XCode Warning: "/* within block comment" - ios

I really like to temporary enable and disable code parts by commenting them this way:
/*
some code
/**/
(Mind the
/**/
instead of
*/
at the end)
However, XCode keeps giving me the warning:
/* within block comment
Is there any way to "custom-disable" specific warnings?
WHY? I will tell you why: Because I can easily take it in and out with only one character, without having to scroll down the block to take the "*/ in and out.

When I want to temporarily remove a block of code I use:
#if 0
somecode();
#endif
Which avoids this issue and is easy to spot later.
If I want to later temporarily re-enable that code, then I simply flip the 0 to 1:
#if 1
somecode();
#endif
However if this enable/disable needs to be more visible, and easier to control, then I use a constant defined at the top of the source file instead:
#define SOME_FANCY_FEATURE 1
...
#if SOME_FANCY_FEATURE
somecode();
#endif // SOME_FANCY_FEATURE

I found a very nice alternative to:
/*
some code
/**/
You can just use this variant:
/*
some code
//*/
to achieve the same goal without any Xcode warnings!

The real answer for me (just disabling an XCode warning, without changing any line in legacy code) is here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/21046102/540639
Apple LLVM 6.0 Custom Compiler Flags -> Other Warning Flags -> -Wno-comment

Related

how to conditionally compile swift according to the branch [duplicate]

