XCode : How to use cmd + x to either cut the current line (if no text is selected) or cut the selected text

Question

Pressing cmd + x without selecting text in other IDEs, cuts the complete line. Same goes for cmd + c which copies, instead of cutting. Otherwise, if some text is selected, only that region is cut.

How do I do this in XCode?

I added the following in the IDETextKeyBindingSet.plist to add cutting line and copying line functionality :

<key>My Custom Commands</key>
<dict>
    <key>Cut Current Line</key>
    <string>selectLine:, cut:</string>
    <key>Copy Current Line</key>
    <string>selectLine:, copy:</string>
</dict>

But obviously binding these to cmd + x (or c) doesn't allow cutting/copying selected region. I understand I can set it to some other keybinding. But, as a force of habit, cmd + x (or c) suits better.

Is there any way to do this? Maybe an extension?

[PS I asked the same question on StackOverflow, but realised, this is more apt place]

Answer 1

That is correct. (Xcode 10)

1. Add the entry for cut line and copy line in the IDETextKeyBindingSet.plist file
2. Save the IDETextKeyBindingSet.plist
3. Restart Xcode
4. Set a key for the new command through xcode > preferences > key bindings > My Custom Commands
5. Resolve conflicts

---

Example: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Frameworks/IDEKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/IDETextKeyBindingSet.plist

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Cut and Copy</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Cut Current Line</key>
        <string>selectLine:, cut:</string>
        <key>Copy Current Line</key>
        <string>selectLine:, copy:</string>
    </dict>
    <key>Duplication</key>
    <dict>
        <key>Duplicate Current Line</key>
        <string>moveToBeginningOfLine:, deleteToEndOfLine:, yank:, insertNewline:, moveToBeginningOfLine:, yank:</string>
        <key>Duplicate Lines</key>
        <string>selectLine:, copy:, moveToEndOfLine:, insertNewline:, paste:, deleteBackward:</string>
        <key>Delete Line</key>
        <string>selectLine:, deleteBackward:</string>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

Xcode keybinding (Cut and Copy):

Xcode conflict resolve (Cut and Copy):

Answer 2

I've found a solution by combining Better Touch Tool and @Francois answer. It's possible to use a single shortcut that inspects the active element and triggers shortcut A if there is some text selected, and shortcut B if there isn't.

This example relies on having associated ⌘x with the native Cut action in Xcode and ⇧⌘x with Cut Current Line in the mentioned answer.

1. In BTT, add an Xcode override (the left panel)
2. Select Keyboard Shortcuts (the top panel)
3. Create a new keyboard shortcut, e.g. ⌘x
4. Add a new block in the right panel, and leave it as "No Action" and selected.
5. Paste this there:

[
  {
    "BTTActionCategory" : 0,
    "BTTIsPureAction" : true,
    "BTTPredefinedActionType" : 330,
    "BTTPredefinedActionName" : "If Condition",
    "BTTIfConditionFormat" : "focused_element_details CONTAINS \"AXSelectedText (W):  \\\"\\\"\"",
    "BTTIfConditionData" : "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_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_ApECkwKVApcCsQK2AtIC1gLfAuoC8gMBAwMDBQMKAyIDJgM8A0EDWQNdA2kDbgNxA3YDjAAAAAAAAAIBAAAAAAAAAGUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOQ",
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTOrder" : 1076
  },
  {
    "BTTActionCategory" : 0,
    "BTTIsPureAction" : true,
    "BTTLayoutIndependentActionChar" : "x",
    "BTTShortcutToSend" : "56,55,7",
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTOrder" : 1077
  },
  {
    "BTTActionCategory" : 0,
    "BTTIsPureAction" : true,
    "BTTPredefinedActionType" : 333,
    "BTTPredefinedActionName" : "Else",
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTOrder" : 1078
  },
  {
    "BTTActionCategory" : 0,
    "BTTIsPureAction" : true,
    "BTTLayoutIndependentActionChar" : "x",
    "BTTShortcutToSend" : "55,7",
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTOrder" : 1079
  },
  {
    "BTTActionCategory" : 0,
    "BTTIsPureAction" : true,
    "BTTPredefinedActionType" : 334,
    "BTTPredefinedActionName" : "END If Condition",
    "BTTEnabled2" : 1,
    "BTTOrder" : 1080
  }
]

The result should look like this:

Here's the value used in the If clause for focused_element_details in case you add it manually:

AXSelectedText (W):  ""

The If block is the same for all shortcuts, so just copy and paste it.