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Programming in Objective-C 2.0 (2nd Edition)
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| Binding: | Kindle Edition |
|---|---|
| EAN: | |
| Label: | Addison-Wesley Professional |
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| Publisher: | Addison-Wesley Professional |
| Studio: | Addison-Wesley Professional |
Editorial Reviews
This is the eBook version of the printed book.
THE #1 BESTSELLING BOOK ON OBJECTIVE-C 2.0
Programming in Objective-C 2.0 provides the new programmer a complete, step-by-step introduction to Objective-C, the primary language used to develop applications for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac OS X platforms.
The book does not assume previous experience with either C or object-oriented programming languages, and it includes many detailed, practical examples of how to put Objective-C to use in your everyday iPhone/iPad or Mac OS X programming tasks.
A powerful yet simple object-oriented programming language that’s based on the C programming language, Objective-C is widely available not only on OS X and the iPhone/iPad platform but across many operating systems that support the gcc compiler, including Linux, Unix, and Windows systems.
The second edition of this book thoroughly covers the latest version of the language, Objective-C 2.0. And it shows not only how to take advantage of the Foundation framework’s rich built-in library of classes but also how to use the iPhone SDK to develop programs designed for the iPhone/iPad platform.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
Part I: The Objective-C 2.0 Language
2 Programming in Objective-C
3 Classes, Objects, and Methods
4 Data Types and Expressions
5 Program Looping
6 Making Decisions
7 More on Classes
8 Inheritance
9 Polymorphism, Dynamic Typing, and Dynamic Binding
10 More on Variables and Data Types
11 Categories and Protocols
12 The Preprocessor
13 Underlying C Language Features
Part II: The Foundation Framework
14 Introduction to the Foundation Framework
15 Numbers, Strings, and Collections
16 Working with Files
17 Memory Management
18 Copying Objects
19 Archiving
Part III: Cocoa and the iPhone SDK
20 Introduction to Cocoa
21 Writing iPhone Applications
Part IV: Appendixes
A Glossary
B Objective-C 2.0 Language Summary
C Address Book Source Code
Customer Reviews
E. Kim @ 2009-01-03 Outstanding Beginner's Guide to Objective-C
This book is both comprehensive and easy to understand. The sequence of chapters chosen to be read chronologically is well thought out (e.g. having the reader use static data types before introducing the generic id type, or having the reader declare and implement accessor methods before introducing the property and synthesize directives). The end of chapter exercises are also short (i.e. quick to complete) but also thoughtfully designed.
The author chose to make this book serve not only as a reference, but as a tutorial. In other words, a bit like the "... for Dummies" series in its hand-holding (i.e. tutorial) style. However, this book is certainly not for "dummies" as the author does not assume the reader to be slow or requiring interjections of humor or casualness. Other books will have authors write things like "Now grab a slice of pizza before we hit this really hard subject!", but this author thankfully spares the reader of this. Kochan is concise and direct. There are very few wasted or unnecessary sentences.
Kochan does not assume prior Objective-C, Cocoa framework, or X-code knowledge. However, if you have experience with just about any procedural or object-oriented language, you will have a much easier time with learning any new language, including Objective-C. If you do not have experience with ANY other language, then you will still have a difficult time with learning all of the Objective-C language as some topics just by their very nature are difficult to grasp immediately without practical experience.
Although there is a chapter each on the Cocoa framework and iPhone development, this book is focused on the Objective-C language and Apple's Foundation framework. Other resources will have to be utilized to learn Cocoa or Cocoa Touch.
BOOK'S TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Introduction
2. Programming in Objective-C
3. Classes, Objects, and methods
4. Data Types and Expressions
5. Program Looping
6. Making Decisions
7. More on Classes
8. Inheritance
9. Polymorphism, Dynamic Typing, and Dynamic Binding
10. More on variables and Data Types
11. Categories and Protocols
12. The Preprocessor
13. Underlying C Language Features
14. Introduction to the Foundation Framework Foundation Documentation
15. Numbers, Strings, and Collections
16. Working with Files
17. Memory Management
18. Copying Objects
19. Archiving
20. Introduction to Cocoa Framework Layers
21. Writing iPhone Applications
22. Appendix A. Glossary
23. Appendix B. Objective-C 2.0 Language Summary
24. Appendix C. Address Book Source Code
25. Appendix D. Resources
You may also want to consider reading Apple's developers' guides:
-Learning Objective-C: A Primer
-Object-Oriented Programming with Objective-C
-The Objective-C 2.0 Programming Language
Apple's guides are not easy for a novice, but having read them before reading Kochan's book definitely made using his book significantly easier and faster for me.
