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Reference
Carbon is a set of C APIs offering developers an advanced user interface tool kit, event handling, the Quartz 2D graphics library, and multiprocessing support. Developers have access to other C and C++ APIs, including the OpenGL drawing system and the Mach microkernel.

A guided introduction and learning path for developers new to Carbon.   Essential information for developers using procedural C.   C API references organized by framework.
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ABAddressBook C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for accessing, adding, and removing Address Book records.
Apple Applications 2007-07-08
ABGroup Reference for C (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type used to group Address Book records.
Apple Applications 2003-08-20
ABMultiValue Reference for C (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for accessing Address Book properties with multiple values.
Apple Applications 2003-08-20
ABPerson C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type that encapsulates information about a person in Address Book.
Apple Applications 2006-07-26
ABPicker Reference for C (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the ABPicker opaque type.
Apple Applications 2007-07-20
ABRecord C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type that represents a generic Address Book record.
Apple Applications 2005-04-29
Address Book Actions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Address Book action callbacks.
Apple Applications 2007-07-08
Address Book C Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for supporting and working with Address Book.
Apple Applications 2006-05-23
Address Book Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C functions that support the Carbon API for Address Book.
Apple Applications 2007-07-08
AGL Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Apple graphics library for Carbon applications that use OpenGL.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-10-31
Alias Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for creating and managing persistent references to file system objects.
File Management 2006-12-05
Appearance Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for coordinating the look of the standard Mac OS human interface.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2007-01-23
Apple Event Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for interapplication communication using Apple events.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication, Scripting & Automation 2007-07-13
Apple Game Sprockets Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the programming interface defined by Game Sprockets. Replaced by Quartz Display Services.
Games, Graphics & Imaging 2006-07-13
Apple Help Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for finding and displaying help content using Apple's HTML-based help system.
User Experience 2006-07-12
Apple Type Services for Fonts Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for ATS-based font access and management.
Text & Fonts 2007-12-11
AppleScript Studio Terminology Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the scripting terminology for AppleScript Studio, through version 1.4.
Scripting & Automation, Tools 2007-10-31
Application Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for performing various application-level tasks in a Carbon application. Formerly titled Dock Manager Reference.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2007-10-31
Application Services Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for a number of services--such as Quartz 2D and ATSUI--that are essential to Carbon applications.
General 2007-10-31
Application Services Reference Update (HTML) (PDF)
Summarizes the symbols added to the Application Services framework.
File Management, Graphics & Imaging 2007-07-18
ATSUI Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for rendering Unicode-encoded text with advanced typographic features.
Graphics & Imaging, Internationalization, Text & Fonts 2007-06-28
Audio Codec Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the programming interface for configuring audio codecs and for encoding and decoding audio data.
Audio 2007-10-31
Audio File Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a C programming interface for reading and writing audio files.
Audio, File Management 2007-05-29
Audio Queue Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a high-level programming interface for recording and playing back audio data.
Audio 2008-01-15
Authorization Plug-in Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for implementing an authorization plug-in.
Security 2007-05-15
Authorization Services C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for adding fine-grained control of privileged operations in an application.
Security 2005-11-08
Byte-Order Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes Core Foundation byte-order functions.
Intel-Based Macs 2006-05-23
Carbon Accessibility Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for making Carbon applications accessible to assistive technologies.
Accessibility 2006-02-07
Carbon Event Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for handling events in Carbon applications.
Events & Other Input 2007-10-31
Carbon Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes many fundamental user experience APIs used in Carbon applications.
General 2007-10-31
Carbon Help Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for providing help tags in an application's user interface.
User Experience 2004-03-01
Carbon Printing Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API used by Carbon applications to provide a user interface for printing.
Printing 2007-07-24
Carbon Reference Update (HTML) (PDF)
Summarizes the symbols added to the Carbon framework.
Human Interface Toolbox 2007-07-18
Carbon Result Codes Index (HTML)
An alphabetic list of result codes in the Carbon application environment, with links to their API reference pages.
General
Certificate, Key, and Trust Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for managing certificates, public and private keys, and trust policies.
Security 2005-03-03
CFAttributedString Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for representing an immutable character string and associated set of attributes.
Data Management, Text & Fonts 2005-12-06
CFAttributedString Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for representing an immutable character string and associated set of attributes.
Data Management, Text & Fonts 2005-12-06
CFFileDescriptor Reference (HTML) (PDF)
CFFileDescriptor provides an opaque type to monitor file descriptors for read and write activity via CFRunLoop.
File Management 2007-05-23
CFMutableAttributedString Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for representing a mutable character string and associated set of attributes.
Data Management, Text & Fonts 2005-12-06
CFNetwork Reference Collection (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C APIs for performing a variety network tasks.
Networking 2006-05-23
CGImageProperties Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes property constants for source and destination images.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-10-31
CGL Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for the lowest-level accessible interface for the Apple implementation of the OpenGL graphics system.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-06-28
Code Fragment Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for loading and preparing PEF binaries.
Runtime Architecture 2005-07-07
Collection Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for implementing an abstract data type that stores related pieces of information.
Data Management 2003-04-01
Color Picker Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API used in Classic Mac OS to solicit color choices from users.
Graphics & Imaging 2007-07-02
ColorSync Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for ColorSync, the platform-independent color management system in Mac OS X.
Graphics & Imaging 2005-06-04
Component Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to enable applications to find and use shared code resources.
Runtime Architecture 2006-07-17
Control Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for creating and manipulating Carbon controls.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2007-03-26
Core Endian Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for creating and installing callbacks to byte swap custom data.
