For Mac developers of all levels, Learning Cocoa provides an approachable guide to creating applications using Objective-C and the programming tools built into the new Mac OS X operating system. This efficiently packaged text will help virtually anyone master basic Mac application development. Written by the experts at Apple Computer, Inc., this book sets an admirable standard of clarity for a basic programming tutorial. It begins with the fundamentals of object-oriented programming and Objective-C, the default language used for the Mac platform. Much of the book consists of hands-on exercises for creating a variety of simple Mac applications built on the Cocoa application framework (a rich set of classes that make it simple to create software). Learning Cocoa is not just a source of raw source code; rather, its salient feature is a series of step-by-step guides to working with Mac OS X tools like the Interface Builder and the built-in Apple IDE. From a simple "Hello, World" program and a currency converter to a "Travel Advisor" application (with information on three countries) and a "To Do" application, the book provides exercises that show you all the steps for creating software using a variety of tools. The discussion of the user interface widgets that are available in the Mac OS X is excellent. You will learn how to design interfaces (which are saved to .nib files), and about the Model-View-Controller architecture recommended by Apple for designing reusable and flexible classes. Later in the book, the same classes are reused in a multiple-document version of the Travel Advisor program. Sample code for a custom widget that displays a calendar will show you how to build custom components. Throughout this book, there"s plenty of information on the nuts and bolts of building successful applications for the Mac OS X, especially memory and resource management. There"re also plenty of diagrams and background on the architecture of using Cocoa application framework classes together to create software. Even Mac beginners should benefit from this concise and well-presented text. It will have you writing simple applications fast, while giving you the latest on the classes and tools available on the newest Mac OS X. --Richard Dragan Topics covered: Overview of the Cocoa framework for Mac OS X Object-oriented programming tutorial Objective-C language quick start Mac application development tools (including Project Builder, Interface Builder, and command-line tools) A "Hello, World" application in Cocoa Fundamental Cocoa classes (including collections and controls) Memory and resource management in Cocoa A "Currency Converter" application (including basic GUI programming with Cocoa components) Event-handling basics Using table views and data sources Persistence and "flattening" Cocoa objects A "Travel Advisor" sample application (including the Model-View-Controller architecture) The Cocoa Multiple-Document Architecture A "To Do" scheduling application (including a custom calendar component and timers) Deployment in Cocoa (application settings, icons, and document types) Compiler optimization in Cocoa Reference for basic graphics in Cocoa