5 ms·

New Features in Xcode 4.3

67 points by alwillis 15y ago

hackermom 15y ago
So now I need to fire all of Xcode up just to do some icon editing or profiling some OpenGL code? :/ I hope these are at least still in the form of normal apps located within the Xcode bundle.
- mille562 15y ago
  I'm guessing you won't need to start xcode. The apps can be kept in the dock for direct access.
- shadesandcolour 15y ago
  Spotlight or quicksilver would be your friend in this case. The other developer utilities have been moved inside the Xcode.app bundle but you can access them and add them to the dock if you use them very frequently.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
psykotic 15y ago
Stop adding features and start fixing all the bugs and performance issues that make Xcode 4 nigh-unusable.
feralchimp 15y ago
No CLT installed by default? That's just...weird. No more /Developer folder or uninstall-devtools script? I sure hope that means it won't periodically decide to fuck itself like every previous version of Xcode, prompting one or more full-reinstall attempts. I wish I were kidding. This is like taking the ejection seat boosters out of the fighter jet to save weight.
- calloc 15y ago
  Everything is now contained within the .app, so a re-install is rm -rf /Applications/Xcode.app and then re-install. The command line tools are easily installed from within Xcode -> Preferences -> Downloads or by downloading the .dmg from Apple's developer website and installing it by hand. Neither are the end of the world.
  - feralchimp 15y ago
    Can you explain plausible reasoning for not installing CLT by default? I'm willing to listen, I just don't get it.
    - msbarnett 15y ago
      Smaller download for people who don't need them? Rather than distributing two copies of the tools (one with Xcode, and the (awesome) new CLI only tool distribution), they DRY it up and have one canonical package for everyone, reducing testing, packaging overhead, possibility for divergence between the two packages, etc, etc?
      - feralchimp 15y ago
        Good answer. I was lazy and didn't notice the CLI-only distro. Thanks-
    - calloc 15y ago
      man xcrun man xcode-select The tools are already available, just not in the normal path locations. Also if you are modifying the files installed by the CLT installer such that they get messed up you are doing it wrong.
    - drivebyacct2 15y ago
      Because an enormous number of developers have no desire to use Xcode and are annoyed at having to download 1.3GB Xcode to get `gcc`.
    - 15y ago
ConstantineXVI 15y ago
Be aware that XCode doesn't install any CLI tools by default now; you'll have to install them manually (so moving to 4.3 will likely break Homebrew et. al.). On the other hand; seems that the tools are now available as a standalone .dmg[1] (requires apple-ID login), so you can (finally!) install them without needing Xcode first if you'd rather not install it. [1] https://developer.apple.com/downloads/index.action# https://developer.apple.com/downloads/index.action# (EDIT: yep, they install sans Xcode)
- calloc 15y ago
  If you install Xcode, within Xcode preferences in the Download pane you can have it download and install the command line tools for you. Works perfectly. After that homebrew works without any issues.
- apike 15y ago
  Don't be surprised if they start moving GPLed packages like bash, ruby, and emacs into this free CLI tools download, making OS X "GPL clean".
  - sipefree 15y ago
    You're kidding, right? It sounds like you don't know how the GPL applies to them or you think Apple is really dumb. There is absolutely no reason to move those apps. They're binaries. The GPL only threatens them if the use free code in a nonfree program and don't distribute the source. The only other option is Apple doing it out of spite, which would be stupid on all accounts.
    - apike 15y ago
      At the very least Apple Legal is not comfortable shipping GPLv3 packages in OS X, even as binaries. This might be stupid - IANAL. The GPL isn't the only other reason they might move more command-line functionality into a separate download - OS installation and download size is another.
    - jcurbo 15y ago
redbeard0x0a 15y ago
It looks like Apple pulled all the compilers and supporting apps into the app bundle itself, it no longer needs a /Developer folder on your machine. I believe this will make things a lot easier for those of us who develop web applications with things like ruby, python or help with compiling/installing open source apps using tools like homebrew. We should now be able to install our own GCC and Xcode on the same machine without having to deal with conflicting environments and defaults. The initial trouble is going to be installing a normal gcc on your machine, a normal user can't compile a compiler without a compiler. I expect a nice installable binary package that is intended to be used with rvm, ruby and homebrew before too long...
- calloc 15y ago
  Or you can have the user download the command line tools seperately and install those without first downloading Xcode. A 160MB download instead of a 1.72GB download.
  - hackermom 15y ago
    I like the sound of that. While I recognize Xcode's aptness and broad qualities, I'm still really the Makefile'n'text editor kinda developer.
  - redbeard0x0a 15y ago
    Yes, I'm actually checking to see if it contains a plain gcc compiler (like Xcode 4.1 did), currently the llvm-gcc that is symlinked with /usr/bin/gcc with Xcode 4.2 doesn't work too well with software from rvm and homebrew. edit: I just pulled down the Unix developer tools, it comes with llvm-gcc and clang. /usr/bin/gcc is symlinked with llvm-gcc. Any packages that need plain gcc will not work with the "command-line-tools-for-xcode.dmg" install. We'll have to keep using something like OSX-GCC-Installer (https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer) for now. Anyway, this is a positive move for those of us who want to be able to use Xcode and also need/want a normal gcc installation on the same machine.
    - 15y ago
napierzaza 15y ago
This will probably make it even harder to keep support for previous xCode versions. I wish they'd be nicer about supporting previous SDKs!
antirez 15y ago
You can now have just the CLT tools with a small download... Cool. But what is the reason the huge Xcode download does not come with CLI tools?
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- natesm 15y ago
  Probably to make Xcode as MAS-compliant as possible? Dogfood and all.
- batista 15y ago
  Because it doesn't need them to do it's job?
dchest 15y ago
Codename: "Matryoshka".
augustl 15y ago
This means that we can safely install /usr/bin/gcc without affecting Xcode's bundled gcc, and vice versa updating Xcode is guaranteed to not affect our custom /usr/bin/gcc. Sounds like a big improvement to me!
Someone 15y ago
A feature missing from this description: - launch Xcode - close all windows - make an other application active Effect: Xcode quits (Activity Monitor does not show it) A bug or a feature that we will see this system-wide?
- DrJokepu 15y ago
  This is called Automatic Termination and it's standard behaviour on Lion. Beginning OS X 10.7, the OS automatically suspends processes that are "safe to close" and opt in to Automatic Termination when certain conditions are met. It could happen even to TextEdit or any other app, not just Xcode.
smackfu 15y ago
Interesting that it has hooks for all the other development tools... as long as they are made by Apple.
alexbell 15y ago
Auto matching brackets in gdb!!!! Fucking finally! I nearly fell out of chair as shear joy overcame me.
nlo 15y ago
I found xcodebuild broken after installing Xcode 4.3 and the CLT. If you find yourself in a similar situation, run `sudo xcode-select -switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer` to fix the newfound lack of a /Developer directory.
leif 15y ago
Does anyone know where distcc+bonjour support went? This existed in 4.2.
jonhendry 15y ago
One interesting thing in Mountain Lion: garbage collection is deprecated in favor of ARC.

