TweetFollow Us on Twitter

Feb 99 Online

Volume Number: 15 (1999)
Issue Number: 2
Column Tag: MacTech Online

Specialty Frameworks

by Jeff Clites <online@mactech.com>

Last September we took a look at MacZoop, a medium-sized, general-purpose framework designed as a tool for those learning to program the Macintosh in C++. This month we are going to look at several smaller frameworks and shells, some general but lightweight and some designed to fulfill a specific purpose.

Moof

Moof (which stands for The Minimal Object-Oriented Framework, and is also the sound made by the famous dogcow) is a tiny C++ framework for Mac applications, written by Joe Strout. It consists of only five files (2 source and 3 header). Because of its size, it can serve as a non-intimidating introduction to the way frameworks work in general and as a reference source for some standard bits of Macintosh code. It would be a good place for beginners to get their feet wet. Moof can also be enhanced using the author's pane classes, which are self-contained and framework-neutral, and can be used with Moof, PowerPlant, MacZoop, with another framework, or by themselves.

Moof
http://www.strout.net/info/coding/macdev/intro.html

YAAF

YAAF (Yet Another Application Framework) is a cross-platform C++ framework from The PandaWave, supporting programming for the Macintosh, Windows 95 and Windows NT, and X Windows. It is freeware, released under the GPL Library License, which allows you to sell applications built using YAAF (check the license for the specific terms). According to its web site, "YAAF provides a basic core framework for working with windows, views, menus, and controls in a portable fashion." The most interesting thing about YAAF is that it is used by its authors to produce all of their software, including the commercial BugLink bug-tracking application.

YAAF
http://www.pandawave.com/yaaf/index.html

CPLAT

CPLAT is another cross-platform C++ framework, supporting both Macintosh and Windows development. Based on its web site, it supports a wide range of user interface elements. CPLAT is not free, although it is low-cost and is priced based on the number of developers - there is no licensing fee for the applications you build.

CPLAT
http://ksoft.net/CPLAT.html

MADE

MADE (Macintosh Application Development Essentials) is a shareware C++ code collection from Sig Software and it forms the basis of several of their products. Not a complete framework per se, its goal is to ease the drudgery of writing the low-level code needed for Mac applications and to help the developer deal with the more tricky aspects, rather than to handle all of the higher-level and user interface issues. Notably, MADE includes code to help with the bug-hunting (or bug-avoiding) process, including support for assertions and memory trashing, with the goal of forcing bugs to manifest themselves reproducibly and as early as possible, rather than laying dormant until encountered by unsuspecting users. (These features were inspired by Steve Maguire's book Writing Solid Code, by the way.)

MADE
http://www.sigsoftware.com/made/

DropShell

DropShell is a small, free shell for writing "droplet" applications-programs which do most of their work by performing some action on items dropped onto their icon in the Finder. Written in C by Leonard Rosenthol, Marshall Clow, and Stephan Somogyi, the shell provides all of the code needed to run the application and handle the necessary AppleEvents-all you have to do is add the code to process the files as they are handed to you by the shell, which can optionally omit folders or recurse through them. It will even manage a splash-screen for you, on the theory that it's good to give users visual feedback that your application is running. It's really very handy.

DropShell
http://www.lazerware.com/software.html

DropUNIX

DropUNIX is an adaptation of the above-described DropShell. It's raison d'être is to provide programmers with a quick and easy way to port UNIX and DOS command-line applications to the Mac. Essentially, it takes the dropped files and passes them to a modified main() as though their paths were passed on the command line. It's a simple idea, but it can save you a lot of time and effort.

DropUNIX
http://www.ZenSpider.com/ZSS/Products/DropUNIX/

ZDropletApp

For readers who are using the MacZoop framework, M. Uli Kusterer has written ZDropletApp. It functions almost exactly like DropShell, but it is based on MacZoop and is intended to give users of that framework a quick and easy way to create a droplet application. Uli has several other MacZoop classes here, including an extensive set of pane classes to help you build sophisticated user interfaces.

