Xcode-beta (8S128d): Xcode lacks the funcionalities to enable semantic highlighting

Originator:fpg1503
Number:rdar://27028207 Date Originated:27-Jun-2016 11:11 AM
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:Developer Tools Product Version:Xcode-beta (8S128d)
Classification:1 - High Reproducible:Always
 
Summary:
I use/depend on a plugin called Polychromatic (https://github.com/kolinkrewinkel/Polychromatic) that gives properties, ivars, and local variables each a unique, dynamic color, stripping away emphasis from types which don't need it. Since Xcode plugins no longer work, there should either be an API that allows a source editor extension to be called whenever the text is changed and allow it to change the color of everything to do custom syntax highlighting, or Xcode team should implement semantic highlighting themselves.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Write code

Expected Results:
1. Code has semantic highlighting (useful since the compiler doesn’t know semantics/business rules)

Actual Results:
1. Code has syntactic highlighting (useless since the compiler already checks the syntax)

Regression:
The lack of this feature could be mitigated on Xcode 7 and earlier using Polychromatic. On Xcode  8 and later it can also be mitigated using MakeXcodeGr8Again (https://github.com/fpg1503/MakeXcodeGr8Again) but that may leave Xcode vulnerable (just like Xcode 7 was).

Notes:
Thousands of developers rely on this feature on a daily basis and may consider removing Xcode signature validation to have it working again.

Comments

It's been 4 years and Apple still hasn't fixed this. Devs need plugins in Xcode!

4 years is plenty enough time, Apple just doesn't care about developers.

By alan.hamlett at Jan. 10, 2021, 6:13 p.m. (reply...)

+1 Would really like to use semantic highlighting again.

+1 very annoying.

By darktears31 at Oct. 28, 2016, 4:54 p.m. (reply...)

Mind boggling that Apple would disable plugins before they had a FULL replacement


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