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Graphics and imaging on Mac OS X consists of three main developer technologies: Quartz, an advanced drawing engine and windowing environment; OpenGL, an Apple implementation of this 3D graphics industry-standard API; and QuickTime, the cross-platform multimedia technology for handling video, sound, and text.

A guided introduction for developers new to Mac OS X graphics and imaging.   Essential information for developers working with graphics and imaging.   C and Objective-C API references organized by framework.
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Boinx Starts with Sample Code: FotoMagico Is a Powerful Digital Slideshow (HTML)
Starting with Apple sample code, tools and technologies, Boinx wrote FotoMagico in a matter of months.
General, OpenGL Articles 2007-12-11
Leopard Technology Series for Developers: Graphics & Media Overview (HTML)
Describes Leopard's graphics and media capabilities.
General Articles 2007-12-11
Using Python with Quartz 2D on Mac OS X (HTML)
New article on using the Python bindings in Mac OS X to access the Quartz 2D graphics API.
General, Quartz Articles 2007-07-10
Building WingNuts in Xcode with OpenGL: Freeverse Creates a Great Mac-only Game (HTML)
Read how Freeverse created their award-winning Mac-only game, WingNuts 2, using Core Image, Interface Builder, Xcode, and OpenGL.
Games, OpenGL Articles 2007-05-15
Enhance Your Dashboard Widgets with Quartz Composer Compositions (HTML)
Learn to create a composition and embed it easily in your widgets.
Quartz Articles 2007-02-13
Using the ImageIO Framework with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (HTML)
Learn to access image data using ImageIO.
Quartz Articles 2006-11-27
Taking Advantage of PDF Kit in Your Cocoa Application (HTML)
Learn to handle PDF documents in your Cocoa application without writing a lot of custom code.
Cocoa Articles 2006-02-20
Working with Quartz Composer (HTML)
Learn to build a sample composition without having to write code.
Carbon, Cocoa, Quartz Articles 2006-02-13
Taking Advantage of the Accelerate Framework (HTML)
Learn how your application can run on PowerPC- or Intel-based Macs without processor-specific customization.
Performance Articles 2005-10-03
Optimizing OpenGL Data Throughput on Mac OS X (HTML)
Learn how to optimize your OpenGL code to maximize vertex data throughput.
OpenGL, Performance Articles 2005-03-21
Tiger Developer Overview Series: Developing with Core Image (HTML)
Learn how Core Image can help you take your graphics development to the next level.
Carbon, Cocoa, Games, Quartz Articles 2005-03-09
OpenGL Tools for Serious Graphics Development (HTML)
Learn how Apple's best-of-breed OpenGL tools help developers locate, analyze, and debug graphics bottlenecks.
OpenGL, Performance, Tools Articles 2004-02-02
Maximizing Mac OS X Application Performance (HTML)
Learn how to achieve better performance on Mac OS X.
Performance Articles 2003-06-23
Core Animation Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the main components and services of Core Animation.
Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2008-05-06
Animation Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the animation facilities provided by Mac OS X.
Carbon, Cocoa, Games, Quartz Guides 2008-04-08
Image Unit Tutorial (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to write image processing kernels and package them for distribution.
Carbon, Cocoa, Games, Quartz Guides 2008-04-08
Core Animation Cookbook (HTML) (PDF)
Demonstrates common Core Animation tasks.
Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2008-03-11
Font Handling (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the Cocoa font management system and how users select fonts.
Typography Guides 2008-02-08
OpenGL Driver Monitor User Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to view the properties supported by the OpenGL drivers available on the system.
OpenGL, Tools Guides 2008-02-08
OpenGL Profiler User Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to assess the efficiency of an OpenGL application.
OpenGL, Tools Guides 2008-02-08
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.
Typography Guides 2007-12-11
PDF Kit Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces basic PDF concepts and describes how to use PDF Kit to display PDF documents in your application.
