Introduction to Interface Builder

Interface Builder 2.5 was the Xcode application used to create graphical user interfaces (GUIs) prior to Mac OS X v10.5. This programming topic provides some tips to help you make more effective use of this application and gives pointers to other documentation for Interface Builder.

Before you read this document, you should have basic familiarity with Interface Builder 2.5 and with the Xcode application. This document should be useful to anyone using Interface Builder, no matter whether you are writing Carbon, Cocoa, Java, or AppleScript applications.

Organization of This Document

This topic consists of several articles and is supplemented by a variety of other documentation as described here.

See Also

In Interface Builder, use the Help menu to open Interface Builder online help and release notes. When you install the Xcode tools on your system, the Interface Builder online help is also available in /Developer/Applications/Interface Builder.app/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/InterfaceBuilder_Help.

Developing Cocoa Objective-C Applications: A Tutorial in Cocoa Objective-C Language Documentation shows the development of a simple application using Objective-C and Cocoa and illustrates the use of Interface Builder.

A Quick Tour of Xcode in Tools Documentation includes a tutorial that shows the development of a simple application using Objective-C and Carbon and that illustrates the use of Interface Builder.

Developing Cocoa Java Applications: A Tutorial in Cocoa Java Documentation shows the development of a simple application using Java and Cocoa and illustrates the use of Interface Builder.

Building a Text Editor in 15 Minutes in the Cocoa programming topic Text System Architecture in Cocoa Text & International Documentation shows how to use Interface Builder to add a text view to a window, write a simple controller, and connect the text view to the controller.

Resource Programming Guide provides information about nib files in the runtime environment, including information about the nib-loading process for Carbon and Cocoa applications.

Interface Builder Services Reference in Carbon User Experience Documentation describes the Interface Builder Services manager. This manager provides functions that unarchive interface objects from nib files created using Interface Builder.

Unarchiving Interface Objects With Interface Builder Services in Carbon User Experience Documentation discusses key concepts needed to understand Interface Builder Services and strategies for storing interface objects. This topic also shows you how to unarchive interface objects from a main file, auxilliary nib files, and bundles other than the main bundle.

Handling Carbon Windows and Controls in Carbon User Experience Documentation has a section on Using Interface Builder in the chapter “Window and Control Tasks.” Although geared to Carbon programmers, many of the principles and techniques described here apply to any project that uses Interface Builder.

Controller Layer in Cocoa Design Guidelines Documentation describes the purpose and use of controller objects and includes tutorials that show how you use Interface Builder to add controller objects to your Cocoa application.

Building Applications With AppleScript Studio in AppleScript Documentation has a section on Interface Builder Features for AppleScript Studio in the chapter “AppleScript Studio Components.” This document also includes two tutorials with sections that illustrate the use of Interface Builder: “Currency Converter” and “Mail Search.”