Extending the Macintosh Toolbox: Programming Menus, Windows, Dialogs, and More

by John C. May

The Macintosh interface presents a sophisticated and complex challenge to all Macintosh programmers. Its intuitive system of icons, menus, scroll bars, and dialog boxes can be much more difficult to program than it is to use. The Macintosh Toolbox, the set of programming tools incorporated into all Macintosh computers, is the key to programming the interface. "Extending the Macintosh Toolbox" is a comprehensive, hands-on guide to working with the Toolbox. It provides a practical set of routines designed to speed up development of applications. The book begins with the basics of initializing the Toolbox, building menus, creating dialogs and windows, and handling cursors and icons. The book then covers more advanced topics in depth, including picts, resources, Edit text, and popup menus. The book also contains an extensive library of valuable routines to allow you to create and customize Macintosh interfaces for your application. You will also learn how draw rectangles and scrolling lists; create buttons, radio buttons, and icons; develop complex dialog boxes; significantly reduce the time required to develop a fully functional application; and much more. In addition, appendices provide a helpful glossary and a thorough bibliography. This complete coverage of vital Toolbox concepts and features makes "Extending the Toolbox" an essential guide for all programmers.

356 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1991