Unreal Engine 5 iOS Modern Build Resource Copy Issue

Development Platform & Builds
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1

We have been attempting to adopt the Modern Build system introduced in Unreal Engine 5.3. However, we are encountering an issue where our custom XML/JSON/TXT resource files are not being copied correctly into the final packaged output.

We currently use a UPL script like the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--GearVR plugin additions-->
<root xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <!-- init section is always evaluated once per architecture -->
    <init>
        <log text="resource init"/>
        <copyDir src="$S(PluginDir)/resource/" dst="$S(BuildDir)/" />
        <log text="IPL resource -> $S(BuildDir) copy done"/>
    </init>
</root>

With the legacy build pipeline, these resources are correctly included inside the final .ipa file.

However, when using the Modern Build, the output is an .xcarchive, and the behavior changes:

  • Legacy structure:
    • .ipa -> Payload/MyApp.app/…
      • (resources successfully included)
  • Modern Build structure:
    • .xcarchive -> Products/Applications/MyApp.app/… →
      • (no Payload directory)

The UPL command still copies resources to the legacy BuildDir path, which no longer maps to the correct application bundle location inside the xcarchive. As a result, none of these text-based resource files are included in the final packaged app.This issue has persisted since UE 5.3, and we would like to ask:

  1. Is there a timeline for when this copying behavior will be updated to support the Modern Build pipeline?
  2. Is there an alternative recommended method to include XML/JSON/TXT resources in the final packaged app when using Modern Build?

Thank you for your support.

2

재현 방법

Add a script to copy arbitrary resource files after creating the UPL xml file.
3

Hi Unreal_PC_platform_client,

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. A fix is available at CL 49078003. Note that if backporting to 5.7 or earlier, AppleExports.CreatingAppOnWindows translates to !AppleExports.UseModernXcode.

Best regards.