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Reference Library
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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OS Services Framework Release Notes (HTML)
Security Release Notes 2007-10-31
Performing Privileged Operations With Authorization Services (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to add fine-grained control of privileged operations in an application.
Security Guides 2004-02-01
Secure Coding Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes techniques to use and factors to consider to make your code more secure from attack.
Security Guides 2006-05-23
Secure Transport Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for creating a Secure Sockets Layer session over any transport layer.
Security Reference 2004-08-31
Security Framework Error Codes (HTML)
QA1499: Explains how to interpret errors returned by the Security Framework with an overview of Security error handling.
Security Technical Q&As 2006-11-16
Security Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for protecting information and controlling access to software.
Security Reference 2006-05-23
Security Overview (HTML) (PDF)
An introduction to computer security concepts and the Mac OS X security APIs.
Security Guides 2008-02-08
Security Reference Update (HTML) (PDF)
Summarizes the symbols added to the Security framework.
Security Reference 2007-07-18
SSLSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Contains examples showing how to use SecureTransport.
Security Sample Code 2003-01-14
Uniquely Identifying a Macintosh Computer (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
TN1103: How to identify a specific Macintosh computer.
Security Technical Notes 2006-04-25
Using Secure Event Input Fairly (HTML)
TN2150: Describes the proper use of EnableSecureEventInput.
Security Technical Notes 2007-06-08
SeeMyFriends (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Illustrates how to use SyncServices API in a Carbon (HLTB) based application
Syncing Sample Code 2006-10-16
StickiesExample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Contains sample code and tools used by Sync Services Tutorial to demonstrate debugging syncing applications.
Syncing Sample Code 2006-08-08
Apple Type Services for Fonts Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to access fonts using the ATS-based font management API. Includes implementing the Fonts window.
Text & Fonts Guides 2007-12-11
Apple Type Services for Fonts Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for ATS-based font access and management.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-12-11
ATSUI Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to lay out, process, and draw Unicode text.
Text & Fonts Guides 2007-07-10
ATSUI Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for rendering Unicode-encoded text with advanced typographic features.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-06-28
ATSUICurveAccessDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates low-level ATSUI APIs which allow access to raw glyph curve data.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-01-14
ATSUIDirectAccessDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates some basic manipulations of the ATSUI DirectAccess api.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-01-14
Attributed Strings Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use attributed strings, which manage attributes of character strings or individual characters.
Text & Fonts Guides 2007-06-04
BasicInputMethod (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
An input method implemented as a text service component for Mac OS X.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-01-14
Carbon Core Release Notes (HTML)
Text & Fonts Release Notes 2007-10-31
CFAttributedString Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for representing an immutable character string and associated set of attributes.
Text & Fonts Reference 2005-12-06
CFMutableAttributedString Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for representing a mutable character string and associated set of attributes.
Text & Fonts Reference 2005-12-06
Converting to Precomposed Unicode (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
QA1235: Describes how to convert a string to precomposed Unicode.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2003-02-07
Core Text Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to do text layout and font-related operations using the Core Text programming interfaces.
Text & Fonts Guides 2008-06-09
Core Text Reference Collection (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API providing text and font services to applications and application environments.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-12-04
Core Text String Attributes Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the CFAttributedString attributes recognized by Core Text.
Text & Fonts Reference 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 Reference 2007-04-21
CoreTextArc (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Illustrates the use of fonts, lines, and runs in a CoreText text drawing Carbon application.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2007-06-04
CoreTextTest (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to handle the CoreText objects to display text.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2006-12-19
CTFont Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type that represents a font.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-06-29
CTFontCollection Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to store a collection of font references.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-05-16
CTFontDescriptor Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a font descriptor.
Text & Fonts Reference 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 Reference 2007-05-01
CTFramesetter Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to generate text frames.
Text & Fonts Reference 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 Reference 2007-05-09
CTLine Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a line of text.
Text & Fonts Reference 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 Reference 2007-04-21
CTRun Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a glyph run.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-05-24
CTTextTab Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a tab in a paragraph style.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-05-01
CTTypesetter Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Core Text opaque type used to represent a typesetter, which performs line layout.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-05-01
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 Reference 2007-12-11
Dictionary Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create a dictionary and access it programmatically.
Text & Fonts Guides 2007-05-30
Dictionary Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C and C routines that support programmatic access to dictionaries.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-05-29
DTSCarbonShell (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Provides a modern Mac OS X Carbon Application Skeleton
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2007-09-20
Enumerating fonts with ATS (HTML)
QA1471: Describes the different ATS font enumeration methods
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2006-04-14
Find By Content Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for performing relevance-ranked searches. Replaced by Search Kit.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-07-13
Font Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for QuickDraw-based font access and management.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-12-11
Fonts Panel Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for providing a Fonts window in a Carbon application.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-02-26
FontSync Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for content-based font identification and comparison.
Text & Fonts Reference 2002-10-01
Frequently Asked Text Services Manager (TSM) Questions (HTML)
TN2128: Regroups a collection of Text Services Manager (TSM) questions frequently asked by Input Method Developers
Text & Fonts Technical Notes 2005-06-24
Glyph Access Protocol (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
TN2079: How to support unencoded glyphs using the TSM, ATSUI and Cocoa.
Text & Fonts Technical Notes 2003-05-06
HITextShowcase (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Illustrates some of the different text-related controls, non-controls, and HIViews that are available in Mac OS X 10.3.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-10-27
HITextViewDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Overview of basic HITextView functionality, including Tiger's new font & spelling panel support.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2005-06-01
HITextViewShowcase (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to create a HITextView using Interface Builder and using programming functions only.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-10-30
Improving ATSUI Text Drawing Performance (HTML)
QA1027: Talks about one way of improving ATSUI text drawing performance.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2001-04-17
InkSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates some usage scenarios for the Ink.Framework APIs.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-10-27
Installing input methods on Mac OS X (HTML)
QA1054: Describes how to install and use input methods on Mac OS X.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2001-09-14
Keyboard Layout Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for managing key-to-character mappings used to support various languages.
