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Leopard Reference Library
Cocoa is an object-oriented application environment designed for developing Mac OS X native applications. The Cocoa frameworks support rapid development and high productivity. Cocoa provides developers starting new Mac OS X projects the fastest way to full-featured implementations. Applications from other platforms can also be brought to Mac OS X quickly using Cocoa.

A guided introduction and learning path for developers new to Cocoa.   Essential information for developers using Objective-C.   Objective-C API references organized by framework.
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Slider Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa sliders.
User Experience Guides 2006-10-03
CarbonQuartzComposer_TV (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to integrate Cocoa based QuartzComposer window into a Carbon based application
Graphics & Imaging, Porting Sample Code 2006-10-02
Embedding Hyperlinks in NSTextField and NSTextView (HTML)
QA1487: Shows how a Cocoa app can embed a hyperlink inside both NSTextField and NSTextView using NSAttributedString.
Text & Fonts, User Experience Technical Q&As 2006-10-02
ImageBackground (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to draw an image in the background of an NSOutlineView and NSTableView.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Sample Code 2006-10-02
NSMutableSet Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a mutable unordered collection of distinct elements.
Data Management Reference 2006-09-19
Using AppleScript Scripts in Cocoa Applications (HTML)
TN2084: Explains how to work with AppleScript scripts in your Cocoa application.
Scripting & Automation, User Experience Technical Notes 2006-09-19
Disabling and Enabling an NSTextView (HTML)
QA1461: Shows how a Cocoa application can disable and enable an NSTextView.
Text & Fonts, User Experience Technical Q&As 2006-09-11
Quartz2DBasics (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Carbon and Cocoa sample code demonstrating some basic usage of the Quartz 2D API
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-09-11
Sheet Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa sheets.
User Experience Guides 2006-09-05
Speech Synthesis Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes speech synthesis in Mac OS X and explains how your application can produce customized spoken output.
User Experience Guides 2006-09-05
Tagging Handle and Pointer Data References in QuickTime (HTML)
TN1195: The use of data reference extensions used by QuickTime to tag handle and pointer data references.
QuickTime Technical Notes 2006-08-30
NSValidatedUserInterfaceItem Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for a control to respond to requests regarding automatic enabling and disabling.
Objective-C Language Reference 2006-08-29
ABIdentityPicker Class Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the identity picker, a dialog or sheet used to select groups and people for Identity Services.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-08-23
NSPredicate Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of logical conditions.
Data Management Reference 2006-08-16
StickiesExample (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Contains sample code and tools used by Sync Services Tutorial to demonstrate debugging syncing applications.
Apple Applications, Syncing, User Experience Sample Code 2006-08-08
Application Architecture Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the architecture of a Cocoa application and how it interacts with the operating system.
Design Guidelines Guides 2006-08-07
QCFundamentals (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates Coordinate, Interpolation, and Iterative systems in Quartz Composer with an amusing animation
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-08-07
QCGalaxy (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates use of Particle Systems and Core Image Filters in Quartz Composer
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-08-07
ABPresence (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Displays a list of all the people in your Address Book and their iChat status.
Apple Applications, Interapplication Communication Sample Code 2006-08-04
SayIt (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Web Kit plug-in which speaks text passed via JavaScript
Internet & Web Sample Code 2006-08-04
Watcher (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Uses FSEvents to monitor a directory hierarchy to keep track of its total size
File Management Sample Code 2006-08-04
WebKitDOMElementPlugIn (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
A Web Kit plug-in that modifies its own DOM element style
Internet & Web Sample Code 2006-08-04
Dicey (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Dicey is a dice game project that demonstrates various techniques for making a Cocoa application accessible.
Accessibility, Events & Other Input Sample Code 2006-08-01
DynamicProperties (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates dynamically resolved properties, using a new Objective C 2.0 feature: dynamically resolved methods.
Objective-C Language Sample Code 2006-08-01
How to create a Cocoa Disclosure Button Control (HTML)
QA1485: Explains how to create a disclosure button control in Cocoa, not immediately available in Interface Builder.
