Re: Programmers Reference to Sys 6

[David.Empson@bbs.actrix.gen.nz]

In article <1993Feb25.014836.25251@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> jsanford@nyx.cs.du.edu (James Sanford) writes:
> I am thinking about buying the Programmers Reference to System 6.0...  I'd
> like to know how much info it has in it, because the only other GS book I
> have is Exploring the Apple IIgs...  (no Toolbox ref., etc...)...  Does it
> give a list of (almost) all toolbox commands and how to use them?

No.  The best way to think of this book is "Toolbox Reference Volume
4", with some extra stuff thrown in, such as updates to the GS/OS
Reference Manual.

To make use of this book, you'll need TB Ref Volumes 1, 2 and 3.
These don't teach you how to use the toolbox (they are references, not
tutorials), so you might like to start with a book that covers toolbox
programming in general.  Some possibilities:

Programmers Introduction to the IIgs (Apple)

This is rather out of date (System 3.1, I think), but includes full
source code in APW C, TML Pascal and APW/ORCA assembly language for
the HodgePodge program.  If you have Merlin 8/16+, you already have
the equivalent Merlin source code.
The book covers the design and organisation of toolbox programs (event
loops, how to handle menus and windows, etc.), pointing out the
appropriate parts of HodgePodge.

Advanced Programming Techniques for the IIgs Toolbox (Gookin/Davis)

Don't let the title fool you.  This book is very good for teaching
general toolbox programming.  I think it skims over some of the
introductory material, but is great otherwise.  This was the book I
used to learn toolbox programming.

Learning to Program the Toolbox in Pascal (Byte Works)
Learning to Program the Toolbox in C (Byte Works)

I haven't seen these books, so can't comment on them.  I've heard good
reports, though, and they are much more recent than the other two.

All of the above are available from Resource Central.


[Back to Programmers Reference for System 6 again]

> I'm not sure, but I think it is a ByteWorks(?) book, I use Merlin, so
> does it use a lot of Orca macros?

Not really - there isn't much example code in there.  It is a
reference manual, not a tutorial.

BTW, Merlin 8/16+ hasn't been updated since System 5.0.2, so you'll
have to write your own macros to access the new calls in Systems
5.0.3, 5.0.4 and 6.0.


> (I'd like to know how to use IPC and make drivers, etc, so I think
> this book would be good for that)...  Thanx for any suggestions...

If you want to use the inter-program communications stuff, you'll need
this book, as it isn't documented anywhere else.

Writing device drivers is documented in the GS/OS Device Driver
Reference Manual, available from Resource Central.  You'll also need
the GS/OS Reference Manual.  This is not a simple task, though.
-- 
David Empson

Internet: David.Empson@bbs.actrix.gen.nz    EMPSON_D@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand