Step Into Xcode

Book excerpt: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Xcode Mac OS Development Environment Every copy of Mac OS X comes with Xcode, the powerful development suite that Apple uses to build applications ranging from Safari to iTunes. But because Xcode is complex and subtle, even experienced Mac programmers rarely take full advantage of it. Now, Mac developer Fritz Anderson has written the definitive introduction and guide to using Xcode to build applications with any Macintosh technology or language. Anderson helps you master Xcode's powerful text editor, industry-standard gcc compiler, graphical interactive debugger, mature UI layout and object linkage editor, and exceptional optimization tools. One step at a time, you'll develop a command-line utility, then use Xcode tools to evolve it into a full-fledged Cocoa application. Anderson provides expert guidance on development frameworks, source code management, Core Data modeling, localization, and much more. Coverage includesUnderstanding Xcode workflow and the Mac OS X application lifecyclePorting established legacy projects into XcodeUsing the Model-View-Controller design pattern to build robust graphical applicationsBuilding static libraries and working with Xcode's build systemMaking the most of bundles and package directoriesCreating applications compatible with older versions of Mac OS X Creating universal binaries to run on both Intel and PowerPC MacintoshesAdding Spotlight searchability to data filesLeveraging Xcode's built-in support for unit testingUsing Xcode on makefile-based UNIX development projects "Step Into Xcode"'s breadth, depth, and practical focus make it indispensable to every Mac developer: current Xcode users upgrading to Xcode 2.1, experienced Mac programmers migrating from CodeWarrior, UNIX/Linux programmers moving to Mac OS X, and even novices writing their first programs or scripts.