Xcode: Provide Warnings if App might Crash on devices with previous iOS version

Originator:oliver.drobnik
Number:rdar://13436964 Date Originated:March 16, 2013
Status:Duplicate/7184689 Resolved:
Product:Developer Tools Product Version:4.6
Classification:Enhancement Reproducible:Always
 
Compiling with "Latest SDK" allows developers to make use of new functionality in the latest SDKs, but if the deployment target allows for execution on earlier iOS versions then there are many scenarios where usage of new functionality or even constants might lead to a crash.

The IDE should detect scenarios where the developer forgot add the appropriate checks if functionality exists (e.g. respondsToSelector) and point out code where a crash is inevitable.

That such functionality is possible is proven by a newly released app called Deploymate (http://www.deploymateapp.com) which scans an Xcode project and flags such problems.

From personal experience I can say that even though we developers KNOW about having to check for these scenarios and also test on older supported iOS versions it DOES happen and the result is always embarrassment for having shipped an app that crashes. By baking such a tool into the Xcode IDE it would save us this embarrassment.

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