Inside Macintosh: Programmer's Guide to MacApp /

Chapter 1 -
MacApp Overview

This chapter introduces the MacApp class library and provides a high-level overview of a MacApp application. It also provides a brief summary of the programming features MacApp supports, as well as a description of the sample applications distributed with MacApp.

MacApp is an object-oriented application framework designed to help create robust Macintosh applications. MacApp provides basic components every Macintosh program needs, while it shields the developer from some of the complexity of the Macintosh Operating System.

Because MacApp makes it easier to build an application, you can rapidly create complex prototypes, greatly enhancing your ability to develop new algorithms and test their performance. You can concentrate on your areas of expertise while still creating applications that follow the Macintosh human interface guidelines.

MacApp is a mature product, created through the efforts of many skilled Apple engineers. Developers have used MacApp to create hundreds of commercial applications. Tools from multiple vendors ensure that MacApp applications can be built with a variety of compilers and development systems. The result is a powerful class library that is thoroughly tested, widely used, and well documented.

Note

For brevity, the terms MacApp and MacApp class library are used interchangeably.

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Chapter Contents

MacApp's Features

User Interface

Storing and Printing Data

Macintosh Operating System Support

Programming Tasks

MacApp Sample Applications

Types of Macintosh Computers

The Simplest MacApp Application

Other Sample Applications

The Structure of a MacApp Application

Creating a MacApp Application

Defining Subclasses of Key MacApp Classes

Defining Resources to Specify Application Menus

Defining a View Hierarchy to Display the Application's Data

Writing a Main Routine

Processing Events

Direct Dispatching

View Hierarchy Dispatching

Target Chain Dispatching

Apple Event Dispatching

Handling Events

Handling an Event With a Command Object

The Command Queue

Event and Command Classes

Event-Handling and Command-Handling Classes

The Division of Labor Between Your Code and MacApp

Managing Menus

Processing Menu Commands

Processing Mouse Clicks

Processing Keystrokes

Managing Windows

Reading and Writing Documents

Supporting PowerTalk Mailers

Supporting Scripting

Printing

Supporting Clipboard Operations

Supporting Drag and Drop

Managing Idling