Text & Fonts Reference 2002-11-18
Locale Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for supporting conventions of a specific language or region.
Text & Fonts Reference 2002-01-24
Locating a Font's Home File (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
Deprecated - TB18: Lists the steps necessary to find the home file of a given font.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 1996-02-15
Losing the character code when using the control key (HTML)
QA1446: Explains why the control key transforms the character code instead of simply setting the appropriate modifier bit.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2006-07-17
Managing Fonts: QuickDraw (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Explains how to use the deprecated QuickDraw-based font-management API replaced by Core Text or ATS.
Text & Fonts Guides 2007-12-11
MLTE_CustomScrolling (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to implement MLTE's custom scrolling functionality
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2004-10-15
MoreIsBetter (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Library providing indispensable wrapers and workarounds for many areas of Mac OS programming.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-10-27
Multilingual Text Engine Frequently Asked Questions (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
TN2026: A list of frequently asked questions for the Multilingual Text Engine (MLTE).
Text & Fonts Technical Notes 2005-09-12
Multilingual Text Engine Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for supporting Unicode text editing.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-02-19
NamingTableAccess (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Digs out the contents of the NamingTable in a TrueType 'sfnt'.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-01-14
Pascal String Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for manipulating Pascal strings in Carbon applications.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-07-12
PasteboardPeeker (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Using pasteboards for Copy and Paste, Drag and Drop, service support and filter services.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2005-08-10
Programming With the Text Encoding Conversion Manager (HTML) (PDF)
Explains character encodings, Unicode conversion, and custom converter plug-ins. Lists encoding variants.
Text & Fonts Guides 2005-07-07
QuickDraw Text Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for measuring and drawing text. Replaced by ATSUI.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-07-13
Script Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API that was used for managing writing systems. Replaced by Unicode technology.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-12-11
Search Kit Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes Search Kit architecture and workflow, and how to add search capabilities to Carbon and Cocoa applications.
Text & Fonts Guides 2005-12-06
Search Kit Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Programming interfaces that support user searching of textual content, supporting query-based and similarity-based searches.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-07-14
SetFontInfoForSelection incorrect prototype (HTML)
QA1375: Describes the incorrect prototyping of the SetFontInfoForSelection API and gives a workaround.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2004-10-04
Sorting Like the Finder (HTML)
QA1159: Shows how to sort strings like the Finder's list view.
Text & Fonts Technical Q&As 2004-10-27
Strings Programming Guide for Core Foundation (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create, manipulate, and search strings in Core Foundation, and how strings interact with encodings and character sets.
Text & Fonts Guides 2008-03-11
StyleFlatteningSample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to use the ATSUFlatten and ATSUUnflatten APIs.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-01-14
Supporting Unicode Input (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces international text in Mac OS X and lists the tasks an application needs to perform.
Text & Fonts Guides 2005-07-07
Text Encoding Conversion Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for transferring text across other platforms or over the Internet.
Text & Fonts Reference 2005-07-07
Text Input Source Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for operating on text input sources, such as keyboards, character palettes, and ink input.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-06-07
Text Services Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for communicating between client applications and provider modules.
Text & Fonts Reference 2005-11-09
Text Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for operating on strings (formatting, sorting, converting, comparing).
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-05-29
TextEdit Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for text handling and manipulation. Replaced by the Multilingual Text Engine (MLTE).
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-07-13
TimeZone.Daylight (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Deprecated - Shows how to read the current location and time zone that is set in Date & Time.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2003-01-14
TypeServicesForUnicode (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to use various ATSUI functions and features going from simple to very complex.
Text & Fonts Sample Code 2005-08-10
Understanding Text Input and the Text Services Manager in Carbon (HTML) (PDF)
Discusses keyboard input, including Unicode, and explains how events are routed and handled.
Text & Fonts Guides 2002-12-11
Unicode Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API that allows applications and input methods to operate on Unicode text.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-01-10
Using Ink Services in Your Application (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how Ink Services works and how to customize handwriting recognition.
Text & Fonts Guides 2003-07-24
AppleScript Studio Release Notes (HTML)
Describes late-breaking news and highlights of new or changed features in the latest release of AppleScript Studio.
Tools Release Notes 2007-10-31
AppleScript Studio Terminology Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the scripting terminology for AppleScript Studio, through version 1.4.
Tools Reference 2007-10-31
Carbon Developer Tools Release Notes (HTML)
Updated for Mac OS X v10.5
Tools Release Notes 2007-10-31
CPlusTest Reference (HTML)
Describes the CPlusTest framework, which provides an API for creating unit tests for C and C++ code.
Tools Reference 2008-04-08
Cross-Development Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to build software for versions of Mac OS X other than the one the development tools are running on.
Tools Guides 2006-11-07
Debugging with GDB (HTML)
Open-source document that explains how to use GDB to debug programs.
Tools Guides 2008-06-19
Fragment Tool (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates manipulation of code fragments; combining and separating; viewing and editing information associated with each.
Tools Sample Code 2003-01-30
GNU C 4.0 Preprocessor User Guide (HTML)
Describes the Apple version of the GNU C 4.0 Preprocessor.
Tools Reference 2007-10-31
GNU C 4.2 Preprocessor User Guide (HTML)
Describes the Apple version of the GNU C 4.2 Preprocessor.
Tools Reference 2008-01-23