Using the macOS Binary Distribution

This page provides important information for users of the Ice binary distribution for macOS.

On this page:

Overview of the macOS Binary Distribution

Ice for C++, Java, Objective-C, and PHP on macOS are provided through the Homebrew formulas.

This ice formula includes the following components by default:

  • Run-time libraries for C++ and Objective-C (macOS)
  • Executables for IceGrid, IceStorm, Glacier2, IceBridge, and IcePatch2 services (macOS)
  • Tools and libraries for developing Ice applications (macOS)
  • Xcode SDKs for C++ and Objective-C (macOS, iOS and iPhone Simulator)

The php-ice formula includes:

  • Run-time libraries for Homebrew's PHP (macOS)

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Homebrew Taps

The ice formula is available in two taps:

  • homebrew/core, the default homebrew tap
  • zeroc-ice/tap, ZeroC's homebrew tap

The php-ice is available in:

  • zeroc-ice/tap, ZeroC's homebrew tap


When a new version of Ice is released, zeroc-ice/tap provides the new release immediately. It can take several days (and occasionally more) for the homebrew tap to be updated.

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Installing the macOS binary distribution

Using Homebrew, you can install the distribution with this command:

brew install zeroc-ice/tap/ice

You can install Ice for PHP with this command:

brew install zeroc-ice/tap/php-ice

By default Ice for PHP is built with the php formula (the latest PHP version).

You can also install IceGrid GUI on its own by downloading IceGrid GUI.dmg.

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Setting up your macOS environment to use Ice

After installing Ice, read the relevant language-specific sections below to learn how to configure your environment and start programming with Ice.

C++

Compiling and Linking

When compiling Ice for C++ programs, you must pass the -pthread option. A typical compile command would look like this:

c++ -c -DICE_CPP11_MAPPING -pthread myprogram.cpp

c++ -c -pthread myprogram.cpp

C++11 and C++98 in the tabs above correspond to the Ice C++ mapping you're using.

When linking a program you must link with at least the Ice library. A typical link command would look like this:

c++ -o myprogram myprogram.o -lIce++11

c++ -o myprogram myprogram.o -lIce

Additional libraries are necessary if you are using an Ice service such as IceGrid or Glacier2.

If you want to include Ice in your application bundle, you will need to copy the necessary Ice libraries to the Contents/Frameworks subdirectory of your bundle and use  @loader_path/../Frameworks as the run path when linking the application.

Please refer to the dyld man page on your macOS system to learn more about @loader_path.

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Objective-C

Compiling and Linking

When compiling Ice for Objective-C programs, you must pass the -pthread option. A typical compile command would look like this:

cc -c -pthread myprogram.m

When linking a program you must link with libIceObjC. A typical link command would look like this:

cc -o myprogram myprogram.o -lIceObjC -framework Foundation

Additional libraries are necessary if you are using an Ice service such as IceGrid or Glacier2.

If you want to include Ice in your application bundle, you will need to copy the necessary Ice libraries to the Contents/Frameworks subdirectory of your bundle and use  @loader_path/../Frameworks as the run path when linking the application.

Please refer to the dyld man page on your macOS system to learn more about @loader_path.

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Using Xcode SDKs

In order to use one of the Ice Xcode SDKs with your Xcode project, you need to:

  • add the SDK to the Additional SDKs setting
    • Apple Silicon: /opt/homebrew/opt/ice/sdk/$(PLATFORM_NAME).sdk
    • Intel: /usr/local/opt/ice/sdk/$(PLATFORM_NAME).sdk
  • link your application with at least
    • C++11: -lIce++11 -liconv -lbz2
    • C++98: -lIce -liconv -lbz2 
    • Objective-C: -ObjC -lIce -lIceObjC -lc++ -liconv -lbz2
  • On iphoneos and iphonesimulator, link your application with CFNetwork.framework and UIKit.framework 

The following optional libraries are included in the Ice Xcode SDKs:

NameLink your C++11
application with		Link your C++98
application with

Link your Objective-C
application with

Additional dependencies
Glacier2 client library-lGlacier2++11-lGlacier2-lGlacier2ObjC
IceDiscovery plug-in-lIceDiscovery++11-lIceDiscovery-lIceDiscovery

IceGrid client library

-lIceGrid++11-lIceGrid-lIceGridObjC

IceIAP plug-in
(iphoneos and iphonesimulator only)

-lIceIAP++11-lIceIAP-lIceIAP -lIceIAPObjCExternalAccessory.framework
IceLocatorDiscovery plug-in-lIceLocatorDiscovery++11-lIceLocatorDiscovery-lIceLocatorDiscovery
IceSSL plug-in-lIceSSL++11-lIceSSL-lIceSSL -lIceSSLObjCSecurity.framework
IceStorm client library-lIceStorm++11-lIceStorm-lIceStormObjC

The Ice Xcode SDKs include only static libraries.


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PHP

The Ice extension for PHP is loaded automatically when the interpreter loads the contents of the file ext-ice.ini file (generated on install):

  • Apple Silicon: /opt/homebrew/etc/php/{{version}}/php.d/ext-ice.ini 
  • Intel: /usr/local/etc/php/{{version}}/php.d/ext-ice.ini

This file contains the following:

[ice]
extension="/opt/homebrew/opt/php{{version}}-ice/ice.so"
include_path="/opt/homebrew/opt/php{{version}}-ice"
[ice]
extension="/usr/local/opt/php{{version}}-ice/ice.so"
include_path="/usr/local/opt/php{{version}}-ice"


At run time, the PHP interpreter requires the Ice shared libraries.

You can verify that the Ice extension is installed properly by examining the output of the php -m command, or by calling the phpinfo() function from a script.


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Using the Sample Programs on macOS

Sample programs for all programming languages are available in a separate GitHub repository. Simply clone this repository:

git clone -b 3.7 https://github.com/zeroc-ice/ice-demos.git
cd ice-demos

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Starting IceGrid GUI on macOS

You can launch IceGrid GUI with the IceGridGUI application installed in your /Applications directory. IceGrid GUI is a Java 8-based application.

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