67 points by alwillis 15y ago

So now I need to fire all of Xcode up just to do some icon editing or profiling some OpenGL code? :/ I hope these are at least still in the form of normal apps located within the Xcode bundle.

mille562 15y ago
I'm guessing you won't need to start xcode. The apps can be kept in the dock for direct access.
shadesandcolour 15y ago
Spotlight or quicksilver would be your friend in this case. The other developer utilities have been moved inside the Xcode.app bundle but you can access them and add them to the dock if you use them very frequently.

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

psykotic 15y ago

Stop adding features and start fixing all the bugs and performance issues that make Xcode 4 nigh-unusable.

feralchimp 15y ago

No CLT installed by default? That's just...weird. No more /Developer folder or uninstall-devtools script? I sure hope that means it won't periodically decide to fuck itself like every previous version of Xcode, prompting one or more full-reinstall attempts. I wish I were kidding. This is like taking the ejection seat boosters out of the fighter jet to save weight.

calloc 15y ago
Everything is now contained within the .app, so a re-install is rm -rf /Applications/Xcode.app and then re-install. The command line tools are easily installed from within Xcode -> Preferences -> Downloads or by downloading the .dmg from Apple's developer website and installing it by hand. Neither are the end of the world.
- feralchimp 15y ago
  Can you explain plausible reasoning for not installing CLT by default? I'm willing to listen, I just don't get it.
  - msbarnett 15y ago
    Smaller download for people who don't need them? Rather than distributing two copies of the tools (one with Xcode, and the (awesome) new CLI only tool distribution), they DRY it up and have one canonical package for everyone, reducing testing, packaging overhead, possibility for divergence between the two packages, etc, etc?
    - feralchimp 15y ago
      Good answer. I was lazy and didn't notice the CLI-only distro. Thanks-
  - calloc 15y ago
    man xcrun man xcode-select The tools are already available, just not in the normal path locations. Also if you are modifying the files installed by the CLT installer such that they get messed up you are doing it wrong.
  - drivebyacct2 15y ago
    Because an enormous number of developers have no desire to use Xcode and are annoyed at having to download 1.3GB Xcode to get `gcc`.
  - 15y ago