In C/C++/Objective C you can define a macro using compiler preprocessors.
Moreover, you can include/exclude some parts of code using compiler preprocessors.
#ifdef DEBUG
// Debug-only code
#endif
Is there a similar solution in Swift?
Yes you can do it.
In Swift you can still use the "#if/#else/#endif" preprocessor macros (although more constrained), as per Apple docs. Here's an example:
#if DEBUG
let a = 2
#else
let a = 3
#endif
Now, you must set the "DEBUG" symbol elsewhere, though. Set it in the "Swift Compiler - Custom Flags" section, "Other Swift Flags" line. You add the DEBUG symbol with the -D DEBUG entry.
As usual, you can set a different value when in Debug or when in Release.
I tested it in real code and it works; it doesn't seem to be recognized in a playground though.
You can read my original post here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: -DDEBUG=1 doesn't work. Only -D DEBUG works. Seems compiler is ignoring a flag with a specific value.
As stated in Apple Docs
The Swift compiler does not include a preprocessor. Instead, it takes advantage of compile-time attributes, build configurations, and language features to accomplish the same functionality. For this reason, preprocessor directives are not imported in Swift.
I've managed to achieve what I wanted by using custom Build Configurations:
Go to your project / select your target / Build Settings / search for Custom Flags
For your chosen target set your custom flag using -D prefix (without white spaces), for both Debug and Release
Do above steps for every target you have
Here's how you check for target:
#if BANANA
print("We have a banana")
#elseif MELONA
print("Melona")
#else
print("Kiwi")
#endif
Tested using Swift 2.2
In many situations, you don't really need conditional compilation; you just need conditional behavior that you can switch on and off. For that, you can use an environment variable. This has the huge advantage that you don't actually have to recompile.
You can set the environment variable, and easily switch it on or off, in the scheme editor:
You can retrieve the environment variable with NSProcessInfo:
let dic = NSProcessInfo.processInfo().environment
if dic["TRIPLE"] != nil {
// ... do secret stuff here ...
}
Here's a real-life example. My app runs only on the device, because it uses the music library, which doesn't exist on the Simulator. How, then, to take screen shots on the Simulator for devices I don't own? Without those screen shots, I can't submit to the AppStore.
I need fake data and a different way of processing it. I have two environment variables: one which, when switched on, tells the app to generate the fake data from the real data while running on my device; the other which, when switched on, uses the fake data (not the missing music library) while running on the Simulator. Switching each of those special modes on / off is easy thanks to environment variable checkboxes in the Scheme editor. And the bonus is that I can't accidentally use them in my App Store build, because archiving has no environment variables.
A major change of ifdef replacement came up with Xcode 8. i.e use of Active Compilation Conditions.
Refer to Building and Linking in Xcode 8 Release note.
New build settings
New setting: SWIFT_ACTIVE_COMPILATION_CONDITIONS
“Active Compilation Conditions” is a new build setting for passing conditional compilation flags to the Swift compiler.
Previously, we had to declare your conditional compilation flags under OTHER_SWIFT_FLAGS, remembering to prepend “-D” to the setting. For example, to conditionally compile with a MYFLAG value:
#if MYFLAG1
// stuff 1
#elseif MYFLAG2
// stuff 2
#else
// stuff 3
#endif
The value to add to the setting -DMYFLAG
Now we only need to pass the value MYFLAG to the new setting. Time to move all those conditional compilation values!
Please refer to below link for more Swift Build Settings feature in Xcode 8:
http://www.miqu.me/blog/2016/07/31/xcode-8-new-build-settings-and-analyzer-improvements/
As of Swift 4.1, if all you need is just check whether the code is built with debug or release configuration, you may use the built-in functions:
_isDebugAssertConfiguration() (true when optimization is set to -Onone)
_isReleaseAssertConfiguration() (true when optimization is set to -O) (not available on Swift 3+)
_isFastAssertConfiguration() (true when optimization is set to -Ounchecked)
e.g.
func obtain() -> AbstractThing {
if _isDebugAssertConfiguration() {
return DecoratedThingWithDebugInformation(Thing())
} else {
return Thing()
}
}
Compared with preprocessor macros,
✓ You don't need to define a custom -D DEBUG flag to use it
~ It is actually defined in terms of optimization settings, not Xcode build configuration
✗ Undocumented, which means the function can be removed in any update (but it should be AppStore-safe since the optimizer will turn these into constants)
these once removed, but brought back to public to lack of #testable attribute, fate uncertain on future Swift.
✗ Using in if/else will always generate a "Will never be executed" warning.
Xcode 8 and above
Use Active Compilation Conditions setting in Build settings / Swift compiler - Custom flags.
This is the new build setting for passing conditional compilation flags to the Swift compiler.
Simple add flags like this: ALPHA, BETA etc.
Then check it with compilation conditions like this:
#if ALPHA
//
#elseif BETA
//
#else
//
#endif
Tip: You can also use #if !ALPHA etc.
