Professional Xcode® 3

Chapter 13. Interface Builder

WHAT'S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Creating nib documents

• Adding objects to a nib document

• Configuring and connecting objects together

• Defining and creating custom objects

• Customizing Interface Builder

Interface Builder is a graphical user interface editor. Interface Builder and the Xcode IDE work hand in glove to create a fluid, dynamic, and (nearly) seamless workflow for designing and implementing your user interface objects. Getting the most out of Interface Builder is essential to any Mac or iPhone development project.

Interface Builder has a long history. Interface Builder and Project Builder (later renamed Xcode) trace their lineage all the way back to NeXT, where they were originally conceived. Twenty years later, the roles of these two applications remain largely unchanged — a testament to the vision of its creators. You write your code (controller) in Xcode using text editors and compilers. You design your interface (view) in Interface Builder using graphical design tools and object inspectors.

Although this is not a book about programming, it's very difficult to describe how to use Interface Builder without understanding what Interface Builder does and the technologies that allow it to work. This is a common source of confusion for new developers, particularly those coming from other development environments. If you fall into this category (or don't know whether you fall into this category), read through the sections "What Is Interface Builder?" and "Interface ...