Will copy ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST} to final destination: ${PLIST_DESTINATION}"

# Copy over the prod GoogleService-Info.plist for Release builds
if [ "${CONFIGURATION}" == "Release" ]
then
    echo "Using ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PROD}"
    cp "${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PROD}" "${PLIST_DESTINATION}"
else
    echo "Using ${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_DEV}"
    cp "${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_DEV}" "${PLIST_DESTINATION}"
fi

Let's suppose we have two configurations set, develop and production. You have to make two things:

1. Rename both plists to conform to given configuration:

• GoogleService-Info-develop.plist
• GoogleService-Info-production.plist

2. Add a run script which copies the correct plist for selected configuration:

FIREBASE_PLIST_PATH="${PROJECT_DIR}/App/Resources/Plists/GoogleService-Info-${CONFIGURATION}.plist"
echo "Firebase plist path: ${FIREBASE_PLIST_PATH}"
cp -r ${FIREBASE_PLIST_PATH} "${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app/GoogleService-Info.plist"

A run script needs to be positioned before FirebaseCrashlytics script.

You you can init firebase as you did before for single scheme: FirebaseApp.configure()

I found that in case of single target the only 100% viable way is to copy plist corresponding to build configuration during the build; but such answers here differ in details of how to do it, and no one was convenient enough for me. My answer is based on answer by @KnightFighter and this article on Medium.

---

Firstly add all different plists to project with different names (they must not be added to target as resources):

Next create user-defined build setting, where you can assign specific plist to each build configuration:

Finally add "Run script" phase with code:

GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_SOURCE=${PROJECT_DIR}/${TARGET_NAME}/${GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_FILENAME}

if [ ! -f $GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_SOURCE ]
then
    echo "${GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_SOURCE} not found."
    exit 1
fi

GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_DESTINATION="${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app/GoogleService-Info.plist"

cp "${GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_SOURCE}" "${GOOGLE_SERVICE_INFO_PLIST_DESTINATION}"

---

I think such way has some advantages:

• no need to have folders hierarchy to store plists;
• no need to duplicate file if single plist is used for several configurations;
• it's easier to change filename in build settings than edit script if you need to add configuration or reassign plists; especially for non-programmers (i e build manager).

You cannot avoid to use the plist with Firebase. The best solution I found so far for you it would be to add both files and name it

> GoogleService-Info_stage.plist

and

> GoogleService-Info_prod.plist

Then from your code you can call the correct file. This way won't crash your app if you don't have the file. Just replace FILENAME with GoogleService-Info_prod or GoogleService-Info_stage.

if let configFile = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "FILENAME", ofType: "plist"), 
    let options = FirebaseOptions(contentsOfFile: configFile)   
{
   FirebaseApp.configure(options: options)
}

This is my solution!

NSString *filePath;
if([self isProduction]){
    filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"GoogleService-Info" ofType:@"plist"];
}else{
    filePath = [[NSBundle mainBundle] pathForResource:@"GoogleService-Info-Sandbox" ofType:@"plist"];
}
FIROptions *options = [[FIROptions alloc] initWithContentsOfFile:filePath];
[FIRApp configureWithOptions:options];

And That's it!

I solved this by this:

    #if STAGING
        if let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "GoogleService-Info-Dev", ofType: "plist"),
            let options = FirebaseOptions(contentsOfFile: filePath) {
                FirebaseApp.configure(options: options)
        } else {
            fatalError("GoogleService-Info-Dev.plist is missing!")
        }
    #else
        if let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "GoogleService-Info", ofType: "plist"),
            let options = FirebaseOptions(contentsOfFile: filePath) {
                FirebaseApp.configure(options: options)
        } else {
            fatalError("GoogleService-Info.plist is missing!")
        }
    #endif

If some of you fall into an error and Xcode complains

> "Multiple commands produce GoogleService-Info.plist"

after applying @Knight Fighter response, you may want to:

• Check Build Phases > Copy Bundle Resources
• Filter for files named GoogleService-Info.plist
• Remove any references you have to it, since it's already being copied through the script.

So I have pondered the same question and using some ideas from earlier posts, some of which publish apps with GoogleServices-Info.plist for all environments in all apps and that is a bit of a concern.

I have come up with an extensible solution that copies the GoogleSerives-Info.plist file at build time. Further more this approach can support as many environments as you like with the ability to customise and follows a simple convention, making it easy to manage.

First and foremost i have three environments, debug (For running in simulator and device whist debugging and actively cutting code), staging (for deployment to test flight) and release for production.

Step one is to create your configuration(s):

Select "Product" -> "Scheme" -> "Edit Scheme" and duplicate/create new as required. Go through each Scheme and assign its respective configuration from the "Build Configuration" drop down in each of the categories:

I go a step further and uncheck "run" for Schemes that need to be distributed i.e. release and staging, and conversely uncheck "archive" for debug. You should do what makes sense for you.

Under build phases add the following run scrip (CONFIGURATIONS_FOLDER variable can be customised as desired - just ensure you use the same folder name in the next step):

# Get a reference to the folder which contains the configuration subfolders.
CONFIGURATIONS_FOLDER=Firebase
# Get a refernce to the filename of a 'GoogleService-Info.plist' file.
GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST=GoogleService-Info.plist
# Get a reference to the 'GoogleService-Info.plist' for the current configuration.
GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_LOCATION=${PROJECT_DIR}/${TARGET_NAME}/${CONFIGURATIONS_FOLDER}/${CONFIGURATION}/${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST}
# Check if 'GoogleService-Info.plist' file for current configuration exist.
if [ ! -f $GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_LOCATION ]
then
  echo "No '${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST}' file found for the configuration '${CONFIGURATION}' in the configuration directory '${PROJECT_DIR}/${TARGET_NAME}/${CONFIGURATIONS_FOLDER}/${CONFIGURATION}'."
  exit 1
fi
# Get a reference to the destination location for the GoogleService-Info.plist.
GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_DESTINATION=${BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR}/${PRODUCT_NAME}.app
# Copy 'GoogleService-Info.plist' for current configution to destination.
cp "${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_LOCATION}" "${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_DESTINATION}"
echo "Successfully coppied the '${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST}' file for the '${CONFIGURATION}' configuration from '${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_LOCATION}' to '${GOOGLESERVICE_INFO_PLIST_DESTINATION}'."

In your chosen configurations folder ("Firebase" in the above example) nest folders for each configuration named exactly the same as its respective configuration (case sensitive), inside of which place the respective GoogleServices-Info.plist files like so:

Last but not least, i also like to ensure that a root level GoogleServices-Info.plist is not added into the project by accident so I add the following to my .gitignore.

# Ignore project level GoogleService-Info.plist
/[Project Name]/GoogleService-Info.plist

Here's my version of @Essam's solution.

1. Generate a GoogleServices version for the default scheme (Google-Services.plist) with the default identifier
2. Generate a second GoogleServices version for the variant scheme (Google-Services-debug.plist) with the correct identifier
3. Add both to the root of your project (where it tells you to in their guide)

Add this code where you'd add configure:

        let bundleID = Bundle.main.bundleIdentifier
        if (bundleID!.contains("debug")) {
            let resource: String = "GoogleService-Info-debug"
            let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: resource, ofType: "plist")!
            let options = FirebaseOptions(contentsOfFile: filePath)
            FirebaseApp.configure(options: options!)
        } else {
            FirebaseApp.configure()
        }

I think it is not possible to achieve without using the GoogleService-Info.plist. Because before you can begin integrating your iOS app with the Google Sign-In components, you must download the dependencies and configure your Xcode project. And this process shows that GoogleService-Info.plist has a big factor on it.

So the solutions and idea here in this SO question can help you with your problem. Just moved the main copy of the GoogleService-Info plist out of the app into 2 separate folders, then used the Build Phases "Copy Files" on each target to import the target specific plist into the Resources folder.

Also check this SO question, it might give you more information/idea to your problem.

Here's how to do it in Xamarin C#:

string plistPath = NSBundle.MainBundle.PathForResource ("GoogleService-Info", "plist");
Options options = new Options (plistPath);
App.Configure (options);

Remember to include the Firebase namespace:

using Firebase.Analytics;

With Xcode 9.2, I have needed files for both targets to be named "googleServiceInfo.plist" but placed in different directories, with the directory/file for each target specified in "Build Phases", "Copy Bundle Resources".

The above was not my preferred solution, but I had previously tried using different filenames along the lines of @inidona's answer, converted to Swift 4:

 let filePath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "googleServiceInfo-Pro", ofType: "plist")!
 let options = FirebaseOptions(contentsOfFile: filePath)
 FirebaseApp.configure(options: options!)

Unfortunately, this did not correct the Firebase error messages. In this question: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/40530027/firebase-ios-sdk-using-configuration-file-other-than-googleservice-info-plist?rq=1 the original poster seems to have fixed by updating the Firebase Pod but I have not confirmed this.

@Vasily Bodnarchuk answer worked for me. The only thing that you need to pay attention is that the scripts in Xcode have a precise order, so you need to put this script as first one, before the scripts with

${PODS_ROOT}/FirebaseCrashlytics/run

and

"${PODS_ROOT}/FirebaseCrashlytics/upload-symbols" -gsp "${PROJECT_DIR}/<yourapp>/Configuration Files/GoogleService-Info-dev.plist" -p ios "${DWARF_DSYM_FOLDER_PATH}/${DWARF_DSYM_FILE_NAME}"

For those who want to do it in Fastlane.

You can use the file manager plugin for fastlane (fastlane-plugin-file_manager), to run a simple copy command.

1. Add a GoogleService-info-app.plist to your xcode project the standard way so it's linked properly.

2. Use copy files to overwrite this linked file with the files you want in your build / beta lane.

   copy_files(source: "firebase/GoogleService-Info-" + ENV["APP_IDENTIFIER"] + ".plist", destination: "GoogleService-Info.plist")