Apple Xcode 1.2 targets stability issues

Apple yesterday seeded its developers with Xcode Tools 1.2 build 7K246, a pre-release version of the latest developer tools for Mac OS X v10.3 (Panther). The update ties in a number of bug fixes stemming from developer input and includes an updated IDE, gcc, and various other components, sources said.

"Xcode Tools 1.2 has been targeted at stability issues, many specifically in high-value features that improve speed and workflow robustness," Apple reportedly told testers in seeding notes accompanying the build. The maintenance release will also address areas of the development environment which have recently come under scrutiny by developers such as Zero-Link, fix-and-continue, predictive compilation, symbol coalescing, project importing and PCH.

Along with the 615MB Xcode 1.2 software download, Apple also provided developers with a rough draft of the Xcode 1.2 release notes. The notes reference general improvements to Code Sense, CodeWarrior Project Importer, debugging, documentation accessibility, file editing, and source code management. Additionally, sources noted several improvements to the native build system and compiler interface.

In late June, the company is rumored to introduce a major update to its Xcode development suite when it unveils plans for the next version of Mac OS, version 10.4. The last public release of Xcode was version 1.1.