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Reference Library: Text & Fonts
Cocoa is an object-oriented application environment designed specifically for developing Mac OS X-only native applications. The Cocoa frameworks support text input and display, handle fonts, convert text encodings, search text, and perform sophisticated typography.

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Font Handling (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the Cocoa font management system and how users select fonts.
Guides 2008-02-08
Text Editing Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to control the behavior of the Cocoa text system as it performs text editing.
Guides 2008-02-08
Text Layout Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system lays out text on pages.
Guides 2007-12-11
String Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create, search, concatenate, and draw strings in Cocoa.
Guides 2007-10-18
Text System Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system works. Includes a tutorial.
Guides 2007-10-02
Rulers and Paragraph Styles (HTML) (PDF)
Explains paragraph styles and how to work with the rulers that enable users to manipulate them.
Guides 2007-09-04
Attributed Strings Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use attributed strings, which manage attributes of character strings or individual characters.
Guides 2007-06-04
Text Input Management (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use input servers, input managers, and text views in Cocoa.
Guides 2007-02-08
Text Attachment Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Expalins how to add graphics and other attachments to text.
Guides 2006-12-05
Text System User Interface Layer Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to implement the main, high-level interface to the Cocoa text system.
Guides 2006-06-28
Search Kit Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes Search Kit architecture and workflow, and how to add search capabilities to Carbon and Cocoa applications.
Guides 2005-12-06
Text System Storage Layer Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system stores the information it needs to lay out text.
Guides 2005-08-11
Font Panel (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the Cocoa Font panel.
Guides 2004-08-31
Text Attributes (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to work with attributes, the distinguishing characteristics of rich text.
Guides 2004-02-16
Text Input and Output (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to read and write text files in Cocoa.
Guides 2004-02-10
Spell Checking (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the spell-checking facilities in the Cocoa text system.
Guides 2004-02-09
Text Fields (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa text fields.
Guides 2004-02-09
Text Views (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa text views.
Guides 2004-02-09
NSText Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that declares the most general programmatic interface for objects that manage text.
Reference 2008-05-06
Latent Semantic Mapping Reference (HTML)
Describes the C API for classifying text and other token-based content based on latent semantic information.
Reference 2008-04-08
NSAttributedString Application Kit Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes extensions to Foundation's NSAttributedString class that add support for document types, text attributes, and string handling.
Reference 2007-12-04
NSSecureTextFieldCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that implements the user interface of NSSecureTextField.
Reference 2007-10-31
NSSpeechSynthesizer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to parse text into speech.
Reference 2007-07-23
Input Method Kit Reference Update (HTML) (PDF)
Summarizes the symbols added to the Input Method Kit framework.
Reference 2007-07-18
NSFont Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents fonts to an application.
Reference 2007-06-08
IMKInputController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that controls input on the input method side.
Reference 2007-06-06
IMKServer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that manages connections to input method clients.
Reference 2007-06-06
IMKServerInput Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to receive text events.
Reference 2007-06-06
Input Method Kit Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for building input methods for Chinese, Japanese, and other languages.
Reference 2007-06-06
IMKCandidates Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that supports the use of candidate windows for an input method.
Reference 2007-06-05
IMKMouseHandling Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used to receive mouse events for an input method client session.
Reference 2007-06-05
IMKStateSetting Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used to set or access state values for an input method client session.
Reference 2007-06-05
IMKTextInput Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used to send and obtain data from an input method client session.
Reference 2007-06-05
NSSpellChecker Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that gives any application an interface to the Cocoa spell-checking service.
Reference 2007-04-27
NSSpellServer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to make your particular spelling checker a service available to any application.
Reference 2007-04-27
NSTextView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class instantiated as the front-end, primary user interface object of the Cocoa text system.
Reference 2007-04-27
NSLayoutManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that coordinates the layout and display of characters held in an NSTextStorage object.
Reference 2007-04-16
NSTextTable Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a text table as a whole.
Reference 2007-04-11
NSFontManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class instantiated as the controller object for the font conversion system.
Reference 2007-04-06
NSFontPanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that implements the Font panel--a user interface object that displays a list of available fonts.
Reference 2007-04-06
NSFontPanelValidation Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol used to tell the Font panel to display some or all of its elements.
Reference 2007-04-06
NSInputServerMouseTracker Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol implemented by text input servers to handle mouse events.
Reference 2007-04-02
NSInputServiceProvider Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol implemented by text input servers to handle application and text field events.
