This CD contains an updated collection of tools, components and documentation needed to develop OpenDoc components.
The CD is intended to be used in conjunction with the OpenDoc Home Page where many of the smaller and more rapidly changing elements that are traditionally on the CD will now reside. The OpenDoc site is located at http://www.opendoc.apple.com
• What's New?
For those of you that have been following the progress of OpenDoc for some time now, you'll be pleased to note that OpenDoc is faster, easier and smaller!
Smaller (Code went from 1.2M to 1.1M)
heap size smaller. Cyberdog can run in a small app partition
Code for dialogs moved to a library that is loaded and unloaded on demand.
Faster Launch time
Fixes to code that manipulates the part editor database, and has progress bar
Editor setup, also now has a progress bar
Faster execution
PPC struct alignment
Drag and drop
Rebuilding editors database
Better error handling
No part now displays error text and a button to push on for more info.
More dialogs in places where users typically have problems
Clipping support-in an out through Scrapbook
Support for Cyberdog app model
With minimal changes to OpenDoc and without compromising the OpenDoc model…
Address Live Objects Essentials' Needs
No Splash Screen ever
Part Info dialog changes
Kind and editor popups have fewer, more correct choices.
“bundled” change
‘oded’ editors
Bugs fixed
For a complete list of all the improvements check out the technical documentation.
• OpenDoc Development Framework (ODF) Release 2
ODF is the best, cross-platform framework for creating OpenDoc-compliant and Internet/Cyberdog-savvy components, parts and containers. This GM Release, guarantees you RRBC (Release-to-Release-Binary-Compatibility) thus protecting and leveraging your component development efforts! Included are the sources and binaries for the Framework, the Shared Library, tools and utilities as well as sample parts.
• Demo Components
We have created an installer for convenient installation. (The demo components are also included separately for "drag" installation). These demo components are works-in-progress and are susceptible to crashing so be sure to exercise the usual caution when running pre-release software. Several of these components take advantage of Cyberdog so be sure to install Cyberdog 1.1 which is included on this CD. You can also obtain updated release from the Cyberdog web page at http://cyberdog.apple.com. Also included on this CD for Cyberdog is the Cyberdog Internet Adapter, which enables the use of Netscape Plug-ins and Mac OS Runtime for Java™. The version of Mac OS Runtime for Java on DR 6 is 1.0a1. By the time you get DR 6, there will be a new version of the Mac OS Runtime for Java available on the Internet at: http://www.devtools.apple.com/mrj/
• Installer Tools
MindVision's Installer VISE and Aladdin Systems' InstallerMaker are included on DR 6. Both MindVision and Aladdin have also created sample installers and templates for you to create your own installers. Give them your feedback on what you'd like to see in future releases.
• Sources of Information
There are numerous OpenDoc resources available to you. The OpenDoc page on the Internet features the latest information and software updates as well as links to industry press releases and news. Three url’s you might want to check out are:
"http://www.opendoc.apple.com/."
"http://www.software.ibm.com/objects"
"http://www.cilabs.org/."
If you're interested in engaging in discussions of OpenDoc with your peers, point your newsreader to: comp.soft-sys.middlware.opendoc where you can post and read the latest technical discussions of OpenDoc on a variety of platforms.
Another resource is the CI Labs OpenDoc-Interest mailing list. To join this list frequented by your fellow OpenDoc developers, either use the subscription form on the OpenDoc web page or send an e-mail to: listproc@cil.org. Include the phrase "subscribe OpenDoc-Interest <your name> " on the first line (not the subject) of your message.
Apple Partner and Associate developers will be able to send OpenDoc coding questions directly to the Developer Support Center (AppleLink: DEVSUPPORT).
There are a number of new books on OpenDoc. An excellent code level book (and also the most current) is the "Byte Guide to OpenDoc" by Andrew MacBride and Joshua Susser. (McGraw Hill, ISBN 0-07-882118-5) If you are looking for a managerial level book, you should buy "Essential OpenDoc" by Jesse Feiler and Anthony Meadow. (Addison Wesley, ISBN 0-201-47958-3) Finally, for responding to the OLE (aka ActiveX) advocates in the organization, the best book to get is "The Essential Distributed Objects Survival Guide" by Robert Orfali, Dan Harkey, and Jeri Edwards (John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-471-1293-3). This book does an excellent job of explaining the paradigm shift implied by distributed objects and by component software in particular. If you want a sense of where the software industry is headed in the next ten years and how you can play a role in that revolution, read this book. Also, look for Jesse Feiler's new book, "Cyberdog: The complete Guide to Apple's Internet Productivity Technology". (APP@ACAD.COM or http://www.apnet.com)
Developer Opportunities
There are many co-marketing opportunities available for developers planning to release OpenDoc-based products in 1996. If you would like to know more about these opportunities please contact Components Evangelism at <opendoc@apple.com>.
Components Evangelism and the OpenDoc Engineering Team looks forward to your feedback!
