Learning To Program A Compact Mac or Mac II

[CC_333]

Hi,

I would like to teach myself how to do some simple programming of a classic Mac, such as those mentioned in the subject line.

I am poised to get Inside Macintosh, Volumes 1 through 4 from Amazon, but I'd like to gather some advice/recommendations on what I should start out with first, although Inside Macintosh seems like a good reference no matter what.

My goal is to eventually become proficient enough to create extensions/control panels and stuff like that.

I look forward to hearing what you all have to say.

c

 

[bbraun]

IM is a great reference, it's good stuff. In addition to Amazon, I frequently order old mac books from Abebooks. I have no affiliation, just a frequent customer. The sellers are frequently the same as those on Amazon's marketplace though, so sometimes there's no difference.

Are you familiar with any sort of programming already and just new to the Mac OS toolbox, or new to programming in general? IMO, the Inside Macintosh books, being a reference, are intended more for picking up the toolbox API and assume you're already familiar with your own development environment, language syntax, etc.

I personally prefer learning about a system by scratching an itch. Find something you'd like done, and break it into smaller incremental tasks to work towards the larger goal. Generally, I don't worry about whether something will be "too difficult" or time consuming until after doing the research leg work on it. Some things can be deceptively easy, others can be deceptively difficult, and you frequently won't know until after researching different approaches to the problem. Do you have anything in particular as a project?

FWIW, I believe Control Panels were introduced in Volume V and expanded in VI, although I personally have found Volumes I-III invaluable as the fundamentals of the Mac OS interface. Control Panels are also covered in the later Inside Macintosh: More Macintosh Toolbox.

More great references are the Apple Tech Notes, which TylerEss has mirrored. When investigating an issue, I frequently use google with the site:fenestrated.net search feature. Also, the old mactech.com articles can be helpful. Again, I usually search with the site:mactech.com feature.

 

[onlyonemac]

I prefer the newer Inside Macintosh series, where the volumes are per manager/toolbox subsection, not per Macintosh model. But for the older models both could be of use. I've got the links for the newer series-don't know if I'm allowed to post them.

Also, I'll recomend a good compiler (the one I use, and it'll run from a floppy too)-THINK Lightspeed C version 3. For pascal, try THINK Pascal (not sure which version I run, but it's also an ancient floppy version).

 

[phreakout]

In adding to this, see of ClassicHasClass can help. He created iCab web browser that runs on 68K, also TenFourFox browser, as well.

73s de Phreakout. :rambo:

 

[theos911]

Classilla* PPC*

 

[CC_333]

...see of ClassicHasClass can help. He created iCab web browser that runs on 68K...

No... Alexander Clauss wrote iCab. As theos911 stated, ClassicHasClass updated Mozilla to create Classilla, which only runs on PPC hardware. As far as I know, he had nothing to do with iCab.
And thank you, everyone, for the suggestions. I have kind of put the notion of classic Mac programming aside for now, but I intend to try doing some when I get some free time.

c

 

[phreakout]

No... Alexander Clauss wrote iCab.

I stand corrected. |)

73s de Phreakout. :rambo: