Xcode 10 Library

From the Xcode 10b release notes...

At first, I found it less convenient than the previous way, but:

- you will see the Library button at the top right of XCode, above Inspectors, on the left of Inspectors buttons).

And this pull down button is contextual, after long press, depending you are in

- IB : shows Object Library or Media Library

- In code: Snippet or Media Library

But I don't know where File Template Library has gone !

A good point : it is possible to move the window to avoid travelling a long time with the object, and to resize the window.

To keep this panel open after drag: just option-drag, and the window stays open. Great !

So, at the end, this design appear more flexible.

I beat my head against the wall all afternoon before finding the “Library” icon at the top right, instead of the area at the bottom. Will take some getting used to, for sure.

Agreed... so annoying! A three key shortcut will never be as quick as just having something there when you need it. Also, windows that hover over other content or functionality, that’s a pop-up! Their annoying on web pages and their annoying here 😟

Why not have the object library as a pane in the right hand inspector? That way you could have it permanently visible when you’re working with objects in a storyboard. Sounds a little bit radical perhaps, but hey... it wouldn’t be as annoying as having it disappear over and over and having to use the keyboard very time you want to initiate an action you complete with a mouse or trackpad anyway!

Is it really so different? Isn’t a collection of things to click on not just another collection of things to click on? Would mixing in a list of objects with a bunch of lists of properties annoy anyone that matters?

Why not give the user the option to stick with what they prefer rather than drop functionality in favour of something that requires more effort and is annoying, and doesn’t add any value, and is annoying. It’s just different... and annoying, very annoying!

As a rule, if it’s more effort to do something, its annoying, and, if it’s more effort to do something it’s pointless. And, if it’s more effort to do something, yep! It’s more effort to do something... and annoying!

just because a person can learn a slick 3 key shortcut, doesn’t make a slick, unnecessary and annoying, 3 key shortcut any less annoying, it‘s still just annoying extra effort.

It’s “objectionist”, possibly even a little seperatist at the very least.

So, yes! I agree... It’s annoying 😡 very, very annoying

Mark

Without prejudice and in good humour, but it’s still annoying ;o)

Well, I must say I can see the motivation in doing this (small screen size working with Macbooks) but I think they should make it optional or, at least, give us a way to pin the window to a panel or having it always open on top (that way we will be able to have it in another monitor, for example).

I hope they will give us something so because I've been working with SceneKit (AR) these days and, indeed, it's very "annoying" 😀 I haven't found a way to add a custom node to the library other than quit Xcode 10 and doing it in Xcode 9. I'm sure this will change through the next betas.

Just pinged your other thread..

Xcode 10 beta 1. How to add something to library or pin the library window?

To get the templates, looks like you add a new file and go to resources under iOS. Thats how I had to add a SceneKit Scene File

I strongly vote for this (hope Apple products are reading this)

At 0:37:15 of the Platforms State of the Union video, keeping the library window open while repeatedly selecting items is clearly demonstrated. Additionally, the option of having the window automatically dismiss after use is mentioned.

Sadly, the 'Options' icon visible in the upper right corner of the Library window in the Xcode build used on-stage is conspicuously missing from the public beta builds. It risks eliciting an 'Expected behaviour' response, but perhaps it's worthwhile citing this portion of the video in radars.

In today's release notes for Xcode 10 beta 4:

Holding the Option key when opening the Library will cause it to remain visible until it is manually dismissed, rather than automatically closing after each use. (40880961)

> today's release notes for Xcode 10 beta 4: "rather than automatically closing after each use."

They promised basically the same thing w/the first 10 beta back on June 5...

"...holding the Option key before dragging will keep the library open for an additional drag."

Yeah, this is really annoying and I'm not sure what the problem was they were trying to solve. Then they add the weird behavior of it staying open once you drag an item with the option key down. Seems totally unintutive and unnecessary. Why not just have a "Keep Library View open" preference? Better yet let me dock it to the huge empty space I now have below the inspector view. This really seems like change just for the sake of change.

>This really seems like change just for the sake of change.

Which Apple has apparently endorsed for some time now. Best way to look like you're busy when the boss checks in.

There is a "Keep Library View Open" preference: hold down Option when you click on the Library button. (This is different from holding down Option when you drag something out of the library window.) Having this as a visible preference would be very sensible -- how about you submit a bug report asking for it?

There is another problem even if you use Media Library with option key.

If you work sometimes with secondary display, sometimes with only one display, it's good to open code in one screen, and interface builder on the secondary screen, BUT

Media Library sticks to the last position where you moved it (I like to put it to the previous place), so you will have media library on the primary display...