In summary, this book will make learning Objective-C about as easy as it can be since it starts with the assumption that the reader has no prior programming knowledge.
The author chose to make this book serve not only as a reference, but as a tutorial. In other words, a bit like the "... for Dummies" series in its hand-holding (i.e. tutorial) style. However, this book is certainly not for "dummies" as the author does not assume the reader to be slow or requiring interjections of humor or casualness. Other books will have authors write things like "Now grab a slice of pizza before we hit this really hard subject!", but this author thankfully spares the reader of this. Kochan is concise and direct. There are very few wasted or unnecessary sentences.
Kochan does not assume prior Objective-C, Cocoa framework, or X-code knowledge. However, if you have experience with just about any procedural or object-oriented language, you will have a much easier time with learning any new language, including Objective-C. If you do not have experience with ANY other language, then you will still have a difficult time with learning all of the Objective-C language as some topics just by their very nature are difficult to grasp immediately without practical experience.
Although there is a chapter each on the Cocoa framework and iPhone development, this book is focused on the Objective-C language and Apple's Foundation framework. Other resources will have to be utilized to learn Cocoa or Cocoa Touch.
BOOK'S TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Introduction
2. Programming in Objective-C
3. Classes, Objects, and methods
4. Data Types and Expressions
5. Program Looping
6. Making Decisions
7. More on Classes
8. Inheritance
9. Polymorphism, Dynamic Typing, and Dynamic Binding
10. More on variables and Data Types
11. Categories and Protocols
12. The Preprocessor
13. Underlying C Language Features
14. Introduction to the Foundation Framework Foundation Documentation
15. Numbers, Strings, and Collections
16. Working with Files
17. Memory Management
18. Copying Objects
19. Archiving
20. Introduction to Cocoa Framework Layers
21. Writing iPhone Applications
22. Appendix A. Glossary
23. Appendix B. Objective-C 2.0 Language Summary
24. Appendix C. Address Book Source Code
25. Appendix D. Resources
You may also want to consider reading Apple's developers' guides:
-Learning Objective-C: A Primer
-Object-Oriented Programming with Objective-C
-The Objective-C 2.0 Programming Language
Apple's guides are not easy for a novice, but having read them before reading Kochan's book definitely made using his book significantly easier and faster for me.
In summary, this book will make learning Objective-C about as easy as it can be since it starts with the assumption that the reader has no prior programming knowledge.
John McSwain "Compou @ 2009-01-11 Fantastic book organization!
I am a web designer and developer and I've programmed in a lot of languages (i.e. HTML, javascript, actionscript, visual basic, etc.). I wanted to learn Objective-C as the quickly as I could. I quickly found out that not having experience in programming in C (the predecessor to Objective-C) made it hard to understand the reasoning behind the code syntax and finding resources that didn't assume I knew C was almost impossible...
After going through the first three chapters of this book in less than an hour, my confidence in the language has increased exponentially. The book is roughly 624 pages, but I feel like I could code the samples and finish the book in just a few days...
The book is organized into four main sections:
I: The Objective-C 2.0 Language
II: The Foundation Framework
III: Cocoa and the iPhone SDK
IV: Appendixes
The separation of these main topics, Objective-C Language features and the Foundation Framework for example, almost guarantees that there won't be much confusion if you are learning the language for the first time and that there will be a distinction between the topics and concepts for each section.
Kochan does a good job of creating a deep understanding of the material instead of simply saying `just write the code and we'll explain later'. For example, each chapter provides instructions on how to fulfill basic concepts using Objective-C such as writing classes, inheritance, loops, operators, etc. At the end of each chapter, there are `Exercises' which may range anywhere from 5-9, which more or less tests the reader's comprehension on the material that was just covered.
I bought the Beginning iPhone Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK and Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (3rd Edition) before this book and I should have done the exact opposite. This book can serve as a foolproof foundation and reference guide for either of the aforementioned books and definitely shortens the learning curve to mastery.
After going through the first three chapters of this book in less than an hour, my confidence in the language has increased exponentially. The book is roughly 624 pages, but I feel like I could code the samples and finish the book in just a few days...
