Source code formatting in XCode

Question

Level 1

6 points

Source code formatting in XCode

I'm new to XCode. Most other IDEs I've worked with support source code formatting with configurable options. You can set preferences to meet your desired source code formatting standards, then apply that formatting to your code on demand. It's great for enforcing standards on things like curly bracket alignment styles, etc.

Can someone tell me how to accomplish this on xcode 3?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.4)

Posted on Aug 25, 2008 8:53 PM

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Answer 1

orangekay

Level 5

4,085 points

Aug 25, 2008 8:57 PM in response to RKEnnis

You'll have to use a third party beautifier; Beyond its bumbling attempts at automated indenting, Xcode does nothing of the sort that I'm aware of.

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Answer 2

RKEnnis Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 25, 2008 9:55 PM in response to RKEnnis

Bummer. This is one of the areas where XCode seems like a step backward from some other IDEs (like Eclipse).

I keep telling myself I'll like it better once I'm used to it...

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Answer 3

orangekay

Level 5

4,085 points

Aug 25, 2008 11:22 PM in response to RKEnnis

I wouldn't personally use Eclipse as a high water mark, but Xcode represents many steps backward for longtime Mac developers as well; I've yet to see a release that can even keep up with my typing speed.

The only people who really seem to like it are either new to the field or former NeXT employees.

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Answer 4

etresoft

Level 9

56,668 points

Aug 26, 2008 6:23 AM in response to RKEnnis

Did you try the "Indentation" tab in Xcode preferences? It isn't very powerful but it will do some things. If you have some open-source beautifier you want to use, you can put that in the Scripts menu.

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Answer 5

RKEnnis Author

Level 1

6 points

Aug 26, 2008 11:25 AM in response to etresoft

<quote>"I wouldn't personally use Eclipse as a high water mark"</quote>

LOL! Good point. Ironic that I said that, considering how much I disliked Eclipse when I first used it.

I've set the options on the indention tab - what I'm mostly looking for is a way to force alignment style of brackets. I'll look at one of the beautification add ons...

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