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From: Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.fidonet.org (Jim Spencer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Questions for developer type people
Message-ID: <674629203.6@macgate.fidonet>
Date: 18 May 91 03:48:04 GMT
Article-I.D.: macgate.674629203.6
Sender: Uucp@p0.f22.n282.z1.fidonet.org
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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.

 
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