Reference 2007-04-02
NSInputManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used by text views to communicate with the text input management system.
Reference 2007-04-01
NSInputServer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that interprets text view events and communicates them to the text input management system.
Reference 2007-04-01
NSTypesetter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the abstract superclass that defines the interface for typesetter objects that perform text line layout.
Reference 2007-03-26
NSGlyphInfo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that allows you to override a font's default mapping from Unicode to its glyph ID.
Reference 2007-03-01
Search Kit Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Programming interfaces that support user searching of textual content, supporting query-based and similarity-based searches.
Reference 2006-07-14
Find By Content Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for performing relevance-ranked searches. Replaced by Search Kit.
Reference 2006-07-13
NSATSTypesetter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a concrete subclass of NSTypesetter that places glyphs during text layout.
Reference 2006-07-10
NSAttributedString Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for creating and managing strings that can have sets of attributes associated with specified character ranges.
Reference 2006-06-28
NSMutableAttributedString Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the subclass of NSAttributedString that supports changing characters and attributes in the string.
Reference 2006-06-28
NSString Application Kit Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes extensions to Foundation's NSString class that add support for drawing string objects directly in an NSView.
Reference 2006-06-28
NSChangeSpelling Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the formal protocol implemented by objects that can correct a misspelled word.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSGlyphGenerator Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to perform the initial, nominal glyph generation phase in the text layout process.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSGlyphStorage Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the formal protocol that defines the methods a glyph storage object must implement to interact properly with NSGlyphGenerator.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSIgnoreMisspelledWords Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the formal protocol implemented by text-bearing objects to have the spelling checker maintain a list of words to ignore.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSMutableAttributedString Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes extensions to Foundation's NSMutableAttributedString class that add support for setting text attributes and making them consistent.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSMutableParagraphStyle Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that supports changing the values of the subattributes in an NSParagraphStyle attribute.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSParagraphStyle Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that encapsulates the paragraph or ruler attributes used by the NSAttributedString classes.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSRulerMarker Class Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that displays a symbol, such as a tab setting, on an NSRulerView object.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSRulerView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that displays a ruler and markers adjoining an NSScrollView object's document view.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSSimpleHorizontalTypesetter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the class used for text line layout that has been replaced by NSATSTypesetter.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextAttachment Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used by the NSAttributedString class cluster as the value for attachment attributes.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextAttachmentCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that implements the functionality of the NSTextAttachmentCell protocol.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextBlock Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a block of text laid out in a subregion of a text container.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextContainer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that defines a region where text is laid out.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextInput Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Descibes the formal protocol that text views implement to receive input from the user's keyboard and mouse.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextList Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a section of text that forms a single list.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextStorage Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the semiconcrete subclass of NSMutableAttributedString that defines the storage mechanism for the Cocoa text system.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextTab Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a tab in an NSParagraphStyle object.
Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextTableBlock Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to represent a text block that appears as a cell within a text table.
Reference 2006-05-23
Input Method Kit Release Note (HTML)
Describes an Objective-C framework for building input methods for Chinese, Japanese, and other languages.
Release Note 2007-07-17
TextLayoutDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Customizing NSTextView with NSLayoutManager and a custom NSTextContainer.
Sample Code 2007-06-01
NSFontAttributeExplorer (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to gather and display various metric information for installed fonts using NSFont.
Sample Code 2006-10-26
Frequently Asked Text Services Manager (TSM) Questions (HTML)
TN2128: Regroups a collection of Text Services Manager (TSM) questions frequently asked by Input Method Developers
Technical Note 2005-06-24
Drawing attributed strings that are both filled and stroked (HTML)
QA1531: Describes how the value of NSStrokeWidthAttributeName indicates fill, stroke, or both, in attributed strings.
Technical Q&A 2008-03-25
Connecting the Font Menu in Interface Builder 3 (HTML)
QA1571: How to connect and configure the Font/Format menus in Interface Builder 3.
Technical Q&A 2008-01-21
How do I get the hexadecimal value of an NSColor object? (HTML)
QA1576: Describes how to convert an NSColor object to its Hexadecimal value.
Technical Q&A 2007-12-19
How to make NSTextField accept tab, return and enter keys. (HTML)
QA1454: Describes how to make the NSTextField control accept tab, return and enter keys by using the control's dispatch delegate method.
Technical Q&A 2006-10-09
Disabling and Enabling an NSTextView (HTML)
QA1461: Shows how a Cocoa application can disable and enable an NSTextView.
Technical Q&A 2006-09-11