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Mac OS X text-manipulation APIs provide basic text input and display as well as text encoding conversions, text-search capabilities, and document summarizations. These APIs also enable sophisticated typography. Developers can, for example, precisely position individual glyphs and lines of text, draw Unicode text at any angle of rotation, kern text, and activate and deactivate fonts.

A guided introduction for developers new to Mac OS X text and fonts.  
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NSSpellChecker Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that gives any application an interface to the Cocoa spell-checking service.
Cocoa 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.
Cocoa Reference 2007-04-27
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.
Cocoa Reference 2006-06-28
NSText Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that declares the most general programmatic interface for objects that manage text.
Cocoa Reference 2008-05-06
NSTextAttachment Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used by the NSAttributedString class cluster as the value for attachment attributes.
Cocoa Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextAttachmentCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that implements the functionality of the NSTextAttachmentCell protocol.
Cocoa 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.
Cocoa Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextContainer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that defines a region where text is laid out.
Cocoa 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.
Cocoa Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextList Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a section of text that forms a single list.
Cocoa 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.
Cocoa Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextTab Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a tab in an NSParagraphStyle object.
Cocoa Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextTable Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that represents a text table as a whole.
Cocoa Reference 2007-04-11
NSTextTableBlock Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to represent a text block that appears as a cell within a text table.
Cocoa Reference 2006-05-23
NSTextView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class instantiated as the front-end, primary user interface object of the Cocoa text system.
Cocoa Reference 2007-04-27
NSTypesetter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the abstract superclass that defines the interface for typesetter objects that perform text line layout.
Cocoa, Typography Reference 2007-03-26
PasteboardPeeker (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Using pasteboards for Copy and Paste, Drag and Drop, service support and filter services.
Carbon 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.
Carbon, Text Manipulation Guides 2005-07-07
QDFlushPortBuffer (HTML) (日本語 HTML)
QD65: Describes a possible solution for window update problems under Carbon.
Carbon Technical Q&As 2000-11-08
Rulers and Paragraph Styles (HTML) (PDF)
Explains paragraph styles and how to work with the rulers that enable users to manipulate them.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2007-09-04
Script Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API that was used for managing writing systems. Replaced by Unicode technology.
Carbon, Text Manipulation 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.
Carbon, Cocoa 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.
Carbon, Cocoa Reference 2006-07-14
SetFontInfoForSelection incorrect prototype (HTML)
QA1375: Describes the incorrect prototyping of the SetFontInfoForSelection API and gives a workaround.
Carbon Technical Q&As 2004-10-04
Sorting Like the Finder (HTML)
QA1159: Shows how to sort strings like the Finder's list view.
Text Manipulation Technical Q&As 2004-10-27
Spell Checking (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the spell-checking facilities in the Cocoa text system.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2004-02-09
String Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create, search, concatenate, and draw strings in Cocoa.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2007-10-18
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.
Carbon, Text Manipulation Guides 2008-03-11
Supporting Unicode Input (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces international text in Mac OS X and lists the tasks an application needs to perform.
Carbon Guides 2005-07-07
Text Attachment Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Expalins how to add graphics and other attachments to text.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2006-12-05
Text Attributes (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to work with attributes, the distinguishing characteristics of rich text.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2004-02-16
Text Editing Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to control the behavior of the Cocoa text system as it performs text editing.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2008-02-08
Text Encoding Conversion Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for transferring text across other platforms or over the Internet.
Carbon, Text Manipulation Reference 2005-07-07
Text Encoding Conversion Manager Release Notes (HTML)
General Release Notes 2005-04-29
Text Fields (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa text fields.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2004-02-09
Text Input and Output (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to read and write text files in Cocoa.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2004-02-10
Text Input Management (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use input servers, input managers, and text views in Cocoa.
Cocoa Guides 2007-02-08
Text Input Source Services Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for operating on text input sources, such as keyboards, character palettes, and ink input.
Carbon, Text Manipulation Reference 2007-06-07
Text Layout Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system lays out text on pages.
Cocoa Guides 2007-12-11
Text Services Manager Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for communicating between client applications and provider modules.
Carbon Reference 2005-11-09
Text System Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system works. Includes a tutorial.
Cocoa Guides 2007-10-02
Text System Storage Layer Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how the Cocoa text system stores the information it needs to lay out text.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2005-08-11
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.
Cocoa Guides 2006-06-28
Text Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API for operating on strings (formatting, sorting, converting, comparing).
Carbon, Text Manipulation Reference 2007-05-29
Text Views (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa text views.
Cocoa, Text Manipulation Guides 2004-02-09
TextEdit Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for text handling and manipulation. Replaced by the Multilingual Text Engine (MLTE).
Carbon Reference 2006-07-13
TextLayoutDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Customizing NSTextView with NSLayoutManager and a custom NSTextContainer.
Cocoa Sample Code 2007-06-01
TextNameTool (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
A command line tool sample illustrating how to use various graphical facilities and services without a login.
Typography Sample Code 2003-10-27
TimeZone.Daylight (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Deprecated - Shows how to read the current location and time zone that is set in Date & Time.
Carbon Sample Code 2003-01-14
TypeServicesForUnicode (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to use various ATSUI functions and features going from simple to very complex.
Carbon 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.
Carbon Guides 2002-12-11
Unicode Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the C API that allows applications and input methods to operate on Unicode text.
Carbon Reference 2006-01-10
Using Ink Services in Your Application (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how Ink Services works and how to customize handwriting recognition.
Carbon, Text Manipulation Guides 2003-07-24