What is a Delegate

[OpenMySrcCode]

Hi, I'm learning cocoa for mac os x (Favorite platform, least favorite dev library/language) and I've googled and asked a million times on IRC what a delegate is but no one seems to be able to explain it well (not even the hillegass book). Can anyone explain them well enough that a kid could understand?

 

[xstep]

I put your exact question into Google and came up with the official Apple answer; Delegates and Data Sources.

 

[OpenMySrcCode]

I've read that 10 times already
I still don't get it. if I hadn't read that or if I hadn't researched it, I wouldn't be asking, I'd be researching.... please give me a little credit. There is a head on my shoulders. What is a delegate, what are the steps to using a delegate, how does a delegate work, why should I use delegates over subclassing? why are delegates important period? someone... EXPLAIN THIS TO ME, PLEASE! I've read the hillegass book, I've read apple's answer and I've asked on four IRC channels... no one can really give me a satisfying answer to these questions.

 

[xstep]

I was attempting to write a (hopefully) good answer, but unfortunately I currently don't have the time to write an article, and I can't think up a good short response. There is nothing to say my response would be any better than what you received in the past. So...

If you haven't found these yet, there are at least two discussions in the past on the Apple Cocoa-Dev List. They are Delegates, and Delegates -- WHAT is delegated?.

This video might be helpful if you haven't seen it yet.

Good luck. I appreciate your frustration.