There is no Swift preprocessor. (For one thing, arbitrary code substitution breaks type- and memory-safety.)
Swift does include build-time configuration options, though, so you can conditionally include code for certain platforms or build styles or in response to flags you define with -D compiler args. Unlike with C, though, a conditionally compiled section of your code must be syntactically complete. There's a section about this in Using Swift With Cocoa and Objective-C.
For example:
#if os(iOS)
let color = UIColor.redColor()
#else
let color = NSColor.redColor()
#endif
isDebug Constant Based on Active Compilation Conditions
Another, perhaps simpler, solution that still results in a boolean that you can pass into functions without peppering #if conditionals throughout your codebase is to define DEBUG as one of your project build target's Active Compilation Conditions and include the following (I define it as a global constant):
#if DEBUG
let isDebug = true
#else
let isDebug = false
#endif
isDebug Constant Based on Compiler Optimization Settings
This concept builds on kennytm's answer
The main advantage when comparing against kennytm's, is that this does not rely on private or undocumented methods.
In Swift 4:
let isDebug: Bool = {
var isDebug = false
// function with a side effect and Bool return value that we can pass into assert()
func set(debug: Bool) -> Bool {
isDebug = debug
return isDebug
}
// assert:
// "Condition is only evaluated in playgrounds and -Onone builds."
// so isDebug is never changed to true in Release builds
assert(set(debug: true))
return isDebug
}()
Compared with preprocessor macros and kennytm's answer,
✓ You don't need to define a custom -D DEBUG flag to use it
~ It is actually defined in terms of optimization settings, not Xcode build configuration
✓ Documented, which means the function will follow normal API release/deprecation patterns.
✓ Using in if/else will not generate a "Will never be executed" warning.
My two cents for Xcode 8:
a) A custom flag using the -D prefix works fine, but...
b) Simpler use:
In Xcode 8 there is a new section: "Active Compilation Conditions",
already with two rows, for debug and release.
Simply add your define WITHOUT -D.
Moignans answer here works fine. Here is another piece of info in case it helps,
#if DEBUG
let a = 2
#else
let a = 3
#endif
You can negate the macros like below,
#if !RELEASE
let a = 2
#else
let a = 3
#endif
In Swift projects created with Xcode Version 9.4.1, Swift 4.1
#if DEBUG
#endif
works by default because in the Preprocessor Macros DEBUG=1 has already been set by Xcode.
So you can use #if DEBUG "out of box".
By the way, how to use the condition compilation blocks in general is written in Apple's book The Swift Programming Language 4.1 (the section Compiler Control Statements) and how to write the compile flags and what is counterpart of the C macros in Swift is written in another Apple's book Using Swift with Cocoa and Objective C (in the section Preprocessor Directives)
Hope in future Apple will write the more detailed contents and the indexes for their books.
XCODE 9 AND ABOVE
#if DEVELOP
//print("Develop")
#elseif PRODUCTION
//print("Production")
#else
//
#endif
There are some processors that take an argument and I listed them below. you can change the argument as you like:
#if os(macOS) /* Checks the target operating system */
#if canImport(UIKit) /* Check if a module presents */
#if swift(<5) /* Check the Swift version */
#if targetEnvironment(simulator) /* Check envrionments like Simulator or Catalyst */
#if compiler(<7) /* Check compiler version */
Also, You can use any custom flags like DEBUG or any other flags you defined
#if DEBUG
print("Debug mode")
#endif
After setting DEBUG=1 in your GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS Build Settings I prefer using a function to make this calls:
func executeInProduction(_ block: () -> Void)
{
#if !DEBUG
block()
#endif
}
And then just enclose in this function any block that I want omitted in Debug builds:
executeInProduction {
Fabric.with([Crashlytics.self]) // Compiler checks this line even in Debug
}
The advantage when compared to:
#if !DEBUG
Fabric.with([Crashlytics.self]) // This is not checked, may not compile in non-Debug builds
#endif
Is that the compiler checks the syntax of my code, so I am sure that its syntax is correct and builds.
![In Xcode 8 & above go to build setting -> search for custom flags
]1
In code
#if Live
print("Live")
#else
print("debug")
#endif
func inDebugBuilds(_ code: () -> Void) {
assert({ code(); return true }())
}
Source
This builds on Jon Willis's answer that relies upon assert, which only gets executed in Debug compilations:
func Log(_ str: String) {
assert(DebugLog(str))
}
func DebugLog(_ str: String) -> Bool {
print(str)
return true
}
My use case is for logging print statements. Here is a benchmark for Release version on iPhone X:
let iterations = 100_000_000
let time1 = CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent()
for i in 0 ..< iterations {
Log ("⧉ unarchiveArray:\(fileName) memoryTime:\(memoryTime) count:\(array.count)")
}
var time2 = CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent()
print ("Log: \(time2-time1)" )
prints:
Log: 0.0
Looks like Swift 4 completely eliminates the function call.
Swift 5 update for matt's answer
let dic = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment
if dic["TRIPLE"] != nil {
// ... do your secret stuff here ...
}

