Xcode: code loses syntax coloring

Solution 1:

1.) Go to Project --> Build Settings --> Header Search Paths

2.) Add "$(SRCROOT)/**"

3.) Close and reload the project

4.) Go to Xcode --> Window --> Organizer --> Projects --> $YourProject --> Delete Derived Data

5.) Wait a moment until XCode rebuild all indicies

To get more information activate verbose logging:

1.) Increase Xcode log level in Terminal app: defaults write com.apple.dt.Xcode IDEIndexingClangInvocationLogLevel 3

2.) Open Console app. Search for "xcode"

3.) I saw "file not found" errors for header files mentioned in the pch file (therefore the fix above)

Solution 2:

I had the same issue with a project that was fine in Xcode 3 and for which the syntax highlighting and code completion has broken in Xcode 4. It took me the better half of the day to figure it out but I found that the following steps will reproduce / fix the issue 100% for me.

After trying all the aforementioned solutions to no avail, I tried creating the project from scratch and reimporting every file and folder painstakingly. Every time I imported a couple of files I checked and syntax highlighting still worked. Even after the last few of them it still did. Then I hit build which failed because I forgot to include a couple of common header files in the project .pch file that were there in the old project. And that was when CodeSense broke again.

After further investigation we found that if you import a header file that in turn imports the same framework header file than the .pch already does, then CodeSense will break. The same setup did not cause any issues in Xcode 3.

Example:

project.pch

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import "projectConfig.h"

projectConfig.h

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
#import "one.h"
#import "two.h"

So by removing the wholly unnecessary

#import <Foundation/Foundation.h>

directive from the 'projectConfig.h' you can fix the highlighting and code completion will come back for you as well. If your issue is the same as mine that is.

Solution 3:

Just select the file who lost the syntax coloring , press Editor > Syntax Coloring > ( choose your language (Objective c++ for ex) instead of 'Default'

Solution 4:

I have found the best way to regain syntax coloring is just to quit Xcode and re-launch it. I couldn't tell you why, but that works every time.

Solution 5:

I find that the following will often do the trick…

"Reselect" both "Base SDK" - and "Architecture" - in "Build Settings". (CLick on blue project icon in top left, while in "Browser mode", aka ⌘1, then click project settings and mess with the stuff there.

Make sure they all line up / it doesn't hurt to do a little toggly-wogglying up in there, while you're in there… ya know just mix it up a bit. You'll notice xCode has a teensy-tiny mini-stroke - every time you switch between 64 and 32 bit… This is usually when I know if code highlighting is dead for the night, or if I'm good to go.

Often, I will have a project that gets highlighted instantly in 32 bit mode, and just sits there in 64… Who knows.. Ahh, Xcode, you wacky botch.