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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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NSScriptCommandDescription Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used to provide a description of a script command.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2007-04-10
NSScriptSuiteRegistry Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used as the top-level repository of scriptability information for an application at runtime.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2007-04-10
NSTableDataSource Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving table view data requests.
User Experience Reference 2007-04-10
NSTreeController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that is used with Cocoa bindings to manage a tree of objects.
Data Management, Design Guidelines Reference 2007-04-10
QTRecorder (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to use the new QTKit capture classes introduced in 10.5.
QuickTime Sample Code 2007-04-10
NSArrayController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a Cocoa bindings-compatible manager of an array or set.
Data Management, Design Guidelines Reference 2007-04-09
NSFontManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object for controlling font conversion.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-04-06
NSFontPanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the panel for font selection.
User Experience Reference 2007-04-06
NSFontPanelValidation Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for validating fonts.
User Experience Reference 2007-04-06
NSProxy Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for object surrogates used in distributed messages and lazy instantiation.
Interapplication Communication, Objective-C Language Reference 2007-04-06
Value Transformer Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create and use value transformers, which are used with the Controller Layer.
Data Management Guides 2007-04-06
NSBrowser Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a control for manipulating one- or two-dimensional data sets.
Events & Other Input, User Experience Reference 2007-04-05
NSInputStream Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a read-only data stream.
Data Management, File Management, Networking Reference 2007-04-05
NSSpeechRecognizer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Cocoa command-and-control voice recognition system.
Accessibility, Events & Other Input, User Experience Reference 2007-04-03
IBPlugin Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for managing plug-ins in Interface Builder.
Tools Reference 2007-04-02
Interface Builder Kit Constants Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the constants declared in the Interface Builder Kit framework.
Tools Reference 2007-04-02
Interface Builder Kit Data Types Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data types declared in the Interface Builder Kit framework.
Tools Reference 2007-04-02
NSController Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for controllers used with Cocoa bindings.
Data Management, Design Guidelines Reference 2007-04-02
NSInputServerMouseTracker Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol implemented by text input servers to handle mouse events.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts, User Experience Reference 2007-04-02
NSInputServiceProvider Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol implemented by text input servers to handle application and text field events.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts, User Experience Reference 2007-04-02
NSMetadataQuery Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a Spotlight query for file metadata.
File Management Reference 2007-04-02
NSMetadataQueryAttributeValueTuple Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes metadata query results.
File Management Reference 2007-04-02
NSMetadataQueryResultGroup Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a group of metadata query result objects.
File Management Reference 2007-04-02
NSMovieView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes a deprecated class replaced by QTKit.
QuickTime Reference 2007-04-02
NSNotification Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes information to be broadcast to other objects through a notification center.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication Reference 2007-04-02
NSNotificationQueue Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that asynchronously broadcasts notifications.
Events & Other Input Reference 2007-04-02
PictureTaker (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates the PictureTaker in a basic Cocoa application
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2007-04-02
NSBrowserCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a cell that displays data in a browser.
User Experience Reference 2007-04-01
NSButton Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a control that responds to clicks.
Events & Other Input, User Experience Reference 2007-04-01
NSColorPickingCustom Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving custom color-picker user-interface requests.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2007-04-01
NSDistributedNotificationCenter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that synchronously broadcasts notifications to other tasks.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication Reference 2007-04-01
NSIndexSpecifier Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the position of an object in a collection.
Scripting & Automation Reference 2007-04-01
NSInputManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class used by text views to communicate with the text input management system.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts, User Experience Reference 2007-04-01
NSInputServer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that interprets text view events and communicates them to the text input management system.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts, User Experience Reference 2007-04-01
NSURLConnection Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides support for retrieving data from a server in response to a URL load request.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2007-04-01
NSURLProtocol Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for protocol-specific loading of URL data.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2007-04-01
NSURLRequest Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a request for a resource identified by a URL.
Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2007-04-01
NSMovie Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes a deprecated class replaced by QTKit.
QuickTime Reference 2007-03-26
NSMutableData Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a mutable byte buffer.
Data Management Reference 2007-03-26
NSProcessInfo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the current process.
Interapplication Communication, Process Management, Resource Management Reference 2007-03-26
NSTypesetter Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for typesetter objects that perform text line layout.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-03-26
NSHost Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of a network host.
Networking, Process Management Reference 2007-03-24
NSIndexSet Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an immutable collection of unique unsigned integers.
Data Management Reference 2007-03-24
Including a custom NSWindow in a nib file (HTML)
QA1511: Shows how to create a custom NSWindow and instantiate it in a nib file.
Tools Technical Q&As 2007-03-21
CIContext Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class that provides an evaluation context for rendering a Core Image image through Quartz 2D or OpenGL.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-03-16
ImageBrowser (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates the ImageKit's IKImageBrowserView to browse images in a basic Cocoa application.
Graphics & Imaging Sample Code 2007-03-13
AESendThreadSafe (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to send Apple events from threads other than the main thread.
Interapplication Communication Sample Code 2007-03-09
CallJS (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Illustrates how to call JavaScripts on a web page in a WebView from Objective-C and vice versa
Internet & Web Sample Code 2007-03-09
NSPrintPanelAccessorizing Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for configuring accessory panes for the print panel.