The book is organized into four main sections:
I: The Objective-C 2.0 Language
II: The Foundation Framework
III: Cocoa and the iPhone SDK
IV: Appendixes
The separation of these main topics, Objective-C Language features and the Foundation Framework for example, almost guarantees that there won't be much confusion if you are learning the language for the first time and that there will be a distinction between the topics and concepts for each section.
Kochan does a good job of creating a deep understanding of the material instead of simply saying `just write the code and we'll explain later'. For example, each chapter provides instructions on how to fulfill basic concepts using Objective-C such as writing classes, inheritance, loops, operators, etc. At the end of each chapter, there are `Exercises' which may range anywhere from 5-9, which more or less tests the reader's comprehension on the material that was just covered.
I bought the Beginning iPhone Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK and Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (3rd Edition) before this book and I should have done the exact opposite. This book can serve as a foolproof foundation and reference guide for either of the aforementioned books and definitely shortens the learning curve to mastery.
Kelsey McClanahan @ 2009-01-24 Best book to learn Objective-C 2.0
Note: Typos have been fixed since the edition I originally purchased. I've kept my original review below, which was influenced by the number of typos and formatting glitches I encountered in the original edition. Now that it's all been rectified, there is NO BETTER BOOK for learning Objective-C 2.0 than this book.
*** ORIGINAL REVIEW (noted deficiencies corrected in updated revisions) ***
I'd love to recommend this book as the gateway to learning to program Mac OS X applications, but unfortunately I cannot. It contains more than a few typographical errors, especially in the first few chapters. Those new to programming in C may end up confused and unable to understand why their programs will not compile. This is unacceptable for this type of book.
Beyond typos, my second gripe is the lack of exercise solutions. This book provides challenging exercises at the end of each chapter that are designed to hone your skills and solidify your understanding of taught topics. Frustratingly, there does not seem to be a source containing exercise solutions. None are found in the book, and surprisingly -- nothing is offered on the book's web page either. Nada. Learning is difficult when you cannot check your solution against the author's intended solution.
My surmise is to blame the editors -- someone unaccustomed to working on programming/technical books likely did the final layout.
I learned C Programming over 20 years ago, thanks in large part to Stephen G. Kochan's original 1988 masterpiece, "Programming In C." I picked up his latest book looking to master my Objective-C programming skills. Personally, I accomplished my goals -- but only because I have a 20+ year history of programming in C (and many other languages). Those new to the language may have to hobble through typos.
This book (minus typos) does an excellent job teaching you Objective-C 2.0. Knowing ObjC is a prerequisite to learning the Cocoa framework for Mac OS X.
Final thoughts:
TWO to THREE STARS for those new to programming. Don't frustrate yourself with typos and lack of solutions to chapter exercises.
FOUR to FIVE STARS for experienced C/C++ developers looking to jump to Objective-C 2.0.
NOTE: Those giving FIVE STAR reviews to this book knowing that it contains typos are not providing any service to those who are new to programming. What good is it to reward a publisher for poor performance? With any luck, the publisher will fix future versions.
*** ORIGINAL REVIEW (noted deficiencies corrected in updated revisions) ***
I'd love to recommend this book as the gateway to learning to program Mac OS X applications, but unfortunately I cannot. It contains more than a few typographical errors, especially in the first few chapters. Those new to programming in C may end up confused and unable to understand why their programs will not compile. This is unacceptable for this type of book.
Beyond typos, my second gripe is the lack of exercise solutions. This book provides challenging exercises at the end of each chapter that are designed to hone your skills and solidify your understanding of taught topics. Frustratingly, there does not seem to be a source containing exercise solutions. None are found in the book, and surprisingly -- nothing is offered on the book's web page either. Nada. Learning is difficult when you cannot check your solution against the author's intended solution.
My surmise is to blame the editors -- someone unaccustomed to working on programming/technical books likely did the final layout.
I learned C Programming over 20 years ago, thanks in large part to Stephen G. Kochan's original 1988 masterpiece, "Programming In C." I picked up his latest book looking to master my Objective-C programming skills. Personally, I accomplished my goals -- but only because I have a 20+ year history of programming in C (and many other languages). Those new to the language may have to hobble through typos.
This book (minus typos) does an excellent job teaching you Objective-C 2.0. Knowing ObjC is a prerequisite to learning the Cocoa framework for Mac OS X.
