Java® and Mac OS® X

Introduction

This book is for Java programmers interested in developing OS X applications, but not interested in leaving Java behind. Java applications can look and feel just like other OS X programs. Your Java programs can take advantage of any OS X technology.

In this book, I describe the following:

• Dock usage for Java applications

• Help Viewer integration

• Java application bundle creation

• Adding NSViews to Java windows

• Java screen saver creation

• Java application deployment

• Application menu implementation

• Icon creation for Java applications

Apple welcomes Java development. Java programming is not an afterthought on Apple's computers. OS X was designed with Java development in mind. Java development on OS X has changed a great deal since the first computers shipped with OS X preinstalled, but the ability to create native feeling applications with Java on OS X has only improved.

This book is not an introduction to Java programming for first-time programmers. To read this entire book, you need some programming experience. Basic understanding of Java is required. Some of the more advanced chapters also require a very limited understanding of C. I make every effort to describe in detail any code that is not Java, so you do not need a great deal of knowledge about any languages other than Java.

If you are new to Java, or programming, keep an introductory manual close by as you work your way through the examples in this book. Many of the examples in this book will make sense to new programmers, as ...