Read those print() messages in your SwiftUI Previews!! Overlays a resizeable bottom sheet view printed/logged messages over the preview screen

• All print() messages will appear in the console with no code changes other than import of this package.
• The console will only appear in previews, and not in the simulator.
• Where available, you can swipe left on any console message to see the time it was logged
• The list of logged messages is fully scrollable.
• From closed position, drag up or click the handle to view console messages.
• From an open position, click the handle to close, or change the height by dragging the bar.
• The final height of the console will be remembered for when you next open by clicking the handle.
• New messages will trigger autoscroll to the end of the list, as will any resizing of the console.
• Notification of new unseen log messages by subtle bounce animation of the drag handle.
• Different colours are used to display messages of type .debug, .trace, or .info when messages that are called with log() or Log()

N.B. After import, only a tiny amount of code will be added to production release builds. E.g. one line definitions of global functions log, and Log, which, in production code, will both default to no action, and an EmptyView() respectively. After debugging, code containing log messages may thus be safely left in place

Add the following at the top of the file where your preview definition lives: import PreviewConsole

Then, in your preview section, enclose the Preview body with console{ } e.g. ;-

struct ContentView_Previews: PreviewProvider {    
    static var previews: some View {  
        console {
          ContentView()  
        }
    }  
}

An alternative form of console( ContentView() ) is also supported

That's it! A draggable console will now appear in your previews. (and only in your previews )

To log a message to the console, in imperative code you can continue to use print() (as normal?), or use log(_:,_:)
Important: Using print() will continue to produce output in production code, whereas any messages sent to log() will be silenced.

The first parameter is any expression, usually a String. Interpolation is supported.
The second paramter can be omitted, and is used to indicates a log type.
Valid values are .info, .debug, .trace . If not supplied, .debug is defaulted.

e.g.

func complexCalc() -> Int {
    log("About to calculate a tricky number...")
    return 7*6
    log("This line should never be executed \(7*6)", .info )
    log("Oh no, not again", .trace)
}

Different colors will be displayed to the log based on the messageType.

In view / declarative code, you can use the alternate form of log;-

Log(_:,_:) 

which takes the same parameters as above, the second parameter if not supplied will default to .debug An EmptyView() is returned and the text message will appear on the console.

e.g.

struct DeepThought: View {
    var body: some View {
        VStack{ 
            Log("About to show some tricky text")
            Text("Tricky calculation: \(7*6)")
        }   
    }
}

Drag the bar up from the bottom of the screen to see logged messages.
Click the indicator on the console bar header to open/close. (The last open position is remembered)
Swipe left on a log message to see the time it was logged.

Add package from Xcode directly from git. https://github.com/disc0infern0/PreviewConsole

Unforunately I have zero knowledge of these package managers, so you are on your own with these, but since the package is made entirely from two swift files, I'm sure you'll be fine.

If there is interest, and sufficient motivation, I may implement none, one, or more of the following:-

• Settings - To change colors, fonts, and maybe alter various control parameters such as the maximum number of logged messages stored.
• Filters - To filter the console for specific message types
• Search - Find any messages containing supplied text/regular expression.

Copyright (c) 2021 Andrew Cowley. See LICENSE file attached.