User Experience Technical Q&As 2006-08-01
LiveVideoMixer3 (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
LiveVideoMixer3 is extended to support Video In via QTKit
Graphics & Imaging, QuickTime Sample Code 2006-08-01
MethodReplacement (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates an Objective C 2 compatible way to replace a method in an existing Objective C class.
Objective-C Language Sample Code 2006-08-01
NSURLClient Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the deprecated class replaced by the classes NSURLConnection and NSURLDownload.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-08-01
QTKitButtonTester (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to use the QTMovieView methods for hiding and showing the buttons in the movie controller bar.
QuickTime Sample Code 2006-08-01
QTKitThreadedExport (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to export a QTMovie on a background thread.
QuickTime Sample Code 2006-08-01
QTNoStepsDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to subclass QTMovieView to override its default behaviors.
QuickTime Sample Code 2006-08-01
TrackFormatDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to get a human-readable, localized description of a track's format.
QuickTime Sample Code 2006-08-01
WritableFileDemo (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to create an empty, writable file associated with a QTMovie object.
QuickTime Sample Code 2006-08-01
PDF Annotation Editor (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use PDF Kit to examine, edit, and create PDF annotations.
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-07-31
PDF Calendar (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use PDF Kit to create PDF content.
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-07-31
AttachAScript (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Illustrates how you can extend any Cocoa application by adding some AppleScripts to it.
Interapplication Communication Sample Code 2006-07-27
SimpleCalendar (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Uses the Calendar Store framework to fetch iCal events and display them on a custom calendar.
Apple Applications Sample Code 2006-07-27
Address Book Constants Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the constants found in the Address Book framework.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-07-26
Address Book Data Types Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data types and constants found in the Address Book framework.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-07-26
CarbonCocoaCoreImageTab (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Carbon-based application creates a Cocoa-based web window which used CoreImage filters to transition between tabbed WebViews
Graphics & Imaging, Internet & Web Sample Code 2006-07-25
Software Delivery Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to distribute and install Mac OS X software using PackageMaker and Installer.
Tools, User Experience Guides 2006-07-24
NSCoder Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the abstract class that provides the basis for archiving.
Data Management Reference 2006-07-23
Going Universal: Audio Developers Catch the Wave (HTML)
Learn how audio developers who built universal binaries of their applications are reaping the benefits.
Audio, Porting Articles 2006-07-18
Application Kit Release Notes (10.4 and Earlier) (HTML)
Design Guidelines Release Notes 2006-07-17
GLSLShowpiece (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
GLSLShowpiece demonstrates several Vertex and Fragment shaders
Games, Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2006-07-17
NSFetchRequestExpression Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a Core Data fetch request as an expression.
Data Management Reference 2006-07-16
Security Interface Framework Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C API for creating views and dialogs relating to authorization, certificates, and keychains.
General, Security Reference 2006-07-14
SFAuthorizationPluginView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class an authorization plug-in uses to display a custom view within the Apple-supplied authorization views.
Security Reference 2006-07-14
Find By Content Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes the legacy C API for performing relevance-ranked searches. Replaced by Search Kit.
Data Management, Text & Fonts, User Experience Reference 2006-07-13
NSTreeNode Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a tree node in an object model.
Data Management Reference 2006-07-13
NSFetchedPropertyDescription Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a fetched property of an entity in a Core Data managed object model.
Objective-C Language Reference 2006-07-11
NSRelationshipDescription Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a relationship in a Core Data schema.
Objective-C Language Reference 2006-07-11
ISyncFilter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Syncing Reference 2006-07-07
ISyncRecordSnapshot Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Syncing Reference 2006-07-07
NSCompoundPredicate Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of logical gate and comparison operations.
Data Management Reference 2006-07-04
ISyncChange Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Syncing Reference 2006-06-30
Code Size Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for reducing the size of an application binary.
Performance Guides 2006-06-28
Drag and Drop Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to implement drag and drop in Cocoa.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication, User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
Memory Usage Performance Guidelines (HTML) (PDF)
Guidelines for improving the performance of memory-related code.
