2hnemarrow@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (05/12/91)
This summer I want to get started in development for the Mac. I've called
Apple about APDA and they're sending me the application and all that jazz (I'm
supposed to get it next week). In any case, I am quite clueless as to how to
get started otherwise. I have a brief discription of what kind of stuff I want
to do because I know, especially with Apple computers, that different tools
work better for different jobs. I will most likely be programming on a IIsi,
but I may have to move to an SE on occasion.
The type of programming I will be getting into will involve the display of
several pictures out of a choice of hundreds, with text discriptions (e.g., one
might pull out the file on a certain type of guacamole and find the recipe).
It will also involve very application specific spreasheet-type features where
the equations involve objects rather than numbers. Something in the order of
applying different sized air-conditioners to varying sized homes to find the
best match. (I'm really steering away from the specific applications I'm
working on.)
Now, there are several things I need to know before I can really get started.
1) Will I need to buy the Toolbox Refs? (I'm familiar with using the Toolbox,
but I understand the Refs cost a lot of $$$$$)
2) What kinds of things do I need to worry about for programs that work in
both b/w and color (for the newer and older macs). Are there good reference
materials around that would help?
3) What kinds books/source codes exist out there that would help me with the
types of applications I'll be working on? (i.e., loading and saving pictures,
storing formulas, and that sort of thing.)
4) Are there any good Magazines that are dedicated specifically to Mac
programming?
5) What are good compilers for what I intend to do? I was planning on using
MPW, but probably not if I'd have to buy the TBRs (I'm not that financially
endowed at the moment).
6) Is this the right place to post his? If not, a reply that just says "No"
will suffice :)
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<| Thanks.
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2hnemarrow@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.fidonet.org (Jim Spencer) (05/18/91)
2hnemarrow@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes in a message to All You are going to probably get a gob of answers but: -> 1) Will I need to buy the Toolbox Refs? (I'm familiar with using -> the Toolbox, but I understand the Refs cost a lot of $$$$$) You will need to buy at least part of Apple's official reference books, Inside Mac. Starting out, you will need Vols. I, II, and IV and if you are going to do color, Volume V. These are pure references and not to be confused with tutorials. While it would not be ideal, if you have a CDRom, you could simply get a subscription to Apple's quarterly magazine d e v e l o p which comes with a CD on it that has a HyperCard version of the first five volumes called SpInside Mac. A four issue subscription is $30 through APDA. -> 2) What kinds of things do I need to worry about for programs -> that work in both b/w and color (for the newer and older macs). You will need to read and understand the material in the QuickDraw chapters of Inside Mac Vol. I which covers the original black and white graphics (with basic 8 color stuff sort of supported.) You will then need to understand the material in the Color QuickDraw in Volume 5. -> Are there good reference materials around that would help? There are gobs of good references. Inside Mac are the bibles. There are other references from Apple including Technical Notes which are freely available for downloading from a lot of sources. They can also be purchased in paper form and there is a HyperCard stack version both on the d e v e l o p CD's and from a lot of download sites. Also recommended as both reference material and as a sort of readable Inside Macintosh are Stephen Chernicoff's Macintosh Revealed Series in four volumes as well as a lot of tutorial books depending on what language you are going to use. -> 3) What kinds books/source codes exist out there that would help -> me with the types of applications I'll be working on? (i.e., -> loading and saving pictures, storing formulas, and that sort -> of thing.) In particular, Chernicoff's books do a pretty good job on file stuff and color graphics. Apple Developer Technical Services has a set of sample code, DTS Samples, which demonstate various Mac programming themes usually in Pascal and C, sometimes in C++ or Assembler. Again, this code is available on d e v e l o p. ->4) Are there any good Magazines that are dedicated -> specifically to Mac programming? MacTutor is the principle one. You should be able to find at most computer stores or larger magazine stands. -> 5) What are good compilers for what I intend to do? I was planning -> on using MPW, but probably not if I'd have to buy the TBRs (I'm -> not that financially endowed at the moment). If you are not feeling rich and are just starting out, you would probably be best off with either Think C or Think Pascal rather than MPW, both because they are much less expensive and because they are much easier to learn with. At the same time, they are fully capable of producing professional quality programs. MPW is very flexible and gives a chance to use a wide variety of languages but even the simplest of packages (i.e. the shell and one compiler) will cost you twice what you will pay for the Think packages. -> 6) Is this the right place to post his? If not, a reply that -> just says "No" will suffice :) No. :) Try comp.sys.mac.programmer. Good luck. * Origin: White Mailer Test Point (1.0d6) (1:282/22.510)