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The Reference Library is a comprehensive collection of Apple technical resources, including Articles, Guides, Reference, Release Notes, Sample Code, Technical Notes, and Technical Q&As. Each of the links below leads to the resources for a specific topic.

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NSPointerArray Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an ordered collection of pointers.
Cocoa Reference 2009-03-04
NSWindow Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a window.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2009-03-04
QTCaptureDecompressedVideoOutput Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a QuickTime capture output object for decompressing video.
QuickTime Reference 2009-03-04
QTCaptureMovieFileOutput Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that writes captured media to a QuickTime movie file.
QuickTime Reference 2009-03-04
QTCaptureOutput Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for connecting capture output destinations to a capture session object.
Cocoa, QuickTime Reference 2009-03-04
QTCaptureVideoPreviewOutput Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object for previewing a video stream that is being captured.
Cocoa, QuickTime Reference 2009-03-04
QTMedia Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a QuickTime media object.
Cocoa, QuickTime Reference 2009-03-04
QTTrack Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a QuickTime movie track.
Cocoa, QuickTime Reference 2009-03-04
WebDocumentText Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol adopted by document view objects to support working with text.
Cocoa Reference 2009-03-04
WebFrameView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for displaying the actual web content contained in a frame.
Cocoa Reference 2009-03-04
WebHistory Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for maintaining a set of pages visited by users.
Cocoa Reference 2009-03-04
WebPolicyDecisionListener Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol for handling download decisions asynchronously.
Cocoa Reference 2009-03-04
WebUIDelegate Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the protocol used to control user interface-related aspects, such as opening windows and augmenting default menus.
Cocoa Reference 2009-03-04
Xcode Build Setting Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the build settings used in the Xcode build system to compile source code and produce binary files.
Tools Reference 2009-03-04
64-Bit Transition Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to port Cocoa projects to 64-bit addressing.
Cocoa Guides 2009-03-03
Network Kernel Extensions Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes how to write a kernel extension for adding or modifying functionality of a networking stack (Mac OS X 10.4 and later).
Darwin, Hardware & Drivers, Networking Guides 2009-03-02
Dynamic Library Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to design, implement, and use dynamic libraries.
Darwin, Open Source, Tools Guides 2009-02-26
Audio Queue - Looping Compressed Audio (HTML)
QA1636: Discusses the format information required to seamlessly loop compressed audio using Audio Queue.
Audio Technical Q&As 2009-02-20
PMPrinterTest (HTML) (DMG) (ZIP)
Demonstrates using the PMPrinter APIs to obtain information about the connected printers.
Carbon, Cocoa, Printing Sample Code 2009-02-13
Tips for searching Headers, APIs and ADC reference material. (HTML)
QA1475: Presents a number of different ways to search for APIs and reference material on the system.
Tools Technical Q&As 2009-02-13
Archives and Serializations Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to put Cocoa objects into and remove them from a representation suitable for archiving.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
CALayer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a node of animated visual content.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-02-04
CFCalendar Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a calendar.
Core Foundation Reference 2009-02-04
CFURL Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a string that uniquely identifies a resource.
Core Foundation Reference 2009-02-04
Cocoa Event-Handling Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Introduces event mechanisms and the types of events in Cocoa and describes how to handle events of each type.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
Collections Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to group objects in arrays, sets, or dictionaries in Cocoa.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
Dashboard Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains Dashboard and WebKit technologies used in widgets.
Apple Applications, Cocoa, Internet & Web, Scripting & Automation, Tools, User Experience Guides 2009-02-04
Dashboard Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API for implementing Dashboard widgets.
Apple Applications, Internet & Web, Scripting & Automation, Tools, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
Dialogs and Special Panels (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to create alert panels. Includes links to documents about other types of panels.
Cocoa, User Experience Guides 2009-02-04
DOMNode Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API added to the DOMNode class to facilitate communication between WebKit and the DOM API.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
Extending and Troubleshooting Directory Services (HTML)
Explains how to extend Directory Services for Mac OS X Server v10.5 and how to troubleshoot problems.
Mac OS X Server, Networking Release Notes 2009-02-04
Final Cut Pro XML Interchange Format (HTML) (PDF)
Describes Final Cut Pro XML Interchange Format version 4, providing access to contents of FCP projects.
