Smart rename of item in source

bgrommes

One of the most common refactors in other IDEs is to rename a variable or e.g. method by highlighting it and choosing Rename either directly from a context menu or as the first item under Quick Refactorings or similar. I realize you can do a global search and replace in Objo Studio but right clicking on an item and performing a smart global rename for the variable and its definition and other references is muscle memory for me, so I think this would likely be an important feature given that an Objo dev has no real choice of IDE.

Method names, etc., aren't a special case in typical code editors but in Objo you would need to be able to change a name in the relevant place (name textbox for the method or whatever) and have it propagate to all the references (probably after a confirmation prompt, I suppose).

DrScott

Years ago, I was developing a tool for Xojo for detecting "code smells" (and later would have added the ability to refactor that code). Unfortunately, I needed access to the code's syntax tree and symbol table to do the refactoring, and this was impossible for Xojo. I'd love to develop that tool for Objo if it could be integrated by Garry into Objo Studio itself.

Garry

I agree this would be a valuable addition. Renaming is a routine refactoring, and having Studio update the correct references would make it much safer than search and replace.

I've logged Rename symbols and update their references, with detailed implementation notes. I want the same operation to work both from a reference in the source editor and from the relevant name field in Studio, so changing a method's name would also update its callers.

There are some important details to get right: distinguishing unrelated symbols with the same name, handling overloads and inheritance, keeping designer references and event bindings consistent, and preserving unsaved work. Changes spanning multiple sources should offer a preview, conflicts should be explained before anything changes, and the whole rename should be undoable in one step. Comments and ordinary string literals should remain untouched.

@DrScott, your analysis tool idea interests me too. Objo's compiler already exposes useful syntax and semantic information internally. A supported API for third-party analysis and refactoring tools would need separate design work, but building reliable rename support should help establish the foundations for that.

Garry

I’ve now implemented smart symbol renaming for the next release.

You can select a name in the source editor, or place the caret within or immediately after it, then press F2 or choose Rename Symbol... from the context menu or Edit menu. Single-character names work too.

Changing a declaration’s Name field uses the same operation. For example, changing a method’s name and pressing Enter opens a preview that includes its callers. Renaming from a caller also updates the method’s declaration and Name field.

This covers local variables, parameters, methods, properties, constants, events, enums and source types. Studio follows the compiler’s resolved references, so unrelated symbols with the same spelling stay unchanged. Method renames account for the selected overload and any required override/interface relationships.

Before applying the rename, Studio checks the proposed name and conflicts and shows the required changes. Cancellation leaves the rename unapplied, unsaved work is preserved, and the complete rename can be undone and redone as one operation. Relevant Desktop and Web designer references and event bindings are included.

Comments and literal string text remain unchanged. The scope is the open solution, so external callers and arbitrary names supplied through reflection strings still need manual review.

@DrScott, a supported API for third-party analysis and refactoring tools remains separate work. This uses the compiler’s semantic information internally, and I’m still interested in exploring how that could support tools like yours.