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From: milne@ics.uci.edu (Alastair Milne)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.pascal
Subject: Re: MAC programming
Message-ID: <17498@adm.BRL.MIL>
Date: 13 Nov 88 07:40:19 GMT
Sender: news@adm.BRL.MIL
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> Is there any book(s) on programming the Macintosh that takes you through
> a *complete* program on the MAC. Explaining how to call resources and using
> the toolbox effectively. I know how to program in C and Pascal but need to know
> how to interface and write MAC applications with the least amount of extra
> information. Many books describe and explain the toolboxes but do not take
> the reader through a whole working MAC program. Is there a book available
> that will explain MAC programming?

     The one I like is still "Macintosh Revealed" by Stephen Chernikoff.  It
     does just what you describe: as it explores each unit and area in the
     ToolBox, it demonstrates its use by building a simple text editor (simple
     by the Mac's standards, at least).  The successive sections are each
     contained in their respective chapters; and at the end, the entire source
     is given.

     This is valuable for showing the protocols or sequences in which 
     the ToolBox expects its routines to be used; and for showing use of the
     toolbox data structures, and what assumptions are made about them.

     A word of caution, though: a *complete* demo of the toolbox would surely
     be prohibitive, as it is very big, with hundreds of routines.  I think
     Chernikoff does a reasonable job exploring the things most people are
     likely to want in everyday work.

     Though I don't have it here with me to check, I believe Pecan Software's
     MacAdvantage manual also contains sample code -- Chernikoff's assumes
     Lisa Pascal, and MacAdvantage assumes UCSD Pascal -- nice to have both
     perspectives.


     Alastair Milne