Many Corona developers — especially those who don’t use Corona Enterprise — tend to view Apple’s Xcode as daunting, overwhelming, and perhaps even a bit scary. However, for iOS/macOS, Xcode is an essential development tool that works alongside Corona’s core (even if you never use the Xcode application, Corona is using it!).
For those who do use Xcode, even just for the simplicity of using its “Devices” window to install Corona-built apps onto your devices, you may be interested in the powerful Corona Plugin for Xcode by Jacob Nielsen.
Corona Plugin for Xcode
The Corona Plugin for Xcode adds a vast array of new features to Xcode, turning it into an easy-to-use, smooth, and efficient editor for Corona projects. With this plugin, you get these features and more:
Edit your pure Lua-based Corona projects directly inside Xcode — no “native” coding or development experience required!
Syntax highlighting for Corona/Lua.
Auto-completion library calls, keywords, constants, etc.
Corona API documentation look-up from selected text.
Snippets declarations, loops, conditions, etc.
Corona project and file templates built into Xcode.
Custom behaviors and keybinding set for Corona.
Plays well with Enterprise too!
This plugin is also a great addition if you are working with Corona Enterprise. In this case, you will achieve an excellent workflow by being able to do both Corona/Lua code and native code side-by-side in Xcode.
Affordable and optimal
The Corona Plugin for Xcode is available for $19.00 in the Corona Marketplace, making it an affordable alternative to higher-priced IDEs — and if you’re a Corona developer using macOS, you already have Xcode (it’s free).
Atop the features listed above, this plugin can simplify your development environment by letting you use one application for editing Corona code, installing/updating apps on devices, and letting you view device-specific debugging output in the Xcode “Devices” window.
No I didn’t manage to implement the debugger yet.
I am planning on investigating the possibilities when I find the time for it.
I guess it should be possible.
(edit: a Corona debugger was added in version 1.5)
Interesting. After five years I still haven’t found an IDE I like for Corona, still using an old one called IndeED because I can’t find one that does the basics as well.
When using MonoDevelop for Unity is a comparative pleasure you know there’s a definite gap in the market…
Does xCode support a list of functions docked to the right side?
It is a single-user license but you can install the plugin on all the Macs you use.
All future updates are included, but I will preserve the right to raise the price if I do a major update - so this will not affect people who already bought the plugin
Regarding updates: since this is a dmg installer the plugin will not update automatically like other plugins in the marketplace.
You will have to manually download the update and install it over the previous version. I will post update news here, so please follow this thread to get notified when an update is available.
Yep, just a simple list of the functions in that file, that you can click on to go straight there. You’d be amazed how many IDEs don’t have this, or if they do, won’t let you move it where you want, or don’t see functions defined by scene:create or m.create.
I’m set in my ways, I need the project file tree on the left, full function list on the right and console log underneath
Yes it has a function navigator. I use it all the time.
It is not located in the right side though.
You can find it by clicking at the selection part under the popup showing on the still above. The shortcut for the popup is ctrl 6. You can use the arrow keys to select a function and hit enter to navigate to it. I prefer not to touch the mouse at all when programming… so it fits my ways
[quote name=“ojnab” post=“357684” timestamp=“1495024341”]@Falcon777 It is a single-user license but you can install the plugin on all the Macs you use. All future updates are included, but I will preserve the right to raise the price if I do a major update - so this will not affect people who already bought the plugin Regarding updates: since this is a dmg installer the plugin will not update automatically like other plugins in the marketplace. You will have to manually download the update and install it over the previous version. I will post update news here, so please follow this thread to get notified when an update is available.[/quote] Noted. Thanks!
Please notice that the Corona Plugin for Xcode has been updated to v.1.3.
Since it is a dmg installer the plugin will not update automatically like other plugins in the marketplace.
You will have to manually download the update and install it over the previous version.
The update contains a couple of fixes:
A bug in the “Import Corona Project” behavior script making it unable to import projects with spaces in path/project folder names.
A workaround for a lua filetype(uti) hijack done by Textwrangler/BBEdit if one of these were installed on the system before the plugin. (Resulting in Xcode not being able to automatically recognise and syntax highlight lua files.)
Thanks to Graham Scott for reporting these issues and helping me test the fixes.
OK, I have to confess that I just discovered this and boy does it make navigation faster in Xcode.
As a FYI, I just installed the plugin on another of my Macs and it worked flawlessly and that one has had a lot of stuff installed previously!
I’m less concerned right now about the debugger, as I don’t use it :). I’m a larger user of either ‘print(x)’ or my own debug function. Not saying thats a better way, but thats how I’ve managed it with Sublime and everything.
I’ll continue using the Xcode plugin as my primary IDE and I’ll let you know if any other issues crop up or ideas for that matter
and boy does it make navigation faster in Xcode.