Xcode 8+ Notice

This plugin does not work with Xcode 8 or newer. The Xcode 8 extensions API is unreliable and remains lacking even in Xcode 15. An Xcode 8+ extension will not be released as it would not add any functionality that isn’t there already. The recommended workaround is to set up a Search using selected text shortcut in Dash’s Preferences > General.

If you absolutely must use an extension in Xcode 8+, the Xcode Search and xTextHandler extensions support Dash. I don’t recommend this, as extensions don’t do anything more than what the Search using selected text keyboard shortcut does.

Dash Plugin for Xcode 7 and earlier

Overview

This plugin allows you to use Dash instead of Xcode’s own documentation viewer when using Option-Click (or the equivalent keyboard shortcut) to view the documentation for the selected symbol.

I’m @olemoritz on Twitter.

Usage & Installation

1. Download the source, build the Xcode project and restart Xcode. The plugin will automatically be installed in ~/Library/Application Support/Developer/Shared/Xcode/Plug-ins. To uninstall, just remove the plugin from there (and restart Xcode).
2. To use - Option-Click any method/class/symbol in Xcode’s text editor.
3. If you prefer the keyboard, set up a shortcut in Xcode’s Preferences > Key Bindings for Quick Help for Selected Item or Search Documentation for Selected Text.
4. The plugin can automatically enable/disable docsets (e.g. OS X or iOS) based on what you’re working on. Check out the Automatic Platform Detection section below.

Alcatraz

This plugin can be installed using Alcatraz. Search for OMQuickHelp in Alcatraz.

Automatic Platform Detection

The plugin can use Xcode’s current active scheme to try to guess which docsets it should search, making it very easy to switch between iOS, OS X or even C/C++ projects. It’s recommended that all users try out this feature and report back anything that might be wrong.

To enable automatic platform detection, go to Xcode’s Help > Dash Integration > Enable Dash Platform Detection in Xcode’s menu (after you installed the plugin).

License

Copyright (c) 2012, Ole Zorn
All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
  list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
  this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation
  and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.