Final thoughts:
TWO to THREE STARS for those new to programming. Don't frustrate yourself with typos and lack of solutions to chapter exercises.
FOUR to FIVE STARS for experienced C/C++ developers looking to jump to Objective-C 2.0.
NOTE: Those giving FIVE STAR reviews to this book knowing that it contains typos are not providing any service to those who are new to programming. What good is it to reward a publisher for poor performance? With any luck, the publisher will fix future versions.
Jack @ 2009-01-12 Great book: Clear, concise, and comprehensive!
I had heard about Kochan's reputation for writing clear and concise books, so I was anxiously awaiting the release of the second edition of what has been recommended to me as THE book to learn Objective-C from. I was certainly not disappointed. I was able to work through this book in a week's time and even write my first iPhone application, just from the material presented in this text.
Kochan methodically teaches the mechanics of the language, followed by the Foundation Framework, and then the iPhone SDK. In the last chapter on the iPhone, Kochan shows how to use two of the classes taught in the book (a calculator class and a fraction class) to develop a fraction calculator that runs on the iPhone. I was able to get the program running on the iPhone simulator that comes with the iPhone SDK. You should note that there was a mistake in listing some of the code for this example. I contacted the author and he was aware of the error. He mentioned that all the code, the answers to the exercises, and the errata will be posted shortly. It's helpful to note that Kochan is active in MacRumors forums and seems to respond quickly to questions posted there as well as to the several emails I sent him.
After I got the iPhone fraction calculator working, I started adding features to the calculator (some came from suggestions in the exercises at the end of the chapter), and this has greatly improved my understanding of how everything works and how it all works together: XCode, Interface Builder, the iPhone Simulator, and Objective-C.
Now I have to dive deeper into Cocoa programming and the iPhone SDK. Kochan has given me a great start to move on to one of the recommended follow-on texts with confidence and a strong footing in the language..
In my opinion, this book is the best way to learn Objective-C and a must read for prospective mac and iPhone application developers.
Kochan methodically teaches the mechanics of the language, followed by the Foundation Framework, and then the iPhone SDK. In the last chapter on the iPhone, Kochan shows how to use two of the classes taught in the book (a calculator class and a fraction class) to develop a fraction calculator that runs on the iPhone. I was able to get the program running on the iPhone simulator that comes with the iPhone SDK. You should note that there was a mistake in listing some of the code for this example. I contacted the author and he was aware of the error. He mentioned that all the code, the answers to the exercises, and the errata will be posted shortly. It's helpful to note that Kochan is active in MacRumors forums and seems to respond quickly to questions posted there as well as to the several emails I sent him.
After I got the iPhone fraction calculator working, I started adding features to the calculator (some came from suggestions in the exercises at the end of the chapter), and this has greatly improved my understanding of how everything works and how it all works together: XCode, Interface Builder, the iPhone Simulator, and Objective-C.
Now I have to dive deeper into Cocoa programming and the iPhone SDK. Kochan has given me a great start to move on to one of the recommended follow-on texts with confidence and a strong footing in the language..
In my opinion, this book is the best way to learn Objective-C and a must read for prospective mac and iPhone application developers.
dhovel "davidhov" @ 2010-07-17 For newbies only: not very clear and incomplete source code
I'm a very experienced developer and have written in more languages that I care to list. The book, while relatively straightforward in its presentation, is not for knowledgeable developers. Many important issues are avoided in the desire to keep things "simple" for beginners. Also, no complete source code is available for the book. I haven't seen a book like this without free, downloadable source code examples in many years; I never would have bought it if I had known of this limitation. There are several subtle and not-so-subtle issues in Objective-C, but this book spends lots of space on overly basics concepts while glossing over key issues in its efforts to appeal to newbies. The book studiously avoids the subtleties of "self", "super" and reference counting, call by reference vs. call by value, selectors vs. class members, class vs. instance selectors and other issues that can cause crashes and leaks for unwary programmers.
What was it Einstein said about keeping things as simple as possible but no simpler?
What was it Einstein said about keeping things as simple as possible but no simpler?
D. Crabbe "D. Crabbe @ 2010-03-06 Superb text for learning objective-C
As an instructor looking for a text for students taking an introductory programming course, this book is perfect. I had waded through several other works on objective-c but none took the approach of starting from square one. Even though I have programmed in many languages (APL, C, Forth, Pascal) I was new to OOP and I found most other texts very tiring to understand.