Data Management, Intel-Based Macs, Porting 2007-05-29
Core Foundation Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for the Core Foundation framework.
Core Foundation 2007-10-31
Core Image Kernel Language Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the symbols for writing image-processing kernels.
Graphics & Imaging 2008-06-09
Core Printing Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API that provides an abstraction layer for application printing.
Printing 2007-07-24
Core Services Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for many fundamental operating system services.
General 2007-10-31
Core Services Reference Update (HTML) (PDF)
Summarizes the symbols added to the Core Services framework.
General 2007-07-18
Core Text Reference Collection (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API providing text and font services to applications and application environments.
Text & Fonts 2007-12-04
Core Text String Attributes Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the CFAttributedString attributes recognized by Core Text.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-01
Core Text Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text functions and data types that apply to the framework as a whole.
Text & Fonts 2007-04-21
CPlusTest Reference (HTML)
Describes the CPlusTest framework, which provides an API for creating unit tests for C and C++ code.
Tools 2008-04-08
Cryptographic Message Syntax Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for encrypting, signing, and decoding messages using Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS).
Security 2007-10-31
CTFont Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type that represents a font.
Text & Fonts 2007-06-29
CTFontCollection Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to store a collection of font references.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-16
CTFontDescriptor Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a font descriptor.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-30
CTFrame Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a frame containing multiple lines of text.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-01
CTFramesetter Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to generate text frames.
Text & Fonts 2007-04-21
CTGlyphInfo Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to override a font's mapping from Unicode to the glyph ID.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-09
CTLine Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a line of text.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-24
CTParagraphStyle Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent paragraph or ruler attributes in an attributed string.
Text & Fonts 2007-04-21
CTRun Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a glyph run.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-24
CTTextTab Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a tab in a paragraph style.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-01
CTTypesetter Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a typesetter, which performs line layout.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-01
Data Browser Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API used to display data in list or column views similar to the Finder.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2008-04-08
Date, Time, and Measurement Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for manipulating the locale-specific data of the battery-operated clock.
Internationalization 2006-09-29
Debugger Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for standard exception-handling and assertion functions used in Carbon applications.
Performance 2003-01-01
Dialog Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for implementing alerts and dialog boxes.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2007-10-31
Dictionary Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the deprecated C API for using dictionaries in spelling checkers and similar applications. Replaced by Dictionary Services.
Text & Fonts 2007-12-11
Dictionary Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C and C routines that support programmatic access to dictionaries.
Text & Fonts 2007-05-29
Disc Recording Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C and C API for burning audio and data CDs and DVDs.
Audio, File Management 2008-04-08
Disc Recording UI Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the Objective-C and C API for presenting a user interface when burning audio and data CDs and DVDs.
Audio, File Management, User Experience 2008-04-08
Display Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the C API for dynamically changing the arrangement and display modes of attached monitors. Replaced by Quartz Display Services.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience 2007-12-04
Drag Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for dragging objects within the user interface.
Interapplication Communication, User Experience 2006-07-12
Error Handler Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for a Mac OS 9 service that assumes control when certain low-level system errors occur.
Performance 2003-01-01
Event Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the event-handling system created originally for Classic Mac OS and superseded by the Carbon Event Manager.
Events & Other Input 2007-10-31
File Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for basic file management tasks, such as opening and saving files.
File Management 2007-07-13
Find By Content Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for performing relevance-ranked searches. Replaced by Search Kit.
Data Management, Text & Fonts, User Experience 2006-07-13
Finder Interface Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes several C data types used by the Finder to contain information about file system objects.
File Management, Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2006-10-31
Folder Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for finding and accessing directories, including common Mac OS X system locations.
File Management 2006-07-12
Font Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for QuickDraw-based font access and management.
Graphics & Imaging, Text & Fonts 2007-12-11
Fonts Panel Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for providing a Fonts window in a Carbon application.
Graphics & Imaging, Text & Fonts, User Experience 2007-02-26
FontSync Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for content-based font identification and comparison.
Text & Fonts 2002-10-01
Gestalt Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for obtaining information about the operating-system environment.
Resource Management 2007-10-31
GNU C 4.0 Preprocessor User Guide (HTML)
Describes the Apple version of the GNU C 4.0 Preprocessor.
Tools 2007-10-31
GNU C 4.2 Preprocessor User Guide (HTML)
Describes the Apple version of the GNU C 4.2 Preprocessor.
Tools 2008-01-23
GNU C/C++/Objective-C 3.3 Compiler (HTML)
Explains how to use the GNU compilers from the command line.
Tools
GNU C/C++/Objective-C 4.0.1 Compiler User Guide (HTML)
Describes the Apple version of the GNU 4.0.1 compiler.
Intel-Based Macs, Tools 2007-10-31
GNU C/C++/Objective-C 4.2.1 Compiler User Guide (HTML)
Describes the Apple version of the GNU 4.2.1 compiler.
Tools 2008-01-23
HIArchive Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for storing and retrieving data in HIArchives.
Human Interface Toolbox, Interapplication Communication, User Experience 2005-08-11
HIGeometry Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API that defines basic geometric objects for HIToolbox.
Graphics & Imaging, Human Interface Toolbox 2007-06-11
HIObject Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for creating and manipulating human interface objects in Carbon applications.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2005-08-11
HIShape Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Carbon API for manipulating HIShape objects.
Graphics & Imaging, Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2004-06-28
HIToolbar Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for creating and manipulating toolbars in Carbon applications.
Human Interface Toolbox, User Experience 2005-09-08