Uli's MacZoop Classes
http://www.weblayout.com/witness/ZoopClasses.shtml

Cream

Cream is the creation of Marco Piovanelli, author of the immensely popular WASTE text editing library. It is unique in that it is a lightweight C++ framework whose goal is to help you create scriptable applications that comply with the Apple Event Object Model (AEOM). It replaces Apple's Object Support Library, and lets you handle AppleEvents in a manner which fits very naturally with the C++ object model. It even purports to simplify "whose clause" resolution, which can be a nightmare. Check it out and make your applications scriptable-or Cal Simone will come after you.

Cream
http://www.merzwaren.com/cream/index.html

AppeWin

If you've ever wanted to create system-wide floating windows or Faceless Background-Only applications, then look no further-AppeWin by Matt Slot will show you all you need to know, including all of the nastiness necessary to get color floating windows under previous OS versions. It's useful for its stated purpose, but also for demonstrating a number of sophisticated techniques, including creating a jGNEFilter and using the Drag Manager.

AppeWin
http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/~fprefect/

CMM Plugins

Contextual Menu Manager plugins were a great addition to MacOS 8. They are useful and easy to write, and they give you an excuse to use the SOM Objects mechanism which was orphaned when OpenDoc left town. They can also force you to keep up your AppleEvent skills, since AEs are the best way to boss around a variety of applications, including the Finder. Trygve Isaacson of Bombay Digital has written a widely-used CMM plug-in framework to make this process even easier. If you are a PowerPlant user, then you should also check out David Thoreau Catmull's CCMArea, which is a set of C++ classes for enhancing PowerPlant's support for contextual menus within your application.

CMM Plug-In Framework
http://www.bombaydigital.com/pages/software/cmm_plugins/framework.shtml
CCMArea
http://www.kagi.com/dathorc/ccmarea.html

These and oceans of other links are available from the MacTech Online web pages at www.mactech.com/online/.

 

Community Search:
MacTech Search:

Software Updates via MacUpdate

Latest Forum Discussions

See All

Tokkun Studio unveils alpha trailer for...
We are back on the MMORPG news train, and this time it comes from the sort of international developers Tokkun Studio. They are based in France and Japan, so it counts. Anyway, semantics aside, they have released an alpha trailer for the upcoming... | Read more »
Win a host of exclusive in-game Honor of...
To celebrate its latest Jujutsu Kaisen crossover event, Honor of Kings is offering a bounty of login and achievement rewards kicking off the holiday season early. [Read more] | Read more »
Miraibo GO comes out swinging hard as it...
Having just launched what feels like yesterday, Dreamcube Studio is wasting no time adding events to their open-world survival Miraibo GO. Abyssal Souls arrives relatively in time for the spooky season and brings with it horrifying new partners to... | Read more »
Ditch the heavy binders and high price t...
As fun as the real-world equivalent and the very old Game Boy version are, the Pokemon Trading Card games have historically been received poorly on mobile. It is a very strange and confusing trend, but one that The Pokemon Company is determined to... | Read more »
Peace amongst mobile gamers is now shatt...
Some of the crazy folk tales from gaming have undoubtedly come from the EVE universe. Stories of spying, betrayal, and epic battles have entered history, and now the franchise expands as CCP Games launches EVE Galaxy Conquest, a free-to-play 4x... | Read more »
Lord of Nazarick, the turn-based RPG bas...
Crunchyroll and A PLUS JAPAN have just confirmed that Lord of Nazarick, their turn-based RPG based on the popular OVERLORD anime, is now available for iOS and Android. Starting today at 2PM CET, fans can download the game from Google Play and the... | Read more »
Digital Extremes' recent Devstream...
If you are anything like me you are impatiently waiting for Warframe: 1999 whilst simultaneously cursing the fact Excalibur Prime is permanently Vault locked. To keep us fed during our wait, Digital Extremes hosted a Double Devstream to dish out a... | Read more »
The Frozen Canvas adds a splash of colou...
It is time to grab your gloves and layer up, as Torchlight: Infinite is diving into the frozen tundra in its sixth season. The Frozen Canvas is a colourful new update that brings a stylish flair to the Netherrealm and puts creativity in the... | Read more »
Back When AOL WAS the Internet – The Tou...
In Episode 606 of The TouchArcade Show we kick things off talking about my plans for this weekend, which has resulted in this week’s show being a bit shorter than normal. We also go over some more updates on our Patreon situation, which has been... | Read more »
Creative Assembly's latest mobile p...
The Total War series has been slowly trickling onto mobile, which is a fantastic thing because most, if not all, of them are incredibly great fun. Creative Assembly's latest to get the Feral Interactive treatment into portable form is Total War:... | Read more »

