gma_mediation_meta and gma_mediation_ironsource have transitive dependencies that include statically linked binaries

[Tom3652]

[REQUIRED] Step 1: Describe your environment

Plugin Version

google_mobile_ads: ^5.2.0
gma_mediation_meta: ^1.0.1
gma_mediation_ironsource: ^1.0.0

[REQUIRED] Step 2: Describe the problem

The problem is that the app can't be built on IOS if we add the gma_mediation_meta or the gma_mediation_ironsource package to our flutter app.
This is due to the fact that the target has transitive dependencies that include statically linked binaries.

In our app we can't use use_frameworks! :linkage => :static for external reasons that create new bugs.

For example, gma_mediation_unity doesn't inclu static linked binaries and it builds fine.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a flutter project
2. Add the gma_mediation_meta package
3. Run pod install or pod update
4. See the error

Expected results:

There should be no error without additional changes in the Podfile.

Actual results:

The error [!] The 'Pods-Runner' target has transitive dependencies that include statically linked binaries: (/Users/foxtom/StudioProjects/MyFlutterProject/ios/Pods/GoogleMobileAdsMediationFacebook/MetaAdapter-6.15.2.1/MetaAdapter.xcframework) is occurring.

Logs

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.27.1, on macOS 15.2 24C101 darwin-x64, locale fr-FR)
    • Flutter version 3.27.1 on channel stable at /Users/foxtom/Desktop/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision 17025dd882 (4 weeks ago), 2024-12-17 03:23:09 +0900
    • Engine revision cb4b5fff73
    • Dart version 3.6.0
    • DevTools version 2.40.2

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 35.0.0)
    • Android SDK at /Users/foxtom/Library/Android/sdk
    • Platform android-35, build-tools 35.0.0
    • Java binary at: /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents/jbr/Contents/Home/bin/java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.4+-12422083-b607.1)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 16.2)
    • Xcode at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
    • Build 16C5032a
    • CocoaPods version 1.16.2

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
    • Chrome at /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome

[✓] Android Studio (version 2024.2)
    • Android Studio at /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.4+-12422083-b607.1)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.96.3)
    • VS Code at /Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents
    • Flutter extension can be installed from:
      🔨 https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Dart-Code.flutter

[✓] Connected device (6 available)
    • moto g 8 power (mobile)   • 192.168.1.23:38615        • android-arm64  • Android 11 (API 30)
    • Now You See Me (mobile)   • 00008020-001204401E78002E • ios            • iOS 18.2.1 22C161
    • macOS (desktop)           • macos                     • darwin-x64     • macOS 15.2 24C101 darwin-x64
    • Chrome (web)              • chrome                    • web-javascript • Google Chrome 131.0.6778.265

[✓] Network resources
    • All expected network resources are available.

• No issues found!

[malandr2]

Hey @Tom3652,

This looks to be duplicates of #1066 and #1118

Have you tried these resolutions?

[Tom3652]

Hi @malandr2 ,

Yes actually and i can't afford to use I did add " :linkage => :static" on use_frameworks! unfortunately as mentioned in my issue initial comment because i have other Xcode targets in my project that can't use that and it generates several bugs that i can't fix for now.

So static linking is required for some mediation package ? I actually don't know if it's intentional to link static libraries in some of them (for Meta Audience Network but not for Unity Ads ? Why ?). Could you answer that ?

-> In that case, yes i will have to review my priorities in terms of mediation unfortunately
-> If it's not intentional, i will fork the packages and update the Podfile myself, but it would be nice that it would be done by the official source (Google)

[Tom3652]

I have tested a bit more, but i can't figure out how can i link statically the specific pods. Do you know how to do that ?

I have this Podfile configuration :

target 'Runner' do
  use_frameworks!
  use_modular_headers!
  pod 'GoogleUtilities'
  pod 'Giphy'
  pod 'GoogleMobileAdsMediationFacebook', :static_framework => true
  pod 'GoogleMobileAdsMediationIronSource', :static_framework => true

  flutter_install_all_ios_pods File.dirname(File.realpath(__FILE__))
  target 'RunnerTests' do
    inherit! :search_paths
  end
end

But it doesn't work i am getting : [!] Unknown external source parameters for 'GoogleMobileAdsMediationFacebook': '{:static_framework=>true}'

[malandr2]

What if you try

pod 'GoogleMobileAdsMediationFacebook', :linkage => :static
pod 'GoogleMobileAdsMediationIronSource', :linkage => :static

instead does that change anything?

[Tom3652]

I am getting the same error unfortunately : [!] Unknown external source parameters for GoogleMobileAdsMediationFacebook: {:linkage=>:static}.

-> So if i want to use Mediation for now, i have to remove my Target ImageNotification to display URLs in the push notification, which is not a real solution since i need both...

[malandr2]

Got it. I have shared this with @LTPhantom to take a closer look.

[Tom3652]

Thank you !

And anyway, even after removing the ImageNotification, i am getting an infinite build time on Xcode using use_frameworks! :linkage => :static but maybe i should just wait few hours the first time...

Normally my iOS build takes 30sec at most.

[Tom3652]

Final notes since i have managed to build my project in the end :

It was implicitly the ImageNotification that was causing the issue because i had to use the static linkage on that target as well and i had to embbed it without signing into my main project (Xcode do not give me the choice here).

I have raised another issue to the flutter repo and a link was provided that says to never embed the statically linked frameworks.

So there is a real problem here because i can't use my app extension because of the static linkage that some gma_mediation_xxx packages are forcing unfortunately :/

[malandr2]

Thanks for the follow-up @Tom3652. I've pinged @LTPhantom to provide some additional insight to your issue.

[LTPhantom]

Hello @Tom3652. I see that the meta and ironsource adapter need an update similar to what the unity had a while ago. The release for both will be completed sometime next week.

[Tom3652]

Thank you very much, this is also the case for inmobi please that i am using.

I guess this should be done for several other packages, but if no one complains / uses them.. If i may ask for the priority -> it would be awesome to add inmobi as well please to the update 🙏🏼🔥

[malandr2]

ACK @Tom3652, thanks for the feedback. We are in progress of updating the adapters - will close this ticket out once the PR is submitted