Apple Applications Guides 2009-02-04
J2SE 5.0 Apple Extensions Reference (HTML)
Describes the Javadoc-formatted API for the JDK and for Apple's MRJ packages.
Java Reference 2009-02-04
Key-Value Coding Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information about how to access a Cocoa object's values using keys.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
Mac OS X ABI Function Call Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the function-calling conventions used in the architectures supported by Mac OS X.
Carbon, Cocoa, Darwin, Tools Guides 2009-02-04
Mac OS X ABI Mach-O File Format Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the data structures that make up the Mach-O file format.
Carbon, Cocoa, Darwin, Open Source, Tools Reference 2009-02-04
Mach-O Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains the use of the Mac OS X runtime architecture, including program types, loading and executing code, and using libraries and plug-ins.
Tools Guides 2009-02-04
NSApplication Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the responder object that manages an application's events and resources.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
NSCalendar Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a calendar.
Cocoa, Internationalization Reference 2009-02-04
NSCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for cell objects.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
NSEvent Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an input action such as a mouse click.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
NSHelpManager Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an application-level help system.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
NSKeyValueCoding Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for accessing object properties indirectly by key name or key path.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
NSMenuView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a deprecated class replaced by the NSMenu class.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
NSObject Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Cocoa root class.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
NSOpenPanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the panel that a user employs to locate and open a file.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
NSOutlineView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a row-and-column format view for displaying hierarchical data.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
NSPersistentDocument Core Data Tutorial (HTML) (PDF)
Step-by-step instructions for building a simple but functionally rich application using NSPersistentDocument and Cocoa bindings.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
NSPersistentDocument Core Data Tutorial for Mac OS X v10.4. (HTML) (PDF)
Deprecated - Step-by-step instructions for building a simple but functionally rich application using NSPersistentDocument and Cocoa bindings.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
NSSavePanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the panel that a user employs to set a file-system location and save a file.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-02-04
NSShadow Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a drop shadow for a drawing operation.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-02-04
NSString Application Kit Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes additions for drawing strings.
Cocoa, Text & Fonts Reference 2009-02-04
NSString Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an immutable character string.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
NSURL Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a string that uniquely identifies a resource.
Cocoa, Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2009-02-04
NSURLHandle Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a deprecated technology replaced by the NSURLDownload class.
Cocoa, Internet & Web, Networking Reference 2009-02-04
NSView Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for drawing, event handling, and printing in views.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging, Printing Reference 2009-02-04
Objective-C 2.0 Runtime Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Objective-C 2.0 runtime support library.
Cocoa Guides 2009-02-04
Toolbar Programming Topics for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa toolbars.
Cocoa, User Experience Guides 2009-02-04
Tree-Based XML Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use the NSXML classes of Cocoa to process, modify, and query XML data.
Cocoa, Internet & Web Guides 2009-02-04
Universal Binary Programming Guidelines, Second Edition (HTML) (PDF)
Conceptual information and tips for writing code that runs on PowerPC-based and Intel-based Macintosh computers.
Carbon, Cocoa, Darwin, Mac OS X, Open Source, Performance, Tools Guides 2009-02-04
WebBackForwardList Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the class for tracking a list of visited pages with relation to the most recent page.
Cocoa Reference 2009-02-04
WebObjects Tutorial (HTML) (PDF)
Steps for building a simple WebObjects application using Eclipse and the WOLips plug-in.
Internet & Web, Java, Mac OS X Server, Tools Guides 2009-02-04
Window Programming Guide for Cocoa (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa windows and panels.
Cocoa, User Experience Guides 2009-02-04
Xcode Build System Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Provides a detailed description of the Xcode build system and shows how to customize it.
Tools Guides 2009-02-04
Xcode Design Tools for Class Modeling (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Xcode Design Tools for Class Modeling.
Carbon, Cocoa, Java, Tools Guides 2009-02-04
QuickTime Audio - Easy Frequency Level Metering with MovieAudio APIs (HTML)
QA1459: Describes how to perform frequency band level metering using MovieAudio metering APIs.