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

Early Black Friday Deal: Apple’s newly upgrad...
Amazon has Apple 13″ MacBook Airs with M2 CPUs and 16GB of RAM on early Black Friday sale for $200 off MSRP, only $799. Their prices are the lowest currently available for these newly upgraded 13″ M2... Read more
13-inch 8GB M2 MacBook Airs for $749, $250 of...
Best Buy has Apple 13″ MacBook Airs with M2 CPUs and 8GB of RAM in stock and on sale on their online store for $250 off MSRP. Prices start at $749. Their prices are the lowest currently available for... Read more
Amazon is offering an early Black Friday $100...
Amazon is offering early Black Friday discounts on Apple’s new 2024 WiFi iPad minis ranging up to $100 off MSRP, each with free shipping. These are the lowest prices available for new minis anywhere... Read more
Price Drop! Clearance 14-inch M3 MacBook Pros...
Best Buy is offering a $500 discount on clearance 14″ M3 MacBook Pros on their online store this week with prices available starting at only $1099. Prices valid for online orders only, in-store... Read more
Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C on early Black F...
A couple of Apple retailers are offering $70 (28%) discounts on Apple’s AirPods Pro with USB-C (and hearing aid capabilities) this weekend. These are early AirPods Black Friday discounts if you’re... Read more
Price drop! 13-inch M3 MacBook Airs now avail...
With yesterday’s across-the-board MacBook Air upgrade to 16GB of RAM standard, Apple has dropped prices on clearance 13″ 8GB M3 MacBook Airs, Certified Refurbished, to a new low starting at only $829... Read more
Price drop! Apple 15-inch M3 MacBook Airs now...
With yesterday’s release of 15-inch M3 MacBook Airs with 16GB of RAM standard, Apple has dropped prices on clearance Certified Refurbished 15″ 8GB M3 MacBook Airs to a new low starting at only $999.... Read more
Apple has clearance 15-inch M2 MacBook Airs a...
Apple has clearance, Certified Refurbished, 15″ M2 MacBook Airs now available starting at $929 and ranging up to $410 off original MSRP. These are the cheapest 15″ MacBook Airs for sale today at... Read more
Apple drops prices on 13-inch M2 MacBook Airs...
Apple has dropped prices on 13″ M2 MacBook Airs to a new low of only $749 in their Certified Refurbished store. These are the cheapest M2-powered MacBooks for sale at Apple. Apple’s one-year warranty... Read more
Clearance 13-inch M1 MacBook Airs available a...
Apple has clearance 13″ M1 MacBook Airs, Certified Refurbished, now available for $679 for 8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU/256GB models. Apple’s one-year warranty is included, shipping is free, and each... Read more

Jobs Board

Seasonal Cashier - *Apple* Blossom Mall - J...
Seasonal Cashier - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Read more
Seasonal Fine Jewelry Commission Associate -...
…Fine Jewelry Commission Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) Read more
Seasonal Operations Associate - *Apple* Blo...
Seasonal Operations Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Read more
Hair Stylist - *Apple* Blossom Mall - JCPen...
Hair Stylist - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Blossom Read more
Cashier - *Apple* Blossom Mall - JCPenney (...
Cashier - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Blossom Mall Read more
All contents are Copyright 1984-2011 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.