Max’s Blog … LOL!!!: entry

As most of you know, I’m a real heavy Cocoa-noob (Mac-programming language). I’m totally new to this C-based world and I am really eager to learn using it. I’m currently reading a book explaining me the basics of C/C++ … um? Didn’t I learn in school that learning from books ain’t the way to go? Yeah! I’ve stopped reading the book by now, I was happy that I started it because it really gave me the basic basics - but the deeper and more complicated the coding got, I said to myself, stop!
Having first learnt AppleScript, I’ve realized that C ain’t too different, so I thought why not go straight ahead and code something real. :-D

Over-eagerly I tried to modify the lovely Sparkle framework to suit some of my own needs (setting Sparkle to just update without asking). It was quite a damp shock - I failed!

Now, how would I best learn this god-damn stuff? The easiest way is to learn by doing - that’s what teachers, parents and friends say all the time (so it must be true). My Famside partner (ey Jay!) speaks a.k.a. types Cocoa and so I’ll get him started into making some app ideas I had for real. Alongside him coding, I’ll hopefully learn his tricks and be off coding around as well.

The Resource

Though, why did I call this post the “The Cocoa Res?” It’s a resource! I found that the movement into the Mac Developer community was quite hard - hard to find tricks, tutorials and open-source frameworks. So I thought I’ll just make it easier for those wanting to do the same.

This post is simply a collection of great tutorials, tricks and all the things I didn’t find put together in a nutshell. :-D

The Blogs I Read

Reading the blogs of those who are experts at Cocoa & Co. is the best way to find out new things. Start off by subscribing and flicking through the long archives of these blogs:

• Cabel Sasser, the guy behind Panic, tends to move his topics to Japanese fun-parks and american food rather than explaining how he makes his great apps. LOL
• Wil Shipley blogs at Call Me Fishmeal. Support bloggers rights!
• Cocoia Blog is the home of the best icon-designer around. Sebastiaan de With blogs about interface, icons, his job-offerings from Apple and lot’s of other stuff…
• Jonas Rask is another great icon-designer.
• Matt Gemmell has a definite must-read blog for anything related to open-source code.
• Sean Patrick O’Brien is known for his interface-pimps. Sadly, he takes a bit longer at feeding us with bits of his knowledge - but if he does, it’s previous as gold.
• Scott Stevenson has his blog Theocacao and he just knows how to develop apps on a Mac.
• Max Karreth has a super-cool blog as well. :-P

Other blogs covering Cocoa stuff can be found on the right-hand-side of the CocoaDevCentral site.

Tuts/Sessions

Short and easy for the tutorials. Check out CocoaDev (I think Steven Frank founded it), CocoaDevCentral, CocoaBuilder and of course Apples mismanaged site for stuff oriented around developing on a mac (Duh).

My number one choice for … um, learning? … are the video-taped Dev-Sessions. They are so informative that I just can’t get enough of them. So let’s list some of these sessions:

• CocoaHeads was my most recent discovery. Great videos, especially the UI Design one by Scott.
• Rentzsch’s C4 is a collection of very long videos with great speakers. Again, great tips and real humor with Cabel’s presentation.
• The WWDC Sessions on iTunes have just tons and tons and tons of videos.

Finally, some interface and icon-design links. Though - watch out here! The things done in these links are not everyones thing (I’m talking about the icon-design). They require you to be somewhat “creative” otherwise they’ll be no use to you. LOL :-D

• IconResource is a collection of videos teaching you the basics of icon-design. I’ve reviewed this resource costing 95€ right here (I can’t believe I’m still linking through “here”).
• PSDTuts is the ultimate resource for all sorts of Photoshop tutorials.
• MacThemes and Aqua-Soft are a good place to talk about interface hijacks.

The stuff that has it’s source opened

Open-source might not be everyones thing - but I think they are valuable if it comes to getting your apps ready (especially if it’s your first one). Took me ages to find these things!

• Sparkle is a framework to automatically update your apps.
• BGHUDAppKit is a fantastic framework which gives you the HUD style to nearly all your objects. Thanks BinaryMethods!
• PotionStore is a sexy backend-powered online application (Ruby- and Postgresql-based) that allows you to sell your apps. Host it with MediaTemple otherwise your gonna have fun sorting out a hell of a lot of bugs. :-D
• AquaticPrime is a framework to secure your shareware app. Sadly enough, it uses license files rather than registration codes, which is why I ain’t using it.
• SS_PrefsController is one of Matt’s very handy frameworks. This one allows you to get this cool and tabbed preference window style (basically the thing you see in every preference window).
• iLifeControls and the HMBLk AppKit can give you the Leopard/iLife and HUD look for Tiger apps.
• DanishRoyalty is a set of 96 icons that can be used in your commercial apps (freely).

To conclude this all off, Cocoa is a great thing and making apps for the Mac just rocks. Learning it is probably the thing that’s the most fun about it. With such a complex language your always learning and I bet even the very masters at Cocoa are still finding out new things all the time…

Puh! I think this is it for now (rather short ending here). Drop me your thoughts about this post in the comments section below. I hope you’ve enjoyed it (let me know if you have or haven’t).