Any good resources for learning IB (for iOS) for experienced developers? I've tried reading through the Apple docs several times now, but all the Apple-specific terminology always turns me off. The official stuff also insists that IB doesn't produce code and so draws no connections there, which is frustrating.
I've managed to put together a few iOS apps, the last couple of times purely in code, but really need to make my peace with IB now.
I guess what I'm really looking for is a translation from Apple's galapagos language to rest-of-the world terms. Drawing connections from IB to the UI objects generated at runtime would also be great.
Thanks!
PS - I'm aware that there exist cross-platform and other third-party frameworks for development (I've tried them all) and of the official docs. IB is the only first-class citizen in Apple-land, and is probably quite good once you're used to it, so that's what I'd like to be using.
Watch Paul Hegarty's lectures on iTunesU. Fall 2011, Stanford Uni iPhone Development. Covers Storyboarding very clearly in an early lecture.
Any decent book will help you understand Interface Builder. What I think, is that you are looking for the perfect book/resource, and that doesn't exist. I really enjoyed iOS5 Pushing the Limits , although I am sure that many others have found other enjoyable books. A quick search on google: "Tutorial iOS Interface Builder" will reveal countless resources that you can use. The most important thing: just dive and have fun while doing it.
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What is the best application or programming languages to build an iOS application platform for chat application for beginner like me. Please anyone can tell me about it.
Apple put a lot of effort in its new `Swift' language.
On any Mac computer, you will find XCode on the app store.
iBook has a nice and clear electronic copy of the guide.
I've gotta admit I was a bit circumspect ("yet a new language ?") but it appears has they sell it, solid and sound.(It's compiled and based on llvm. It is open as well, perhaps MIT license?)
I think they basically came up with C# for iPhone (it may even spawn from `mono'?)
But, again, the license model for the source make it sound more promising.
I found the iBook guide for very comprehensive when it came to the very basic of the language and the libraries.
XCode comes with quite a few templates showcasing each major application type. (You can also check the other languages for yourself: Objective-C and javascript)
So the two complement nicely.
If you are starting from scratch, I see no reason not to start on this train.
Since it's straight from Apple, and if coming up with Android isn't yet part of your plan, it will also be your path of least resistance when it comes to technical difficulties.
Bottom line: read the two questions at the bottom.
I am in the progress of transitioning languages, so forgive me for the newb question. I am building an app that has, surprise, an audio/video capture requirement.
Using the development sample code for UIImagePickerController as a reference I was able to build out a working prototype. However, I quickly realized that UIImagePickerController is too simple. You don't get landscape mode and some of the options seems pretty basic.
I see that Apple recommends using AV Foundation. In addition, I read, on stack overflow, that there are a number of projects on github that extend or replace UIImagePickerController.
This brings me with two questions:
1) Is it a common scenario that Foundation/UIKit provide some very basic functionality, but if you really want a fully featured implementation, you need to go full tilt into one of the more complex frameworks? Personally, starting out, AV Foundation is pretty intimidating. The giant leap between UIImagePickerController and AV Foundation capture seems quite large. The fact that UIImagePickerController kind of "stops dead" so early in the feature set surprises me due to AV capture being so common. Perhaps I'm missing something.
2) Is it common for people to use a lot of 3rd party dependencies with objective-C development? In this case, getting an alternative open source image picker? I guess what I'm asking here, is Objective-C development as prone to dependency hell as other ecosystems?
I know it's possible to use overlays to customize the appearance, but I still think this would leave you with some of the same problems. You can't write a custom camera without AVFoundation, but I think it's worth it to get a few features that you really want.
Yes, third party dependencies are quite common. But, there are often at least a couple options when looking for something.
You can check out my newly open sourced version of a camera here: https://github.com/LoganWright/SimpleCam
I am totally blind and want to code for IOS and/or OS X. In Xcode 5.1, accessibility is improved, but the interface builder still seems unaccessible for voiceover users (like me).
With that in mind, is there a tutorial for coding OS X and iPhone apps without using interface builder in Xcode? Alternatively, is there a way to use interface builder with voiceover (without sight)? I would deffinately like to use gui tools if any exist, but if I have to hard code the thing, so be it.
Thank you in advance!
My sense of the matter is that you should simply code the interface.
First, autolayout makes this much more sensible than it has been in the past. The "visual" constraint language is really symbolic; made for you.
Second, the binding pane simply won't work for you. Bad design, I guess. But there we are. Use the API.
A number of sighted coders, including Brent Simmons (netnewswire, vesper) scarcely use interface builder. You'll be fine without it.
I have not listened to it but give the following podcast a listen. The description states that it covers interface builder basics.
http://maccessibility.net/2013/01/17/the-maccessibility-dev-podcast-1-using-xcode-with-voiceover/
You may want to consider RubyMotion as an alternative.
Austin Seraphin talks about using RubyMotion as a blind developer in this talk MP3 with slides here at the #inspect2013 conference. I found the talk through a blog posting that mentioned Austin's amazing presentation.
For pure XCode use, I tried experimenting with PaintCode but it was useless in Voice Over mode. You may find Erica Sadun's book on Auto-Layout useful as she goes into detail on the code-based approach. The iBooks link to the second edition is here.
I am humbled by the effort that people like Austin and yourself put forth to overcome your obstacles and try to remember this whenever I'm irritated by the minor inconveniences in my life and software development. It seems fatuous to say thank you but I'd just like to offer my congratulations on what you've achieved so far.