This book is a breath of fresh air and includes good exercises at the end of each chapter. Coupled with a great on-line forum site with additional quizzes and solutions to problems, this is one of the best works I could have found for learning this material.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to learn about object oriented programming and for anyone who wants to learn how to create iPhone (or Mac) applications. Writing iPhone apps is just too different an area to jump into without first getting a good grasp of the programming fundamentals. This is a necessary first step in that process.
Dave Crabbe
This book is a breath of fresh air and includes good exercises at the end of each chapter. Coupled with a great on-line forum site with additional quizzes and solutions to problems, this is one of the best works I could have found for learning this material.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to learn about object oriented programming and for anyone who wants to learn how to create iPhone (or Mac) applications. Writing iPhone apps is just too different an area to jump into without first getting a good grasp of the programming fundamentals. This is a necessary first step in that process.
Dave Crabbe
B. Wilson "Squarehip @ 2010-03-15 Just buy it!!
If you are reading the reviews because you're on the fence, stop now and buy this book. Of the many, many programming books I've purchased over the years, this is by far the best. (Really!) The book itself is well organized, builds steadily on previous chapters, and I'm sure will also be a great reference for some time to come. But what really sets this book apart is the author's forum. There is a TON of information, including study guides, quizzes, questions answered (often by the author himself!) topics clarified, and ideas shared. If you are already a programmer the book alone is worth purchasing. But if you are starting out or still have a thing or two to learn, the book combined with the site is invaluable.
Rover "Rover" @ 2009-03-29 Excellent Book, Formatted Perfectly for Kindle!
This book is fantastic for beginning programers. I have a little bit of experience with C, and programming in other languages, but am completely ignorant when it comes to Objective-C. Kochan had me understanding complex subjects in minutes.
The analogies used in this book are very clear--using the analogy in this book, I explained how classes work to my wife (whose eyes glaze over when programming is mentioned) and she understood it well.
Another thing the author does well is avoiding overburdening the reader with too many concepts at once. Frequently, the explanations for complex concepts that are not totally relevant to the task at hand are deferred until a later section in the book. This helps you grasp the simple things early on, without feeling overwhelmed. You are then prepared when things get more complex.
If you are a Kindle owner, you'll be happy to know that the conversion to Kindle has been done flawlessly. When important concepts are referred to, or previous examples mentioned, they are always linked for a quick click back or forward to the relevant location. Images and tables are rendered nice and large, and easy to read. One of the best Kindle formatting jobs I have ever seen.
I fell in love with Objective-C almost immediately after starting this book. Those new to programming or Objective-C will find a lot to love here.
The analogies used in this book are very clear--using the analogy in this book, I explained how classes work to my wife (whose eyes glaze over when programming is mentioned) and she understood it well.
Another thing the author does well is avoiding overburdening the reader with too many concepts at once. Frequently, the explanations for complex concepts that are not totally relevant to the task at hand are deferred until a later section in the book. This helps you grasp the simple things early on, without feeling overwhelmed. You are then prepared when things get more complex.
If you are a Kindle owner, you'll be happy to know that the conversion to Kindle has been done flawlessly. When important concepts are referred to, or previous examples mentioned, they are always linked for a quick click back or forward to the relevant location. Images and tables are rendered nice and large, and easy to read. One of the best Kindle formatting jobs I have ever seen.
I fell in love with Objective-C almost immediately after starting this book. Those new to programming or Objective-C will find a lot to love here.
Jon Thornham @ 2009-11-03 Much more than an Excellent Book!
I graduated as a mechanical engineer in 06' and during that time took one class on C programming. Being that it was 8 years ago and I guess you could say I was a beginner as a programmer. I was looking for a book on Objective-C back in December of '08 and after a lot of research ended up choosing this book. At the time I had read numerous good things about the book but I was unprepared for what I was actually getting. Learning computer programming is tough but this book is an excellent step by step guide to taking you comfortably from a beginner to someone who is comfortable with the Objective-C language. I started the book in March of this year and soon after was searching for answers to the exercises in Google. I ended up finding the authors forum for the book which has been worth ten times the price of the book and it is all free. There are numerous sections where you can get the answers to exercises, ask for help, make suggestions, help other etc. The really great part is the authors involvement. I have been a member since April and have over 100 posts on the site as I came across things I had further questions on. I would say at least 80% of the time the author was the one who responded and in less then 24 hours and most times less than 12 hours. Steve has a real passion for teaching and in my opinion has a real knack for doing so.
