08-06-2008, 10:09 AM

Ok so here is my story. I am using the older model iMac G5 all in screen thing and am currently running leopard 10.5.2. Im not too sure if this is relevant but you never know!!

When it comes to computer programming i am a complete noob. I havent a clue what i am doing! So im trying to learn C++. Can you help?

I downloaded a tutorial that works through the compiler "bloodshed" but i am using Xcode 3.1 and this is where my problem is. So i open up Xcode. File > New Project > Carbon C++ Standard Application...

There is an attached picture of the window i am looking at. So i click on main.cp thinking that would make the most sense. And i get this

//
// main.cpp
// Untitled
//
// Created by Killian O'Connell on 06/08/2008.
// Copyright Carrigaline Community School 2008. All rights reserved.
//

#include <Carbon/Carbon.h>
#include "TApplication.h"
#include "TWindow.h"

// Our custom application class
class CarbonApp : public TApplication
{
public:

CarbonApp() {}
virtual ~CarbonApp() {}

protected:
virtual Boolean HandleCommand( const HICommandExtended& inCommand );
};

// Our main window class
class MainWindow : public TWindow
{
public:
MainWindow() : TWindow( CFSTR("MainWindow") ) {}
virtual ~MainWindow() {}

static void Create();

protected:
virtual Boolean HandleCommand( const HICommandExtended& inCommand );
};

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
CarbonApp app;

// Create a new window. A full-fledged application would do this from an AppleEvent handler
// for kAEOpenApplication.
MainWindow::Create();

app.Run();
return 0;
}

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boolean
CarbonApp::HandleCommand( const HICommandExtended& inCommand )
{
switch ( inCommand.commandID )
{
case kHICommandNew:
MainWindow::Create();
return true;

// Add your own command-handling cases here

default:
return false;
}
}

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
void
MainWindow::Create()
{
MainWindow* wind = new MainWindow();

// Position new windows in a staggered arrangement on the main screen
RepositionWindow( *wind, NULL, kWindowCascadeOnMainScreen );

// The window was created hidden, so show it
wind->Show();
}

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boolean
MainWindow::HandleCommand( const HICommandExtended& inCommand )
{
switch ( inCommand.commandID )
{
// Add your own command-handling cases here

default:
return false;
}
}


now where the **** am i supposed to start writing code? Also I have no clue about any terminology so speak to me as if im like a 3 year old kid and i might understand you

08-06-2008, 10:58 AM

From what I can gather most development on the Mac in XCode is done in a language called objective C. There is a beginners tutorial here http://www.cocoadevcentral.com/d/learn_objectivec/

Other info here http://www.cocoadevcentral.com/

08-06-2008, 11:52 PM

As you are a new comer to programming, I suggest you start with a scripting language such as PHP or Perl. Realbasic may be an alternative too. My thinking is that you want to keep the environment simple so that you can concentrate on learning the technical basics and thought processes behind programming. This will give grounding for the concepts you'll need to do more complicated projects.

If your goal is to do Mac programming, then you need to ignore C++ and Carbon too. Del linked to a great site but even that may assume some programming experience.

08-07-2008, 07:53 AM

I am a computer science student, so I have done some programming in the past. My main language was C and C++. This summer, I decided I wanted to take the plunge to Mac, so I bought my first MBP and started to learn what "coding for Mac" would mean.
Depending on what you are doing, I highly doubt that you want to create a Carbon application. I would highly recommend you learn a little bit of C (specifically: variables, loops, functions, and pointers) and then move on to learn Objective-C and Cocoa. C++ is ok if you only use a small subset of the functionality, but after a while using it, it gets ridiculously complicated, and it's messy. Also, Objective-C is what makes a Mac a Mac. Mail and Safari were written in Objective-C, and more and more applications will be dropping Carbon in the next couple years.
If you are really serious about learning to code for Mac, may I recommend you get the book Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X (3rd edition). I think you can probably get an e-book of it, but I'm not sure, since I bought my copy only days after it was released.