Apple MPW for Mac

[Scott Baret]

As some of you know, I am in the education business, operating a tutoring business at the moment. I also use a lot of old Macs for educational programs. I'm at the point where I want to develop some of my own software to supplement instruction.

I have some experience with C++ (not regular C) although it's been a decade since I've done anything in the language. I did get both of my reference books out and want to get good at this language. I also want to know how good the Apple MPW is as a developer environment now that it's free and will be able to develop apps for my current in-house computers.

If anyone knows of some good references (preferably free and online), I'd like to get ahold of them. I also want to learn how to put a GUI on top of the C++ console--I don't want programs that look like BASIC, I want programs that look commercially done.

In particular, I'm looking to develop grammar/mechanics software, which is missing in the early Macintosh library. I want the theme to be based around automobiles (Mechanics for Mechanics).

 

[techknight]

you could try RealBASIC. because it uses the toolbox to build the GUI.

and then theres the good ol hypercard.

Besides basic doesnt look like basic, it all depends on the programming behind it. Same thing with C. i have seen some C and C++ programs look like total crap, and ive seen BASIC programs that look highly professional. Malwarebytes is one of them

 

[PowerPup]

From what I've read, MPW is somewhat difficult to program in. Can't remember details, other than that it was more complicated to get things to work in it.

What I (still) plan to do is learn Pascal and use THINK Pascal (now freeware) and make fun and simple GUI apps. Eventually making games and whatnot. I was fortunate to obtain a copy of THINK Pascal 4 in box (with most of the manuals, which I am slowly digitizing,) but I've also grabbed a copy of Macintosh Pascal Programming Primer Vol. 1 (yet to find Vol. 2)

MacTech still hosts their free Macintosh Pascal book. v(2.1 for Mac OS 8.5 and v1.2 for Mac OS 7.) I also just came across this reference book and went ahead and ordered a copy. Hopefully it will prove to be useful.

RealBASIC would indeed make the process easier, as techknight mentioned the GUI can be built visually. But finding a genuine copy for the old Mac OS may prove impossible.

For me at least, I think using Pascal would be the best choice as there's still documented libraries available; which will help for reference as much as the books. (Nothing against C/C++. I like both, but there's not really any free compilers for either language on Classic Mac OS that I'm aware of.)

Good luck on your project Scott. If you need help looking for reference material I'll do what I can to help.

 

[onlyonemac]

Use Think C. I use it and a love it. MPW is crap.

 

[techknight]

You can download all the realbasics, from about version 2+ but registration im unsure of. I got mine registered by some rather unscrupulous means. The version I downloaded runs on my Mac OS 8 machine (i think 7.6 is the earliest it will run on). And it compiles for PPC or 68K and itll run all the way back to System 7. the compiled apps may run on system 6 but i am not sure.

the only downside is the runtime is compiled into the application, which means the smallest the application will ever be is 352k i think.