Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

Aaron Hillegass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0321213149 | ISBN-13: 978-0321213143 | Edition: 2

According to Apple, "The Cocoa application environment is designed specifically for Mac OS X-only native applications. It is comprised of a set of object-oriented frameworks that support rapid development and high productivity. The Cocoa frameworks include a full-featured set of classes designed to create robust and powerful Mac OS X applications. The object-oriented design simplifies application development and debugging." Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X, 2/e teaches programmers and developers all the tools for Cocoa development. This book has a strong tutorial format and is completely updated for Mac OS X 10.2. The reader is guided through writing five applications and an InterfaceBuilder palette. Each project teaches several new ideas. As a new concept or technique is introduced, the text describes it in detail. This book will cover in depth the following topics: Cocoa: What is it?Where did it come from; ProjectBuilder, Objective-C, Controls, Archiving, Helper Objects, Multiple nibs, Getting and Setting User Defaults, Using Notifications, Custom Views, Responders and Keyboard events, Creating InterfaceBuilder Palettes, NSTimer, Updating Menus, Working with NSTextView and Using Java with Cocoa.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's a reason that a large slice of the open-source movement has defected from running Linux on its laptops to running Mac OS X. The reason is the Unix core that underlies Mac OS X, and the development tools that run on that core. Cocoa makes it easy to create very slick Mac OS X interfaces for software (as well as to create applications in a hurry), and this new edition of Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X does an excellent job of teaching its readers how to put a Cocoa face on top of code (Objective-C code almost exclusively). If you know something about C and/or C++ programming and want to apply your skills to the Mac, this is precisely the book you want.

Author Aaron Hillegass teaches a Cocoa class, and his book reads like a demonstration-driven lecture in a computer lab. That is, the book takes a heavily example-centric approach to its subject, beginning with simple announcement windows and proceeding to cover the more advanced controls and object-oriented features of Cocoa and Objective-C. Throughout, he hops back and forth between descriptions of the goal to be accomplished, listings of the code that does the job, and instructions on how to use the Mac OS X development tools to speed the development process. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to write software for Mac OS X in Objective-C and, especially, with Cocoa. The new edition shows how to use NSUndoManager, add AppleScript capability to an application, do graphics work with OpenGL, and use Cocoa under Linux using GNUstep. As well, all the basic controls and design patterns are covered.

From the Back Cover

The highly acclaimed introduction to Cocoa—recommended most by experienced Mac OS X developers now updated and expanded.

Here's what critics said about the first edition:

"Reading this book is the absolute best way to learn how to harness the power of this amazing technology."
—Andrew Stone, President, Stone Design, www.stone.com

"Make sure this is the first one you pick up. It's the best book for a beginning Cocoa programmer."
—From the review on HyperJeff.net&

"I love this book. The descriptions are clear, the examples logical. Everything a programmer needs to get up to speed on Cocoa."
—Dave Mark, Editor, MacTech Magazine

To help programmers develop applications for Mac OS X, Apple is now giving away XCode, Interface Builder, and the Cocoa frameworks—the tools used to create Safari, GarageBand, Mail, and the iApps. Cocoa® Programming for Mac® OS X, Second Edition, will give you a complete understanding of how to use these tremendously powerful tools and frameworks to write full-featured applications for the Mac.

Guiding programmers through the key features of Cocoa, this book emphasizes design patterns that enable you to predict the behavior of classes you have never used before. Written in a tutorial format, it takes you step-by-step through the creation of six applications and an Interface Builder palette. Each project introduces several new ideas, and as each concept or technique is discussed, the author, drawing on his own extensive experience, shows you the right way to use it.

Updated for Xcode and Mac OS X 10.3, new chapters in this second edition include coverage of OpenGL, AppleScriptability, the undo manager, creating frameworks, and a brief introduction to using GNUstep on Linux.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 2 edition (May 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321213149
• ISBN-13: 978-0321213143
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #811,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Computers & Technology > Apple > Cocoa

More About the Author

Aaron Hillegass worked at NeXT and then Apple before creating Big Nerd Ranch, a training and consulting company that specializes in Mac, iPhone, and Open Source technologies.

He lives in Atlanta, where Big Nerd Ranch teaches most of its classes. These classes have led to the creation of a series of books: The Big Nerd Ranch Guides. These books follow a consistent style that features a hands-on approach and a clear and conversational tone.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, I'm reviewing the 2nd edition, May 4, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I had the pleasure to attend the April 2004 Cocoa programming class at the Big Nerd Ranch. We used a looseleaf version of the final proofs of the 2nd edition of "Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X". Short summary: Excellent.

I have the first edition of the book, so let me summarize some changes:

The book uses Xcode. Cocoa bindings are covered, including key value coding and key value observing. The document architecture is introduced early, and this is coupled to an early discussion of implementing undo. Topics are developed logically and incrementally. The discussion on Java has been dropped, while class notes on OpenGL have been moved into the book.

An early example has been simplified to flatten out the learning curve in the first part of the book. Code examples that are developed in stages now show the new lines of code in BOLD, a vast improvement when you're typing it in.

This book has been refined systematically based on feedback from real students at the BNR classes. This attention to detail really shows.

I recommend the book very highly. My only suggestion would be to use Apples "Objective C Programming Lanaguage" or "Programming in Objective C" (Steve Kochan) as an adjunct to this book if you need a slower introduciton to Objective C.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent but does not cover well bindings..., May 11, 2005

By 

Didier Prophete (san francisco, ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book is simply excellent. It really goes into what cocoa is all about one step at a time. Starting with a very simple app and slowly getting into more complex topics like undo, drag and drop, etc...

It is full of screenshot, so you can easily implement the examples on your own. Everything is neatly detailed, with a lot of 'click here', 'drag this object from here to there' to make sure you are not lost using interface builder.

Of course, don't think that you can go through this book without knowing obj-c. This is NOT an obj-c intro (some people were complaining about this in other reviews !!) Come on... If you want to learn obj-c, simply get 'Programming in Objective-C' by Stephen G. Kochan...

The only problem with this book is that the technology is moving really fast. Apple is really taking care of its developers and introducing new concepts/ideas all the time... So, it makes it hard for any book to really stay up to date...

Two major new technologies not (well) covered in this book are:

1/ Bindings (not well covered)

This second edition has been updated to cover some of the new 10.3 topics/tools, but I don't believe Aaron spend nearly enough time on 'cocoa bindings'. They completely change the way you approach an application and litteraly save you hours by taking care of all the 'glue code'.

CocoaDevCentral has some amazing articles which really show you how powerful bindings can be. Check out this one for instance and see for yourself:

http://cocoadevcentral.com/articles/000080.php

2/ Core Data (too new to be covered)

Core Data, a new Tiger technology is (of course) not covered. Another amazing technology which will help you get rid of a lot of glue code. Again, check these 2 articles on CocoaDevCentral:

http://cocoadevcentral.com/articles/000086.php

http://cocoadevcentral.com/articles/000085.php

Apple keeps amazing me ;-)

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done step by step tutorial, December 7, 2004

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book falls somewhere inbetween Beginner and Intermediate. It's a beginners book in that it assumes no background in Cocoa or Objective-C. It's kind of intermediate in that having at least programming experience in some language will be of great help.

The book does not start with a lot of philosophy, instead it goes through a step-by-step process to wrtie the first application. This is done with some good explanations and a lot of screen shots.

The author is a teacher of Cocoa, and he wrote this book to use in his classes. After writing the firt edition he used it for a couple of years, enough to understand where the problems might lie. Now he's done a second edition based on what he learned in teaching the first book, and the changes that Apple has made in the software.

This book is tutorial, not a reference book. It leads you through the process step by step. Then there is a fairly extensive index so that you can look up points later. Highly Recommended.