ConstantineXVI 15y ago

Be aware that XCode doesn't install any CLI tools by default now; you'll have to install them manually (so moving to 4.3 will likely break Homebrew et. al.). On the other hand; seems that the tools are now available as a standalone .dmg[1] (requires apple-ID login), so you can (finally!) install them without needing Xcode first if you'd rather not install it. [1] https://developer.apple.com/downloads/index.action# https://developer.apple.com/downloads/index.action# (EDIT: yep, they install sans Xcode)

calloc 15y ago
If you install Xcode, within Xcode preferences in the Download pane you can have it download and install the command line tools for you. Works perfectly. After that homebrew works without any issues.
apike 15y ago
Don't be surprised if they start moving GPLed packages like bash, ruby, and emacs into this free CLI tools download, making OS X "GPL clean".
- sipefree 15y ago
  You're kidding, right? It sounds like you don't know how the GPL applies to them or you think Apple is really dumb. There is absolutely no reason to move those apps. They're binaries. The GPL only threatens them if the use free code in a nonfree program and don't distribute the source. The only other option is Apple doing it out of spite, which would be stupid on all accounts.
  - apike 15y ago
    At the very least Apple Legal is not comfortable shipping GPLv3 packages in OS X, even as binaries. This might be stupid - IANAL. The GPL isn't the only other reason they might move more command-line functionality into a separate download - OS installation and download size is another.
  - jcurbo 15y ago

redbeard0x0a 15y ago

It looks like Apple pulled all the compilers and supporting apps into the app bundle itself, it no longer needs a /Developer folder on your machine. I believe this will make things a lot easier for those of us who develop web applications with things like ruby, python or help with compiling/installing open source apps using tools like homebrew. We should now be able to install our own GCC and Xcode on the same machine without having to deal with conflicting environments and defaults. The initial trouble is going to be installing a normal gcc on your machine, a normal user can't compile a compiler without a compiler. I expect a nice installable binary package that is intended to be used with rvm, ruby and homebrew before too long...

calloc 15y ago
Or you can have the user download the command line tools seperately and install those without first downloading Xcode. A 160MB download instead of a 1.72GB download.
- hackermom 15y ago
  I like the sound of that. While I recognize Xcode's aptness and broad qualities, I'm still really the Makefile'n'text editor kinda developer.
- redbeard0x0a 15y ago
  Yes, I'm actually checking to see if it contains a plain gcc compiler (like Xcode 4.1 did), currently the llvm-gcc that is symlinked with /usr/bin/gcc with Xcode 4.2 doesn't work too well with software from rvm and homebrew. edit: I just pulled down the Unix developer tools, it comes with llvm-gcc and clang. /usr/bin/gcc is symlinked with llvm-gcc. Any packages that need plain gcc will not work with the "command-line-tools-for-xcode.dmg" install. We'll have to keep using something like OSX-GCC-Installer (https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer) for now. Anyway, this is a positive move for those of us who want to be able to use Xcode and also need/want a normal gcc installation on the same machine.
  - 15y ago

napierzaza 15y ago

This will probably make it even harder to keep support for previous xCode versions. I wish they'd be nicer about supporting previous SDKs!

antirez 15y ago

You can now have just the CLT tools with a small download... Cool. But what is the reason the huge Xcode download does not come with CLI tools?

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
natesm 15y ago
Probably to make Xcode as MAS-compliant as possible? Dogfood and all.
batista 15y ago
Because it doesn't need them to do it's job?

dchest 15y ago

Codename: "Matryoshka".

augustl 15y ago

This means that we can safely install /usr/bin/gcc without affecting Xcode's bundled gcc, and vice versa updating Xcode is guaranteed to not affect our custom /usr/bin/gcc. Sounds like a big improvement to me!

Someone 15y ago

A feature missing from this description: - launch Xcode - close all windows - make an other application active Effect: Xcode quits (Activity Monitor does not show it) A bug or a feature that we will see this system-wide?

DrJokepu 15y ago
This is called Automatic Termination and it's standard behaviour on Lion. Beginning OS X 10.7, the OS automatically suspends processes that are "safe to close" and opt in to Automatic Termination when certain conditions are met. It could happen even to TextEdit or any other app, not just Xcode.

smackfu 15y ago

Interesting that it has hooks for all the other development tools... as long as they are made by Apple.

alexbell 15y ago

Auto matching brackets in gdb!!!! Fucking finally! I nearly fell out of chair as shear joy overcame me.

nlo 15y ago

I found xcodebuild broken after installing Xcode 4.3 and the CLT. If you find yourself in a similar situation, run `sudo xcode-select -switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer` to fix the newfound lack of a /Developer directory.

leif 15y ago

Does anyone know where distcc+bonjour support went? This existed in 4.2.

jonhendry 15y ago

One interesting thing in Mountain Lion: garbage collection is deprecated in favor of ARC.