Another problem if you will move Media Library to the previos position (like in Xcode 9), it will cover constraints adding view

It's impossible to get used to it 😭

Apple, why are you doing this to us?!

Hoping that Apple will read this thread and give us the option of docking the pane, I also have to add a comment so we have more votes on this.

I really really don't see how this is an improvement rather than beeing a deterioration. I mean, changing the content depending on the context should be possible even if the window is docked. So what amelioration gives this new feature us? It requires more actions than before to do the same thing. Even when it is kept open, the window is weirdly hovering on top. And if we have the option of keeping it open (and place it where it was in Xcode 9, which I guess most of us will do), then why isn't it dockable and always open?

I hope that next release will give us the old behaviour back. And if you don't find any good reason to change something, so please keep fixing bugs instead of trying to change things just for having something to do.

This is the first time I've been frustrated enough with a change to Xcode that I wanted to voice my concern. With this one change, Apple has made it far more annoying to work with Interface Builder, and it seems to add no benefit whatsoever. Now I have a new button, and a ton of empty space at the bottom right. I hope that they revert this change soon, or at the very least, allow us to dock the control in its original location. Time to start reviewing the changelog, and giving my opinion more regularly!

I agree. The mania to change for the sake of change is counterproductive in the extreme. Understand, the frustration here is not about the floating pane - it's about the 1000th Apple change for no reason, while removing user choice. What makes Apple believe they understand my work process better than I do? How does a floating panel, requiring clicks or keyboard actions, improve anything? Why does Apple object to user choice? Does Apple ever actually do usability research for product changes?

found the old UI guidelines here : http://modelessdesign.com/backdrop/204

General design principles from 1986 Mac -let us see how the Utilities library 'disappearing window' stacks up

• Metaphors from the real world- nope. i have never opened a toolbox / toolkit / paint pallette, took something out (or looked away), looked back and it had closed itself and put itself back in a drawer
• Direct manipulation - i can directly manipulate it, right up until the point it disappears from existence
• See-and-point (instead of remember-and-type) - by default you have to remember and type in order to find objects, unless you take the extra step of clicking the 'four squares in a square' icon view thing
• Consistency - i don't remember ever seeing a pallette-type tool window that disappeared after you drag an object from it, and ive been using many types of computers since 1985 and various GUI builders since the 90s.
• WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)- what i see is a window, except that it disappears when you switch apps, or drag something from it, which is not what i expect from any window in any modern computer system.
• User control- no, i did not tell the window to close
• Feedback and dialog - there was no feedback, it just disappeared quietly, silently, without asking
• Forgiveness - if i dragged the wrong widget, i have to delete it, go back to the toolbox, open it up, scroll to, or type the widget again to find it, and drag it again.
• Perceived stability - see above
• Aesthetic integrity - well, a lot of stuff can be docked inside xcode, but the Library apparently cannot.

Granted i dont use xcode very much, i was trying to follow a Swift "hello world" tutorial from a year or two ago

Agree. This unwanted change reminds me when they stopped offering multiple windows in iTunes...surely they realize people have multiple monitors and like to spread out their work. They reintroduced the multiple window option a few releases ago.

Hopefully they will offer a docked view for object assets in a future release. It stinks right now to constantly be holding down bizarre key combinations.

Hopefully Apple will see this thread and decide to bring it back to its original location. There's just an empty space now where to old library panel used to be, so I don't really see why they would move it. Even on my 13" macbook I had no "space" issues with it being there.

This is an absolutely terrible design change, and i have no idea why they did it.

I submitted a radar. I'm sure its a black hole, but I submitted it nonetheless.

>This is an absolutely terrible design change, and i have no idea why they did it.

As noted above, Apple tends to on again/off again features in the tools just for the sake of it. Xcode isn't the only example, look at Photos... Death by a thousand changes, when only a handful over time were actually improved new features.

More about changing the landscape so the manager thinks they've done real work, where anything different gets passed off as progress, even if it means putting something back the last engr. just took out, while bulking the resume in the bargain, than it is about fine-tuning existing tools, genuinely making them better, earning a loyal user base in the bargain - they seem to think that it helps to keep users on their toes if they change the furniture on a regular basis, relying on some sort of stumbling 'discovery process' to promote learning, squelching hard earned workflow habits that might lead to...ghaa ..stagnated curiosity.

Heaven forbid they build trust in the tools, instead. Let's reap discord - keeps the louts on their toes.

Hello! I didn't really use Xcode for a year so I missed the change in Xcode 10... I just discovered this horrible change in Xcode 11 beta. I guess the voices against it in the bug report as a suggestion were not enough in number :/

For what it worth, I just sent my voice against it yesterday with the Feedback Assistant.