Performance Guides 2006-06-28
NSCloseCommand Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to close a scriptable object or objects--typically a document or window.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-06-28
NSMutableAttributedString Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a mutable character string with attributes.
Data Management, Text & Fonts Reference 2006-06-28
NSRelativeSpecifier Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to specify an object in a collection by its position relative to another object.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-06-28
NSSpecifierTest Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to apply a test to compare a specified object to another object.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-06-28
NSToolbarItem Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a single item in a window's toolbar.
User Experience Reference 2006-06-28
NSURLCredential Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a credential used to authenticate a URL load request.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2006-06-28
NSWhoseSpecifier Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to specify every object in a container that matches a defined condition.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-06-28
Online Help (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to add help to a Cocoa application.
User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
Outline View Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa outline views.
User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
Printing Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support printing in Cocoa applications.
Graphics & Imaging, Printing Guides 2006-06-28
Scroll View Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to use scroll views in Cocoa applications.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
Text System User Interface Layer Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to implement the main, high-level interface to the Cocoa text system.
Text & Fonts, User Experience Guides 2006-06-28
Using the QTKit Framework (HTML)
Learn how the QuickTime Kit works and how to use it in your application.
QuickTime Articles 2006-06-19
Developing Games on Mac OS X Using Third-Party Game Engines (HTML)
Create your own game using the powerful game engines that run on Mac OS X.
Games Articles 2006-06-05
ABActionDelegate Protocol Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the informal protocol for populating the rollover menus of Address Book with custom items.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
ABImageClient Protocol Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to handle images loaded from an asynchronous fetch from ABPerson objects.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
ABPeoplePickerView Class Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to customize the behavior of people-picker views in an application's user interface.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
ABSearchElement Class Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to specify a search query for records in the Address Book database.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
AddressBook Functions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the functions and function-like macros found in the Address Book framework.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
Animation Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to use Cocoa animation objects to enhance user interface transitions.
Graphics & Imaging Guides 2006-05-23
Application Kit Data Types Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data types defined in the Application Kit framework not described in individual classes.
Objective-C Language Reference 2006-05-23
Byte-Order Utilities Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes Core Foundation byte-order functions.
Intel-Based Macs Reference 2006-05-23
CIColor Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions to support Cocoa color information.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2006-05-23
DOMHTMLFrameElement Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API added to the DOMHTMLFrameElement class to facilitate communication between WebKit and the DOM API.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
DOMHTMLIFrameElement Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API added to the DOMHTMLIFrameElement class to facilitate communication between WebKit and the DOM API.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
DOMHTMLObjectElement Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API added to the DOMHTMLObjectElement class to facilitate communication between WebKit and the DOM API.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
InstantMessage Constants Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the constants found in the Instant Message framework.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
InstantMessage Data Types Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data types found in the Instant Message framework.
Apple Applications Reference 2006-05-23
NSAppleEventManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to work with Apple event handler routines and to suspend and resume event handling.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-05-23
NSAppleScript Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions to the NSAppleScript class to provide syntax-highlighted script source.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-05-23
NSArchiver Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a class that encodes objects into an architecture-independent format.
Data Management Reference 2006-05-23
NSChangeSpelling Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for correcting a misspelled word.
Text & Fonts Reference 2006-05-23
NSClassDescription Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for information about the relationships and properties of a class.
Data Management Reference 2006-05-23
NSClipView Class Objective-C Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that contains and scrolls the document view of a scroll view.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2006-05-23
NSCloneCommand Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to clone a scriptable object or objects.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2006-05-23
NSCoder Application Kit Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions for converting archived NXColor objects into NSColor objects.
Data Management, Resource Management Reference 2006-05-23
NSCoding Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for archiving.
Data Management Reference 2006-05-23
NSComboBox Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a control for entering text or selecting from a pop-up list of items.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSComboBoxCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the text field that provides the user interface for NSComboBox objects.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSComboBoxCellDataSource Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving data requests from an NSComboBoxCell object.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23
NSComboBoxDataSource Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving data requests from an NSComboBox object.
User Experience Reference 2006-05-23