I am just starting iOS development. I read some tutorials, watched stuff on iTunes U and wrote some sample code myself. Now I want to take the next step. I want to learn about best practices for iOS development in XCode.
Are there any well written and well organized iOS projects that one could take a look at?
(As I see it, iOS is not exactly the place for open source enthusiasts, however.)
Thanks
Mike.
I agree with several of the other answers that state that looking at many, many projects for mini-examples of what you want to do in your own app is the way to go.
However, you asked for an example of an app demonstrating best practices.
You could do worse than to read Matt Gallagher's blog, Cocoa with Love from beginning to end. However, the app example you asked for is right here.
Not only will it show a variety of techniques, some novel design and best-practices, but also he points out where he feels that he might have done something better.
It's a great read.
I would suggest the following process: (it worked for me)
Think of an advanced app. that you eventually want to be proficient enough to create.
Make a top-down problem-solving tree containing the necessary skills required to build your final app.
Use this tree to divide your final app. into 'sub apps'. Start at the bottom of the tree, find a tutorial specifically for that skill, and make a "Hello World" app. that uses that skill.
Keep progressing upwards, creating 'sub apps' as you go.
When you are finally ready to make your final app. (it will take a while), you will have a good handle on how iOS development works. It will also be a great test of your knowledge via direct application!
Getting the hang of iOS development can be tricky; it really does require a top-down approach, and every online resource I've found takes a linear one. The only way that I think a linear approach to learning iOS development would be manageable, is to take it one small task at a time.
As for specific resources, I always google "[what I want to do] iPhone SDK" and browse the tutorials and forum posts that come up.
Here are some open source iOS apps. However, they aren't very well documented and are also very advanced.
TKAWebView - A subclass of UIWebView that handles authentication and downloading.
Welcome to your Mac - An iOS app. to VNC into a PC/Mac and do some cool stuff.
InAppSettingsKit - A settings screen creator for your apps.
Good luck!
The people behind the Parse platform have made two complete projects.
For each project there is the complete source code, a tutorial and the resulting app is also available from the AppStore.
Anywall: https://parse.com/anywall
Anypic: https://parse.com/anypic
They both rely heavily on the Parse platform as the data source, but you still get a feel for an iOS project.
Molecules is a great open-source app that uses 3D OpenGL to render complex models of molecules.
Just keep coding my friend. You'll learn over a period of time. The best way to get dirty in a mud fight is to jump into it... Weird analogy but you get the point.
Maybe someday, we all will learn from you then !
Like you said there many and many source codes are available internet, but most are incomplete.
I found some Open source codes of REAL application currently available through Apple app store are given here
Free iPhone App Source Codes of real apps
and also, you can find many answers here on stackoverflow question - Are there any Open-source iPhone applications around?
You can download free IOS sample projects from http://devcodemarket.com
I realize this is an old thread but I've also been looking for good objective-c code examples recently and I just realized that TextEdit's source code is available at the Mac Developer Library webpage.
Also, here are some popular objective-c libraries that have caught my attention:
CocoaPods
AFNetworking.
you can also go through UICatalog from Developers Library and download the sample code. just google it and you will find a project containing all basics of iphone.
I don't think there is any perfect project that can demonstrate all the qualities of great code. Developers have stylistic preferences and may make mistakes. That said, you should look at a lot of different projects and try to look at the conventions used.
I'd suggest starting on GitHub. Besides for seeing code, you'll see what libraries are out there, which may help further your projects later on. Here's the Objective-C page on GitHub.
(Also, I (GitHub link) think you're wrong about iOS devs not being in favor open source. Yes, there's money to be made, but you can't sell a CSV paring library on the App Store as is.)
Have a look at https://github.com/mozilla/firefox-ios
That is Firefox for iOS, written in Swift.
Cocoacontrols has a wide range of controls written using Objective-C & Swift.
I believe these days, this is one of the most famous website for iOS Developers.
But, before you jump onto this, you have to learn Objective-C & Swift very well, so that you will understand how to use the controls in your app which makes your app smooth.
I have 4 years experience on DotNet, not much.
I now learned developing for IPad.
I made a new project and opened the MainWindow.xib by double click in the interface builder. Not I put there a label, a textbox and a button.
But how to make the button event?
Kovu, "Paull" already told you. Please understand that I am not being short, cruel or otherwise negative when I suggest that you read more about XCode and MVC. In order to program for iPhoneOS you really need to understand the MVC method of programming. If you don't know what those initials stand for, it means you really should read more before you try your hand at it. iPhoneOS is so totally different than .net that you need to understand basics.
I suggest Erica Sadun's book: (her website is: iPhone Developer's Cookbook) or a great starter article at: BIT-101.
It will get you up and going VERY quickly (inside of a week for me) and does not skimp on the basics. TRUST ME--if you do not understand the basics from the very beginning you will be lost when it comes to developing for iPad (or even iPhone/iPod). The iPad is such a very different beast than Windows .net that you will be surprised the change you will have to go through (for the better) in order to grasp it.
On the positive side, you will become a better programmer. Using the MVC method is really freeing in a lot of ways. Event-driven programming is a wonder to behold when done right, and believe me, Apple did it right (for the most part) in the iPhoneOS.
Read through the getting started guides in the Documentation window of Xcode (under Help).
You just create an IBAction in your controller, and drag a connection from the button to the controller.