Open Radar

 
Summary:

The Xcode 4.3 built-in console window behavior seriously blocks my workflow. I have developed a workflow for debugging code over several years using a persistently open, independent console window.

The v4 all-in-one window design is fine for what it is, but it has degraded my user experience with respect to the console.

Expected:

I would like to a future revision of Xcode 4 provide the capability for opening a console window independent of other windows, inspectors or panels in the IDE. T

The independent console window could be positioned independent of other windows in the IDE and that positioning would be persisted across launches.

Actual:

The current shoe-horning of console content into a sliver of screen real estate is maddening. On a 15" display, I have to constantly resize panes, hide inspector panes, etc.; i.e. diddle around with a lot of tedious UI manipulation in order to get adequate space for detailed console messages to be displayed legibly.


The console in a separate tab is not adequate. I am forced to switch visual focus back and forth between inspecting a source code tab and a console tab.

Using a workaround of a separate workspace window just to isolate a console tab is unsavory, especially in light of how easily maintaining a separate console window was in Xcode 3. 

The current UI design easily affords screwing up a console tab in a separate workspace window. One has to pay attention when focused on the designated "console" workspace window to not take any action that would replace the console with other content. I.e. the separate "console" workspace window is just another workspace window. I can easily and inadvertently cause my labeled "Console" window to be filled with non-console content.

Regression:

The Xcode 3 behavior for the console window is what I want as an option in Xcode 4. A menu item/keyboard shortcut that brings up a separate, independently positionable window displaying console content. The window can only display console content. It can be closed and reopened.

When operating in independent console mode, the space in the current all-in-one window formerly occupied by console content would be dedicated solely to displaying debug content (lldb console).