Carbon, Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2007-12-11
Quartz 2D Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Quartz 2D. Includes illustrations and sample code.
Carbon, Quartz Guides 2007-12-11
Quartz Composer Custom Patch Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to create custom patches for distribution.
Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2007-12-11
Image Kit Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support browsing, viewing, editing, and processing images.
Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2007-12-04
OpenGL Programming Guide for Mac OS X (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the Apple implementation of OpenGL to create 3D graphics for Cocoa and Carbon applications.
Games, OpenGL Guides 2007-12-04
Cocoa Drawing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa to draw your application's user interface.
Cocoa Guides 2007-10-31
Core Image Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Provides an overview and explains how to use and create image filters and image units.
Carbon, Cocoa, Games, Quartz Guides 2007-10-31
Providing PDF Workflow Options in the Print Dialog (HTML) (PDF)
Installation information and examples, including the use of Automator workflows.
Printing Guides 2007-10-31
Quartz Composer User Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the Quartz Composer development tool to create motion graphics compositions.
Cocoa, Quartz, Tools Guides 2007-07-17
Quartz Composer Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to used the framework to load, play, and control compositions.
Carbon, Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2007-07-11
ATSUI Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to lay out, process, and draw Unicode text.
Carbon, Typography Guides 2007-07-10
Image I/O Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to read and write image data using the Image I/O framework.
Carbon, Cocoa, Quartz Guides 2007-07-02
vImage Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the C programming interface for high-speed vector image processing.
Performance Guides 2007-05-11
Resolution Independence Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Describes resolution independence and how to start updating applications to support high-resolution monitors.
Carbon, Cocoa Guides 2007-05-04
Core Video Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes Core Video concepts and how to obtain and manipulate video frames using the Core Video API.
Video Guides 2007-04-03
QuickTime Movie Creation Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes some of the different ways your application can create a new QuickTime movie.
Video Guides 2007-01-08
Quartz Composer Web Kit Plug-in JavaScript Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for manipulating Quartz Composer compositions in webpages and Dashboard widgets via the Quartz Composer Web Kit Plug-in.
Quartz Guides 2006-12-05
Color Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how applications specify colors and how users choose colors in Cocoa.
Cocoa Guides 2006-10-03
Extending Printing Dialogs (HTML) (PDF)
A guide to developing printing dialog extensions, including basic concepts and a documented Carbon-based sample project.
Printing Guides 2006-10-03
Performance Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the factors that determine performance.
Performance Guides 2006-10-03
Handling Unicode Text Editing With MLTE (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Apple's multilingual text engine.
Typography Guides 2006-09-05
Quartz Programming Guide for QuickDraw Developers (HTML) (PDF)
Provides strategies to help Carbon programmers replace QuickDraw code with Quartz.
Carbon, Quartz Guides 2006-09-05
Printing Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support printing in Cocoa applications.
Cocoa, Printing Guides 2006-06-28
Quartz Display Services Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Shows how to configure and control display hardware using Quartz Display Services.
Carbon, Quartz Guides 2006-06-28
Animation Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to use Cocoa animation objects to enhance user interface transitions.
Cocoa Guides 2006-05-23
Drawing Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for improving the speed of drawing code.
Performance, Tools Guides 2006-04-04
DVD Playback Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use DVD Playback Services to add DVD-Video playback features to applications.
Video Guides 2006-03-08
Mac OS X Printing System Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces Apple's printing architecture. Includes a road map for developing software.
Printing Guides 2006-02-07
QuickTime Compression and Decompression Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the QuickTime data compression and decompression technologies.
QuickTime, Video Guides 2006-01-10
QuickTime Movie Playback Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to open and play QuickTime movies using the Carbon and QuickTime API.
QuickTime Guides 2005-08-11
QuickTime Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces the main concepts and services of QuickTime.
QuickTime, Video Guides 2005-08-11
Color Management Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces basic concepts and defines color spaces.
Carbon, Cocoa, ColorSync Guides 2005-07-07
Creating Printing Presets for iPhoto (HTML) (PDF)
Rules for creating and installing printer-specific collections of settings. Includes a sample file.
