Xcode 4.x tip: option key directs open action to Assistant editor + direct open

This just came up on twitter so I thought I’d mention it with a few more characters available:  holding down the option key whilst performing an action that will open/show a view in the editor will put that view into the Assistant editor.  Examples:

• option + click on a file in the Project Navigator
• option + select the “Open” button in the File Open dialog
• option + select the “Open” button in the Open Quickly dialog (Cmd-shift+O to get this dialog).
• option + cmd + click on any clickable symbol in source view (method, class, file name, instance var name, most type names, etc)
• option + click on the .h file listed in the documentation pop-over (option click on a symbol in editor to get this).
• option + click on a file listed in Search navigator, Breakpoints navigator, Log navigator, etc.
• option + select a file you navigated to in the jump bar of the main editor.

and so on.  You get the idea.  Very nice Xcode 4 feature.

OOOOH, bonus tip(s)!

1. You can have more than one assistant editor.  The “+” at the top right corner of the Assistant editor adds another.
2. when you use the option + action feature above, add a shift key for real magic – direct where you want the item to open, from current main editor to existing Assistant editor, to a new Assistant editor, to a new window.   This is made available via a small little navigation pop-up HUD style window like this:

Note that you can navigate around in this pop-up HUD with the arrow keys, and command+left/right arrow to move between the windows.  very nice!

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Tags: Xcode programming, Xcode4