Printing, User Experience Reference 2007-03-09
NSTrackingArea Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a view region used for mouse tracking and cursor updating.
Events & Other Input Reference 2007-03-09
NSMenuItemCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a deprecated class replaced by the NSMenuItem class.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-07
Using the Web Services Core Framework and CFNetwork to Access Remote SOAP Services (HTML)
Learn how to access remote SOAP-based web services that require HTTP Basic or Digest authentication.
Internet & Web, Networking Articles 2007-03-07
NSMutableString Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a mutable character string.
Data Management Reference 2007-03-06
Workspace Services Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the services the workspace class provides to Cocoa applications.
Interapplication Communication Guides 2007-03-06
Availability of Quartz Composer Patches in Web Kit (HTML)
QA1505: Details which Quartz Composer patches are available in Web Kit
Internet & Web Technical Q&As 2007-03-05
NSResponder Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for handling events.
Events & Other Input Reference 2007-03-05
NSStatusBar Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the collection of status items in the menu bar.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-05
NSStatusItem Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a status item in the menu bar.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-05
NSTokenFieldCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a cell used in the conversion of entered text into tokens representing objects.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-05
TrackIt (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use the NSTrackingArea class.
User Experience Sample Code 2007-03-05
NSBezierPath Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a vector-based path consisting of line and curve segments.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-03-02
NSMenuValidation Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for enabling and disabling menu items.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-02
NSPrintOperation Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a print job.
Printing Reference 2007-03-02
AMAction Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the abstract class that defines the interface and general characteristics of Automator actions.
Apple Applications Reference 2007-03-01
NSDraggingDestination Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for objects receiving dragged images.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication Reference 2007-03-01
NSDraggingInfo Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for supplying useful information to a dragging destination.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication Reference 2007-03-01
NSDraggingSource Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for receiving messages when providing a dragged image.
Events & Other Input, Interapplication Communication Reference 2007-03-01
NSGlyphInfo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a glyph attribute value in an attributed string.
Text & Fonts Reference 2007-03-01
NSGraphicsContext Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a destination for drawing operations.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-03-01
NSLevelIndicator Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a control for displaying a rank or amount along a linear scale.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-01
NSLevelIndicatorCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a cell used for displaying a rank or amount along a linear scale.
User Experience Reference 2007-03-01
Grady (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates how to use the NSGradient class.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Sample Code 2007-02-28
NSActionCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for the active area in a control.
User Experience Reference 2007-02-28
NSAffineTransform Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions to support affine transformations.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-02-28
NSColorList Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an ordered list of colors identified by keys.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-02-28
NSColorPanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the standard panel used for color selection.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-02-28
NSColorPicker Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for custom views in a color panel used for color selection.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2007-02-28
NSColorSpace Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of a system or custom color space.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2007-02-28
NSColorWell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a control for displaying and selecting colors.
Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2007-02-28
NSNibAwaking Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for initializing unarchived nib objects.
Resource Management Reference 2007-02-28
NSXMLDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for representing XML documents as a logical tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLDTD Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of a Document Type Definition as a tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLDTDNode Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a declaration node for a Document Type Definition.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLElement Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an element node in an XML tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSXMLNode Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a logical node in an XML tree structure.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-27
NSSocketPortNameServer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a registrar of named TCP/IP sockets.
Interapplication Communication, Networking Reference 2007-02-26
NSEnumerator Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a facility for sequentially returning the elements of a collection.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-23
NSErrorRecoveryAttempting Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for attempting recovery from runtime errors.
Design Guidelines, User Experience Reference 2007-02-23
NSMessagePortNameServer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a facility that accepts and returns message ports.
Interapplication Communication, Networking Reference 2007-02-23
NSMutableDictionary Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a changeable collection of values that are identified by keys.
Data Management, Design Guidelines Reference 2007-02-23
TwoManyControllers (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
How to use an intermediate NSArrayController to populate an NSTableView across two to-many relationships.
Data Management, Design Guidelines, User Experience Sample Code 2007-02-23
NSAssertionHandler Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the facility for handling false assertions.
Performance Reference 2007-02-22
NSOutlineViewDataSource Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface used by an outline view to retrieve data and, optionally, to update data values.
Data Management, User Experience Reference 2007-02-19
UIElementInspector (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates using the Accessibility API introduced in Mac OS X 10.2, which allows manipulation of an application's UI.
Accessibility Sample Code 2007-02-19
Accessibility Programming Guidelines for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how Cocoa applications make their user interface available to external assistive applications.
Accessibility, Design Guidelines, User Experience Guides 2007-02-08
NSMenuItem Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Describes a deprecated protocol replaced by the NSMenuItem class.
User Experience Reference 2007-02-08
Text Input Management (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use input servers, input managers, and text views in Cocoa.
Events & Other Input, Text & Fonts Guides 2007-02-08
Cocoa_With_Carbon_or_CPP (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Shows how to call Carbon routines and C++ code from within an Objective-C Cocoa program.
Design Guidelines, Objective-C Language, User Experience Sample Code 2007-02-05
Kerberos: Highly Secure Single Sign On Authentication in Mac OS X (HTML)
Learn how you can take advantage of Kerberos in your application.
Security Articles 2007-02-05
NSXMLParser Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object for finding and extracting data in XML documents.
Data Management Reference 2007-02-02