Take your coding skills to the next level with this extensive guide to Objective--C, the native programming language for developing sophisticated software applications for Mac OS X. Objective--C is a powerful, object--oriented extension of C, making this book the perfect follow--up to Dave Mark's bestselling Learn C on the Mac, Mac OS X Edition. Whether you're an experienced C programmer or you're coming from a different language such as C++ or Java, leading Mac experts Mark Dalrymple and Scott Knaster show you how to harness the powers of Objective--C in your applications!* A complete course on the basics of Objective--C using Apple's free Xcode tools * An introduction to object--oriented programming * Comprehensive coverage of inheritance, composition, object initialization, categories, protocols, memory management, and organizing source files * A brief tour of Cocoa's foundation framework and AppKit * A helpful ''learning curve'' guide for non--C developers What you'll learn * Learn Objective--C programming, the gateway to programming your Mac or iPhone * Write applications for the Mac OS X interface, the cleanest user--interface around * Understand variables and how to design your own data structures * Work with the file system * Connect to data sources and the Internet Who this book is for For anyone wanting to learn to program native applications in Mac OS X, including developers new to the Mac, developers new to Objective--C, or students entirely new to programming.