Audio, Carbon, Cocoa, QuickTime Technical Q&As 2009-01-29
Audio Export - Encoding AAC Audio For MPEG-4 Export (HTML)
TN2237: The QT MPEG4 Exporter does not show all options for generating AAC, this TN discusses workarounds.
Audio, QuickTime Technical Notes 2009-01-27
DOMHTMLDocument Additions Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the API added to the DOMHTMLDocument class to facilitate communication between WebKit and the DOM API.
Cocoa Reference 2009-01-26
Quartz Window Services Reference (HTML)
Describes the interface for capturing the contents of a window.
Carbon, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-15
Document-Based Applications Overview (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to design and implement Cocoa applications that manage multiple documents.
Cocoa Guides 2009-01-12
iSync JavaScript Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a few JavaScript classes used to write phone connection functions in iSync Plug-in Maker.
Apple Applications, Scripting & Automation Reference 2009-01-09
Creating Core Audio Format (.caf) Files (HTML)
QA1534: Describes how to use afconvert to create .caf files
Audio, QuickTime Technical Q&As 2009-01-07
Mac OS X Assembler Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the syntax, directives, and specific options required for the Mac OS X assembler.
Tools Reference 2009-01-07
QTMovie Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a QuickTime movie and movie controller.
Cocoa, QuickTime Reference 2009-01-07
vDSP Single-Vector Operations Reference (HTML) (PDF)
This document describes the C API for performing common routines on a single vector in vDSP.
Carbon, Performance Reference 2009-01-07
Authorization Services Programming Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to add fine-grained control of privileged operations in an application.
Carbon, Cocoa, Darwin, Open Source, Security Guides 2009-01-06
CFStringTokenizer Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an opaque type for breaking a string into tokens.
Core Foundation, Internationalization Reference 2009-01-06
CGDataProvider Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an opaque data type for reading image data.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
CGGeometry Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes structures and functions for manipulating points, rectangles, and sizes.
Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
Cocoa Drawing Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to use Cocoa to draw your application's user interface.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Guides 2009-01-06
Distribution Definition Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the schema of distribution definition files.
Tools Reference 2009-01-06
Documentation Set Guide (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to integrate third-party documentation with the Xcode Documentation window.
Tools Guides 2009-01-06
Foundation Release Notes (10.4 and earlier) (HTML)
Release notes for older versions of Mac OS X.
Cocoa Release Notes 2009-01-06
IBDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an Interface Builder document, which visually represents a nib file.
Cocoa, Tools Reference 2009-01-06
Internationalization Programming Topics (HTML) (PDF)
Explains how to support multiple languages in software.
Carbon, Cocoa, Core Foundation, Internationalization, Tools Guides 2009-01-06
Kernel Framework Reference (HTML)
Describes the APIs and classes (including I/O Kit families) that support kernel-resident device drivers.
Audio, Darwin, Hardware & Drivers Reference 2009-01-06
NSBitmapImageRep Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that draws an image from bitmap data.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
NSColor Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of color and opacity.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
NSCursor Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the appearance of the user interface cursor.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-01-06
NSDocument Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for managing content using Cocoa's document system.
Cocoa Reference 2009-01-06
NSGlyphStorage Protocol Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface between a glyph generator and glyph storage.
Cocoa, Text & Fonts Reference 2009-01-06
NSGradient Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a color gradient to use when drawing.
Cocoa Reference 2009-01-06
NSImage Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a graphical image that includes facilities for drawing and compositing.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
NSImageCell Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes an object that displays an image in a frame, usually in a control.
Cocoa, User Experience Reference 2009-01-06
NSImageRep Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the interface for managing and drawing image data.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
NSOutputStream Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a write-only data stream.
Cocoa, Networking Reference 2009-01-06
NSPanel Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a window for performing auxiliary functions in an application.
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging, User Experience Reference 2009-01-06
NSPrintInfo Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the print settings used for a print job.
Cocoa, Printing Reference 2009-01-06
NSScreen Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes a representation of a screen (computer monitor).
Cocoa, Graphics & Imaging Reference 2009-01-06
NSSpeechSynthesizer Class Reference (HTML) (PDF)
Describes the Cocoa parser that converts text to speech.
Cocoa, Text & Fonts, User Experience Reference 2009-01-06