Access Environment Variables from Swift [duplicate]

In C/C++/Objective C you can define a macro using compiler preprocessors.
Moreover, you can include/exclude some parts of code using compiler preprocessors.
#ifdef DEBUG
// Debug-only code
#endif
Is there a similar solution in Swift?
Yes you can do it.
In Swift you can still use the "#if/#else/#endif" preprocessor macros (although more constrained), as per Apple docs. Here's an example:
#if DEBUG
let a = 2
#else
let a = 3
#endif
Now, you must set the "DEBUG" symbol elsewhere, though. Set it in the "Swift Compiler - Custom Flags" section, "Other Swift Flags" line. You add the DEBUG symbol with the -D DEBUG entry.
As usual, you can set a different value when in Debug or when in Release.
I tested it in real code and it works; it doesn't seem to be recognized in a playground though.
You can read my original post here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: -DDEBUG=1 doesn't work. Only -D DEBUG works. Seems compiler is ignoring a flag with a specific value.
As stated in Apple Docs
The Swift compiler does not include a preprocessor. Instead, it takes advantage of compile-time attributes, build configurations, and language features to accomplish the same functionality. For this reason, preprocessor directives are not imported in Swift.
I've managed to achieve what I wanted by using custom Build Configurations:
Go to your project / select your target / Build Settings / search for Custom Flags
For your chosen target set your custom flag using -D prefix (without white spaces), for both Debug and Release
Do above steps for every target you have
Here's how you check for target:
#if BANANA
print("We have a banana")
#elseif MELONA
print("Melona")
#else
print("Kiwi")
#endif
Tested using Swift 2.2
In many situations, you don't really need conditional compilation; you just need conditional behavior that you can switch on and off. For that, you can use an environment variable. This has the huge advantage that you don't actually have to recompile.
You can set the environment variable, and easily switch it on or off, in the scheme editor:
You can retrieve the environment variable with NSProcessInfo:
let dic = NSProcessInfo.processInfo().environment
if dic["TRIPLE"] != nil {
// ... do secret stuff here ...
}
Here's a real-life example. My app runs only on the device, because it uses the music library, which doesn't exist on the Simulator. How, then, to take screen shots on the Simulator for devices I don't own? Without those screen shots, I can't submit to the AppStore.
I need fake data and a different way of processing it. I have two environment variables: one which, when switched on, tells the app to generate the fake data from the real data while running on my device; the other which, when switched on, uses the fake data (not the missing music library) while running on the Simulator. Switching each of those special modes on / off is easy thanks to environment variable checkboxes in the Scheme editor. And the bonus is that I can't accidentally use them in my App Store build, because archiving has no environment variables.
A major change of ifdef replacement came up with Xcode 8. i.e use of Active Compilation Conditions.
Refer to Building and Linking in Xcode 8 Release note.
New build settings
New setting: SWIFT_ACTIVE_COMPILATION_CONDITIONS
“Active Compilation Conditions” is a new build setting for passing conditional compilation flags to the Swift compiler.
Previously, we had to declare your conditional compilation flags under OTHER_SWIFT_FLAGS, remembering to prepend “-D” to the setting. For example, to conditionally compile with a MYFLAG value:
#if MYFLAG1
// stuff 1
#elseif MYFLAG2
// stuff 2
#else
// stuff 3
#endif
The value to add to the setting -DMYFLAG
Now we only need to pass the value MYFLAG to the new setting. Time to move all those conditional compilation values!
Please refer to below link for more Swift Build Settings feature in Xcode 8:
http://www.miqu.me/blog/2016/07/31/xcode-8-new-build-settings-and-analyzer-improvements/
As of Swift 4.1, if all you need is just check whether the code is built with debug or release configuration, you may use the built-in functions:
_isDebugAssertConfiguration() (true when optimization is set to -Onone)
_isReleaseAssertConfiguration() (true when optimization is set to -O) (not available on Swift 3+)
_isFastAssertConfiguration() (true when optimization is set to -Ounchecked)
e.g.
func obtain() -> AbstractThing {
if _isDebugAssertConfiguration() {
return DecoratedThingWithDebugInformation(Thing())
} else {
return Thing()
}
}
Compared with preprocessor macros,
✓ You don't need to define a custom -D DEBUG flag to use it
~ It is actually defined in terms of optimization settings, not Xcode build configuration
✗ Undocumented, which means the function can be removed in any update (but it should be AppStore-safe since the optimizer will turn these into constants)
these once removed, but brought back to public to lack of #testable attribute, fate uncertain on future Swift.
✗ Using in if/else will always generate a "Will never be executed" warning.
Xcode 8 and above
Use Active Compilation Conditions setting in Build settings / Swift compiler - Custom flags.
This is the new build setting for passing conditional compilation flags to the Swift compiler.
Simple add flags like this: ALPHA, BETA etc.
Then check it with compilation conditions like this:
#if ALPHA
//
#elseif BETA
//
#else
//
#endif
Tip: You can also use #if !ALPHA etc.
There is no Swift preprocessor. (For one thing, arbitrary code substitution breaks type- and memory-safety.)
Swift does include build-time configuration options, though, so you can conditionally include code for certain platforms or build styles or in response to flags you define with -D compiler args. Unlike with C, though, a conditionally compiled section of your code must be syntactically complete. There's a section about this in Using Swift With Cocoa and Objective-C.
For example:
#if os(iOS)
let color = UIColor.redColor()
#else
let color = NSColor.redColor()
#endif
isDebug Constant Based on Active Compilation Conditions
Another, perhaps simpler, solution that still results in a boolean that you can pass into functions without peppering #if conditionals throughout your codebase is to define DEBUG as one of your project build target's Active Compilation Conditions and include the following (I define it as a global constant):
#if DEBUG
let isDebug = true
#else
let isDebug = false
#endif
isDebug Constant Based on Compiler Optimization Settings
This concept builds on kennytm's answer
The main advantage when comparing against kennytm's, is that this does not rely on private or undocumented methods.
In Swift 4:
let isDebug: Bool = {
var isDebug = false
// function with a side effect and Bool return value that we can pass into assert()
func set(debug: Bool) -> Bool {
isDebug = debug
return isDebug
}
// assert:
// "Condition is only evaluated in playgrounds and -Onone builds."
// so isDebug is never changed to true in Release builds
assert(set(debug: true))
return isDebug
}()
Compared with preprocessor macros and kennytm's answer,
✓ You don't need to define a custom -D DEBUG flag to use it
~ It is actually defined in terms of optimization settings, not Xcode build configuration
✓ Documented, which means the function will follow normal API release/deprecation patterns.
✓ Using in if/else will not generate a "Will never be executed" warning.
My two cents for Xcode 8:
a) A custom flag using the -D prefix works fine, but...
b) Simpler use:
In Xcode 8 there is a new section: "Active Compilation Conditions",
already with two rows, for debug and release.
Simply add your define WITHOUT -D.
Moignans answer here works fine. Here is another piece of info in case it helps,
#if DEBUG
let a = 2
#else
let a = 3
#endif
You can negate the macros like below,
#if !RELEASE
let a = 2
#else
let a = 3
#endif
In Swift projects created with Xcode Version 9.4.1, Swift 4.1
#if DEBUG
#endif
works by default because in the Preprocessor Macros DEBUG=1 has already been set by Xcode.
So you can use #if DEBUG "out of box".
By the way, how to use the condition compilation blocks in general is written in Apple's book The Swift Programming Language 4.1 (the section Compiler Control Statements) and how to write the compile flags and what is counterpart of the C macros in Swift is written in another Apple's book Using Swift with Cocoa and Objective C (in the section Preprocessor Directives)
Hope in future Apple will write the more detailed contents and the indexes for their books.
XCODE 9 AND ABOVE
#if DEVELOP
//print("Develop")
#elseif PRODUCTION
//print("Production")
#else
//
#endif
There are some processors that take an argument and I listed them below. you can change the argument as you like:
#if os(macOS) /* Checks the target operating system */
#if canImport(UIKit) /* Check if a module presents */
#if swift(<5) /* Check the Swift version */
#if targetEnvironment(simulator) /* Check envrionments like Simulator or Catalyst */
#if compiler(<7) /* Check compiler version */
Also, You can use any custom flags like DEBUG or any other flags you defined
#if DEBUG
print("Debug mode")
#endif
After setting DEBUG=1 in your GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS Build Settings I prefer using a function to make this calls:
func executeInProduction(_ block: () -> Void)
{
#if !DEBUG
block()
#endif
}
And then just enclose in this function any block that I want omitted in Debug builds:
executeInProduction {
Fabric.with([Crashlytics.self]) // Compiler checks this line even in Debug
}
The advantage when compared to:
#if !DEBUG
Fabric.with([Crashlytics.self]) // This is not checked, may not compile in non-Debug builds
#endif
Is that the compiler checks the syntax of my code, so I am sure that its syntax is correct and builds.
![In Xcode 8 & above go to build setting -> search for custom flags
]1
In code
#if Live
print("Live")
#else
print("debug")
#endif
func inDebugBuilds(_ code: () -> Void) {
assert({ code(); return true }())
}
Source
This builds on Jon Willis's answer that relies upon assert, which only gets executed in Debug compilations:
func Log(_ str: String) {
assert(DebugLog(str))
}
func DebugLog(_ str: String) -> Bool {
print(str)
return true
}
My use case is for logging print statements. Here is a benchmark for Release version on iPhone X:
let iterations = 100_000_000
let time1 = CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent()
for i in 0 ..< iterations {
Log ("⧉ unarchiveArray:\(fileName) memoryTime:\(memoryTime) count:\(array.count)")
}
var time2 = CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent()
print ("Log: \(time2-time1)" )
prints:
Log: 0.0
Looks like Swift 4 completely eliminates the function call.
Swift 5 update for matt's answer
let dic = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment
if dic["TRIPLE"] != nil {
// ... do your secret stuff here ...
}

Operator 'defined' requires an identifier ios

I've below code in my project dlog should print the values in console if isConsoleLogActive is YES.
It gives error like Operator 'defined' requires an identifier
#if defined ([Util isConsoleLogActive])// Operator 'defined' requires an identifier in this line
#define DLog(...) NSLog(__VA_ARGS__)
#define DTrace() NSLog(#"%s", __PRETTY_FUNCTION__)
#else
#define DLog(...) /* */
#define DTrace() /* */
#endif
if I use the same code([Util isConsoleLogActive]) in my .m it works perfectly fine. I face this issue only in #define
What could be the issue. Please give me some idea.
The various commands that start with # are preprocessor directives. These get executed before the compilation phase at build time, before your application actually executes. You should use the preprocessor directives to conditionally include different code in your application based on build configuration. The preprocessor, however, is the wrong way to handle conditional execution on a specific platform at runtime; for that, you want your standard "if...else" logic.
If your goal with that statement is to determine if the given selector exists, try respondsToSelector, instead.
Result of
[Util isConsoleLogActive]
is not known at compile-time. So you can not use it with '#if defined'.

Turn logging to lldb console off (Socket IO framework for iOS)

I am using pkyeck / socket.IO-objc framework. It is very good, however I am unable to debug with the verbose logs it produces to the lldb, which makes the console constantly full with descriptions about traffic, which are useless to me at the moment. I couldn't find a way how to turn it OFF. Anybody knows how to do it? I just can't imagine myself commenting out all the lines with NSLog...
Found the solution. It is rather undesired to tinker with the source code of the framework - usually it is a good practice to take it AS-IS but since there wasn't any other way...
In the file SocketIO.m, locate line numbers 32 - 39:
#define DEBUG_LOGS 1
#define DEBUG_CERTIFICATE 1
#if DEBUG_LOGS
#define DEBUGLOG(...) NSLog(__VA_ARGS__)
#else
#define DEBUGLOG(...)
#endif
Naturally, everybody now knows what comes next - change the value of DEBUG_LOGS to 0.
That's it, done. I recommend adding a //TODO: to the line above in order not to forget for the next time, when debugging logs are desired.

Sequence of execution when loading xib?

I have been programming on iOS for almost six months now, using xibs left and right, but i am still unaware how loading process works...
What i mean, i have view controller and push button to open new modal view controller. From that point onwards how are things done. Is init method first called, then xib created, outlets connected and then nib loaded?
Is there any good article or book that explains this in details?
this maybe not answer your question the way like you want,
but i recommend you to find it out yourself.
How? see the text above.
use XLog() in case of NSLog()
paste the code above in your prefix.pch file
put in every method you want an XLog() statement and see, which methods are called firstly.
XLog() is a better way of NSLog(). In console you can see the Line numbers and the methodnames where the log is called. this should help you out to understand the way of loading nibs.
#define DEBUG 1
//#define RELEASE 1
#ifdef DEBUG
// Debug definitions
#define DEBUG_MODE
#define XLog(fmt, ...) NSLog(#"%s line:%d " fmt, __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, __LINE__, ##__VA_ARGS__)
#else
#ifndef RELEASE
#error DEBUG or RELEASE need to be #defined
#endif
// Release definitions
#define RELEASE_MODE
#define XLog(...)
#endif

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