Printing Guides 2005-07-07
Using PostScript Printer Description Files (HTML) (PDF)
Information for printer vendors. Includes installing files, PPD/PDE binding, and grouping features.
Printing Guides 2005-07-07
iSight Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Apple iSight video camera and its enhancements.
Hardware & Drivers Guides 2004-10-05
Supporting Printing in Your Carbon Application (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support printing in Carbon applications. Includes creating PDFs and porting from Mac OS 9.
Carbon, Printing Guides 2004-08-31
OpenGL Extensions Guide (HTML)
Information about OpenGL functionality supported in Mac OS X.
Carbon, OpenGL Guides 2003-09-10
Matching Fonts With Font Sync (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information about comparing and identifying fonts based upon their content.
Typography Guides 2003-02-12
Image Views (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa image views.
Cocoa Guides 2002-11-12
CGAffineTransform Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the functions for creating and applying affine transformations.
Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
CGContext Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the functions that create and operate on destinations for drawing operations.
Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
CGDataProvider Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque data type that writes data from a Quartz application.
Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
CGGeometry Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes structures and functions that represent points, rectangles, and sizes.
Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
CGImage Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type for representing image data.
Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
CGPDFPage Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the opaque type that represents a page in a PDF document.
Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
IKImageView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to display images efficiently at the same time it supports image editing.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
Image Capture Applications Reference (HTML)
Describes the API that applications use to communicate with image capture devices such as cameras and scanners.
General, Hardware Reference 2008-04-08
Image Capture Device Modules Reference (HTML)
Describes the API to add support for image capture devices, such as cameras, phones, and scanners, to Mac OS X.
Hardware & Drivers Reference 2008-04-08
QCCompositionRenderer Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the methods for passing and retrieving data from the ports of a composition.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
QCPlugIn Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to write custom patches for Quartz Composer.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2008-04-08
CAAnimationGroup Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that groups multiple animations into a single animation.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2008-03-11
CAOpenGLLayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides a context for rendering OpenGL in a layer.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2008-03-11
NSView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that defines the basic drawing, event-handling, and printing architecture of an application.
Cocoa Reference 2008-03-11
CALayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that defines the basic drawing, timespace, and animation management for Core Animation.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2008-03-10
Apple Type Services for Fonts Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for ATS-based font access and management.
Typography Reference 2007-12-11
CAConstraintLayoutManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides constraint-based relative layout to a layer's sublayers.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
CATextLayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that simplifies rendering text in a layer.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
CIFilter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that processes image data and produces a Core Image image as output.
Cocoa, Games, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
Core Image Filter Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the built-in image processing filters available through Core Image.
Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
Font Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for QuickDraw-based font access and management.
Carbon, Typography Reference 2007-12-11
PDF Kit Reference Collection (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C API for viewing, navigating, and editing PDF content.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAction Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for representing an action in a PDF document.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionGoTo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating the destination of a go-to action in a PDF document.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionNamed Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for working with actions that have defined names, such as "Go back."
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionRemoteGoTo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating the destination of a go-to action that targets another PDF document.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionResetForm Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for getting and clearing fields in a PDF form.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFActionURL Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for managing the URL associated with a URL action.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotation Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describe the class for creating and managing annotations in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationButtonWidget Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating button annotations in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationChoiceWidget Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating pop-up menu and list annotations in a PDF document.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationFreeText Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating free text annotations in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationLine Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating line annotations in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationPopup Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating pop-up menu annotations in a PDF document.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationStamp Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for displaying content to look as if it is "stamped" onto a PDF page.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationText Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating text annotations in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFAnnotationTextWidget Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for manipulating editable text fields in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFDestination Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for describing specific destinations in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for creating and manipulating PDF files.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11
PDFOutline Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for creating and manipulating structure outlines in PDF documents.
Cocoa, Quartz Reference 2007-12-11