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• Building Applications
• Adding Documents
• Adding Preferences
• Adding One-Line Undo
• Adding Software Update
• Using Controllers
• Using Carbon Events
• Using HIViews
• Using Functors
• Reference Guide
• Utility Code
• Class Overview
• Coding Standards

Class Overview

Nano is composed of around a hundred classes, organized into a dozen or so categories of related objects.

This document provides an overview of the main categories, and notable objects within them; for more detailed documentation on each class, please consult the appropriate header file.

3rd Party

Third party code, which does not fall under the Nano licence. This code will be covered by a licence that is compatible with Nano's (i.e., public domain or BSD).

Application

The core application framework.

Includes the basic application and document objects, and standard windows such as an about box or a preferences window.

Core

Contains the core library objects - primitives such as strings, arrays, dictionaries, or files.

CoreFoundation

Wrappers around CoreFoundation objects.

All CF-based objects derive from NCFObject, which provides automatic copy-or-retain behaviour when CF-based objects are assigned to each other.

If you have installed Nano's gdb macros, NCFObjects can be printed with the pn command in gdb.

Events

Objects that represent events or event handlers.

As well as AppleEvents and Carbon Events, a broadcaster/listener pattern is also available for high-performance messaging within an application.

Files

Contains file related objects - alias files, property files, and property stores.

Graphics

Contains objects for manipulating or rendering graphical data - such as icons, cursors, or images.

HIToolbox

User-interface related objects, in three sub-categories - Core, Custom, and System.

The Core sub-category contains the core HIToolbox objects (HIObjectRef, HIViewRef, and HIWindowRef), as well as automatic .nib bindings that connect views to objects when a .nib is loaded.

The Custom sub-category contains custom views that are not provided by the system - such as a base class that can scroll and zoom custom content, or an OpenGL view.

The System sub-category contains wrapper objects for system views, providing a C++ interface to every standard user interface control.

Network

Contains network-related objects, such as an HTTP client.

System

General objects for interacting with the system as a whole, such as manipulating the pasteboard or integrating Objective-C.

Threads

Contains thread-related objects, such as mutex, reader-writer, or spin locks.

Utilities

Contains a range of stand-alone utility methods, organized by purpose. These methods are typically one-line calls that simplify system APIs, and are described here.

Windows

Contains standard print, file, and alert window objects.