react-native link issue after upgrade to react-native-fbsdk 0.6.1

[webraptor]

Description

Running react-native link after upgrading to react-native-fbsdk 0.6.1 throws error:

[...]
rnpm-install info Linking react-native-fbsdk ios dependency
rnpm-install ERR! Something went wrong while linking. Error: Expected "/*", "//", or "{" but "<" found.
Please file an issue here: https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues

Expected "/*", "//", or "{" but "<" found.

Reproduction Steps

Install react-native-fbsdk 0.6.1, remove node_modules and reinstall packages, then run react-native link

Additional Information

• React Native version: "react": "16.0.0-alpha.12", "react-native": "0.45.1",
• Platform: both
• Development Operating System: MacOS
• Build tools: Xcode Version 8.3.2 (8E2002),
  Android Studio 2.3.2 (AI-162.3934792), JRE 1.8.0_112-release-b06 x86_64

[nico2che]

This answer worked for me

#10032 (comment)

[webraptor]

Indeed it works fine with version 0.6.0 . The issue I raised comes with version 0.6.1, and btw, none of the proposed solutions in your link work for 0.6.1

[BATMAH69]

@koenpunt made a pull request to fix this problem:
facebookarchive/react-native-fbsdk#349

[paulftw]

This is not a bug in react-native - it's a really old known issue with CocoaPods and latest react-native-fbsdk commits trigger it by using more modern project.pbxproj format.
I think there's no reason to track it in the RN repository as the root cause and possible workarounds are isolated inside either cocoapods or rnfbsdk.

react-native install react-native-fbsdk would fail. Best clean up / recovery I use is:

1. react-native unlink react-native-fbsdk to clean up any previously failed link attempts.
2. yarn add react-native-fbsdk
3. open node_modules/react-native-fbsdk/ios/ios.xcodeproj/ - this launches XCode
4. in XCode click on PROJECT ios.
5. Make sure Project Format is set to "Xcode 3.2-compatible" in the rightmost panel
6. Change "Use Release for command-line builds" to "Debug" and then back to "Release". this will force Xcode to save project.pbxproj in the old format.
7. run less node_modules/react-native-fbsdk/ios/ios.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj to make sure the file is no longer XML.
8. react-native link react-native-fbsdk

[adam-jr]

@paulftw where is that "Use Release for command-line builds" Xcode setting located at?

[paulftw]

@atom-r here's a screenshot

[mattwebhub]

@paulftw Thanks! it worked!

[mattwebhub]

@paulftw hey it worked but after I installed yarn and did what you said I ran npm install to install another package and it removed all my node_modules and the application is not running anymore =// what causes this, do you know it?

[hecomp]

@paulftw it worked for me too. Thanks!!!!

[mitramejia]

@paulftw you're awesome!

[paulftw]

@barakoles when npm or yarn rewrite or remove node_modules you have to convert .pbxproj to old format again, as per the steps I've provided above. But overall it's a hack, not a proper permanent fix, so projects will keep breaking again and again until rn-fbsdk get their act together (or cocoapods for that matter)

Many people have asked them to do that here: facebookarchive/react-native-fbsdk#349

@paulftw that really helped thanks!!!

[billpatterson]

paulftw's comment (July 17) solved this for me. It's unbelievable that the Facebook integration for a facebook-originated project (react native) is in this state. One would think facebook's highest priority would be making sure integration of their framework/services was functional.

[BATMAH69]

I would also like to note that not all mobile developers have mac (with Xcode). For example, in order to develop applications for android enough to have a linux PC. Nevertheless, this error breaks their library linking.