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Developing Software

TylerEss

Well-known member
If they are organized in "volumes 1-5" then they're the older versions. Later versions were reorganized into the different "managers" instead of being organized by ROM size.

 

Kallikak

Well-known member
The hypercard ones are just 1-5. There are also electronic versions of voume 6 (System 7 additions) and all the New Inside Macintosh volumes (the ones organised by topic). My recommendation (and indeed my approach) is to use Inside Macintosh as books and THINK Reference online.

 

equant

Well-known member
Well, just to follow up, I've actually got my first release...

http://www.retards.org/projects/m68kmpc/index.php

... It's pretty basic, and only useful to those of us with older networked macs *and* mpd running on a server. Runs on 6.0.5.

Thanks to whoever said I should support system 6. You were right.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Nathan

 
I have an old copy of FutureBASIC v1.03.

The whole program is only 168K and it is copyrighted 1994.

I'm not sure how much you could do with it. It will compile programs that run on a Mac Plus with 1 MB. The language is more BASIC like but you can still call the toolbox and do all that stuff so you can build full programs with it. It might be easier than using C or Pascal.

 

equant

Well-known member
I have an old copy of FutureBASIC v1.03.
The whole program is only 168K and it is copyrighted 1994.

I'm not sure how much you could do with it. It will compile programs that run on a Mac Plus with 1 MB. The language is more BASIC like but you can still call the toolbox and do all that stuff so you can build full programs with it. It might be easier than using C or Pascal.
Mike, assuming Future Basic can do TCP, I'm sure it would have been much easier. At this point though, I'm have a lot of fun learning the Mac toolbox and pascal. Re-learning really. Hopefully the code will be faster for it, but with my skills, I can't guarantee it :)

Thanks for the offer. I still wouldn't mind a copy for S's&G's if it's painless.

Nathan

 

MdntTrain

Member
Hi,

I'd like to write an app for my Mac 512k / System 6 as a learning exercise. While it would be the most fun to use the 512k or a Plus, I also have systems running OS 7.5, 8.6, and 10.3.9. I've never coded for a Mac before.

From what I understand of this thread, I would need "Inside Macintosh" volumes 1-4... as well as a programming environment.

Where might I obtain hardcopies of IM like Nathan is using?

What would you recommend as a simple programming environment? Future Basic, Think Pascal / C, and MPW were mentioned.

Thank you very much,

~ J

 

Kallikak

Well-known member
If you already know C, get THINK C. If you already know Pascal, get THINK Pascal. If you don't know either, the Mac is quite a difficult environment to learn on. I'd recommend THINK Pascal in that case and writing simple apps that use it's console window and drawing window rather than Mac applications.

Also, don't worry about Inside Macintosh - use THINK Reference instead. Basically, learn to walk before you try to run. Inside Macintosh is much more complicated.

I'd suggest finding a second hand copy of the books by Dave Mark and Cartwright Reed.

Ken

 

MdntTrain

Member
Thanks for your reply, Kallikak.

To clarify, I'm mainly looking to learn how to create an early Mac app... as I already am versed in C, Pascal, Basic, Assembly, others.

So you suggest Think C and Think Reference? Do you know of any sources where I can obtain this stuff?

Thanks much!

~ J

 

equant

Well-known member
Hi,From what I understand of this thread, I would need "Inside Macintosh" volumes 1-4... as well as a programming environment.

Where might I obtain hardcopies of IM like Nathan is using?
Inside Macintosh Volumes I-III are very useful. I'd recommend them since you can get them cheap. Search for them on Amazon. Volumes I-III can be found combined in one large hardback. I think it cost me less than $7 including shipping, so you might as well get it.

The other book I would look for would be either of the "Macintosh Programming Primers" written by Dave Mark and Cartwright Reed. There's one for Pascal and one for C.

What would you recommend as a simple programming environment? Future Basic, Think Pascal / C, and MPW were mentioned.

~ J
For early macs, pascal was the language of choice. Inside Macintosh has it's code examples in pascal. That doesn't mean you have to go with it.

I agree that Think Pascal and Think C are the way to go.

So your target is a 512k mac right? What will you be developing on? I develop on a System 9.x iBook, and use Think Pascal 4.x. It works pretty well. I find a few differences when I run the app on the iBook vs the System 6 SE, but I apple-talk the two when I'm at home, and it's easy to test on each.

If you're developing on the 512k, I don't know if that will work. Maybe you'll have to use version 3.

I've found Think Pascal 4.x on the web. I forget where, but it's around.

Ok, that's enough rambling. If you need anything, ask. I'm no pro, but I love developing for these old macs.

Nathan

 

MdntTrain

Member
Inside Macintosh Volumes I-III are very useful. I'd recommend them since you can get them cheap. Search for them on Amazon. Volumes I-III can be found combined in one large hardback. I think it cost me less than $7 including shipping, so you might as well get it.
I had a harder time locating, but I think I found one. We'll see when it gets here. :)

The other book I would look for would be either of the "Macintosh Programming Primers" written by Dave Mark and Cartwright Reed. There's one for Pascal and one for C..
I'm seeing quite a number of books by D. Mark, and a few by both authors as well, on these subjects. Do you have an EXACT full book title or better, an ISBN number?

For early macs, pascal was the language of choice. Inside Macintosh has it's code examples in pascal. That doesn't mean you have to go with it... I agree that Think Pascal and Think C are the way to go..
Does Inside Macintosh also presume MPW?

So your target is a 512k mac right? What will you be developing on? ..
It'd be nice if I could target the 512k, but I also have an 8mb Plus.

I'd like to either develop on my System 6 Plus, or System 8.1 040 Quadra 650, or System 9 PPC G4 Cube.

If you're developing on the 512k, I don't know if that will work. Maybe you'll have to use version 3...
I'm not up for that much punishment. ;)

Thank you very much, Nathan.

~ J

 

equant

Well-known member
Do you have an EXACT full book title or better, an ISBN number?
"Macintosh Pascal Programming Primer Volume I"

ISBN 0-201-57084-X

s/Pascal/C/ if you want the C version. That ISBN is for the one I have. There may be a couple versions with updates etc.

The pascal version I have knows nothing of System 7, whereas the C version I have has been updated with System 7 info. I code for System 6, but it's nice to have your programs run on System 7-9, especially if you're going to be developing on them.

*I* think it's a good primer, but I'm not guaranteeing you'll like it. I have 3 different pascal for mac books, and it's by far the best of the three. Not a huge sample though.

I have all of the sample code on a CD if you want it. The code isn't exactly as it is in the book, it's been updated a bit, with compiler options that sometimes break things for Think Pascal. Maybe the exact source is available online; I haven't looked.

Does Inside Macintosh also presume MPW?
If it does, it doesn't matter. I've never found it to be an issue.

Nathan

 

Kallikak

Well-known member
You'll have a very hard time developing on the 512K. Would need to use a very old version of the dev environments and you'd not have the use of a debugger (LightSpeed C 3 and THINK Pascal 2 both need at least System 4.2). The MacPlus will be much better - but I don't know how you got 8mb in there...

(Actually I just checked, and LightSpeed Pascal 1.11 has an integrated debugger and will run on a 512K mac with 64 ROMs.)

I've probably said it before in this thread, and certainly in others, but I'm going to repeat myself. You do not need Inside Macintosh to learn to program a Mac, and indeed it is hard to learn from. You do need it to program a Mac really well, but THINK Reference plus the Mark and Reed books provide an excellent basis for a wide variety of applications.

Ken

As to Inside Macintosh presuming MPW, yes it does. This matters for some things like header file organisation and accessing QuickDraw globals and some methods in the runtime, but it is only a slight nuisance.

 

JDW

Well-known member
You'll have a very hard time developing on the 512K. ...need at least System 4.2
As far as RAM goes, I haven't the faintest idea what would work when developing software on a 512. But as far as System Software goes, even on a 64k ROM 512, you can run all flavors of System 5. You simply cannot run System 6 or higher (despite what Apple's own web pages say on the matter).

 

Kallikak

Well-known member
I thought System Software 2 (System 4 and Finder 5.5) was the best you could manage on a 512K with 64K ROM. I will have a try on mine tonight.

 

JDW

Well-known member
On my 64k-ROM 512, I can run any flavor of System software, from 1.0 through the last revision prior to 6. I can even run Finder 6.0 with a System 5.x or 4.x version! But I can't get System 6 and Finder 6 to run (maybe due to lack of memory?). Despite this, Apple's website gives specs on the Mac 512 and 512ke which say these machines can both run Systems 6 and 7, which is a flat out lie.

So while you can run System 5.x, you cannot run 6.x or higher on a 512 with the original 64k ROMs.

 

equant

Well-known member
I've probably said it before in this thread, and certainly in others, but I'm going to repeat myself. You do not need Inside Macintosh to learn to program a Mac, and indeed it is hard to learn from.
Yeah, I agree completely. I wasn't trying to suggest otherwise.

I got my copy so cheaply and easily off of amazon - and it's such a nice reference to have - I don't see why someone developing classic mac apps shouldn't just go out and get it if they can.

 
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