I just finished the book today. My approach was probably more thorough than most. I first read the chapter, then reread it taking notes and then completed the exercises at the end of each chapter I also completed all of the program examples in the chapters. There are claims in the reviews that you can get through this book in 3 weeks which I find awfully hard to believe. I spent on average 7-10 a week on the book and it took me eight months to complete it. I also took advantage of the live lessons which are available online. There is a series of 16 lessons which walk you through the book. The author guides you through the book using the material from the book and there is also additional information. Conveniently it was close to the time I was finishing the book and served as a great review of what I had learned.
While waiting for this book I picked up a copy of Learn C on the Mac and read through it. I will say that this book helped refresh my memory and did give me a good head start. I would read this again first if I had to do it over again. I am not saying that you need to learn C first I am just saying having a base knowledge didn't hurt me.
All in all I really can't say enough about the author, the forum, the book and the community of people who are behind this book. If you are looking for a way to learn about Objective-C and you don't choose this book I think you are making a big mistake. I really wish that Steve had a book on iPhone programming. I only hope that my next steps are met with as much support and dedication as I have received from Steve. Thanks Steve!
I just finished the book today. My approach was probably more thorough than most. I first read the chapter, then reread it taking notes and then completed the exercises at the end of each chapter I also completed all of the program examples in the chapters. There are claims in the reviews that you can get through this book in 3 weeks which I find awfully hard to believe. I spent on average 7-10 a week on the book and it took me eight months to complete it. I also took advantage of the live lessons which are available online. There is a series of 16 lessons which walk you through the book. The author guides you through the book using the material from the book and there is also additional information. Conveniently it was close to the time I was finishing the book and served as a great review of what I had learned.
While waiting for this book I picked up a copy of Learn C on the Mac and read through it. I will say that this book helped refresh my memory and did give me a good head start. I would read this again first if I had to do it over again. I am not saying that you need to learn C first I am just saying having a base knowledge didn't hurt me.
All in all I really can't say enough about the author, the forum, the book and the community of people who are behind this book. If you are looking for a way to learn about Objective-C and you don't choose this book I think you are making a big mistake. I really wish that Steve had a book on iPhone programming. I only hope that my next steps are met with as much support and dedication as I have received from Steve. Thanks Steve!
Mark @ 2011-05-01 Great Beginners Guide
First off, I'm an absolute beginner. The extent of my programming was HyperTalk back in the early 1990's, since then I've done nothing with scripting or programming. This book (so far) has been an excellent tool for me being an absolute beginner. Kochan takes the time to explain Obj-C from the ground up, in laymen's terms, for those of us who aren't knowledgeable in any other languages. In addition to this book, there's also a very resourceful forum that is run and moderated by Kochan himself, there's lots of useful information and help for things that might be confusing to the average person. The only problem I have with the book is that it could use little updating since the newest releases of Xcode. In the first chapter, some of instructions and pictures telling how to set up your first project are no longer valid... which is confusing and requires the reader to do a bit research to make it to the next chapter. All in all, great book, good online resources, excellent author. Thank you!
John @ 2010-03-17 Outstanding book and works great on the Kindle!
This is the fourth programming book I have bought in as many months, and it will most probably be the only one that I manage to complete! I won't repeat everything that others have written, and I will confess I am still near the beginning, but I can say that:
- His text is clear and well presented.
- His examples are relevant and easy to follow.
- He actually explains WHY he is doing something!
(How many of you have read detailed technical books and by the end of it you are just typing stuff in like a monkey with no clue why the syntax is what it is, etc.?)
- Every chapter ends with exercises that are interesting, fun, and actually cement your learning.
After much mental debate, I bought the Kindle version of this book (which I was pleasantly surprised to see available!). Although I find the weight of a textbook somehow comforting, in this case I was getting a bit weary of carrying around multiple 3" thick books. I can say now that I am very pleased with the Kindle version (which I actually read via "Kindle for PC"). The text is very clear, the code examples are well formatted, and the illustrations are excellent (and some are even in color!).
And what better way to learn: I have this book open on the PC (on a MacBook Pro running in a VM window) right next to XCode (where you can enter and test the examples and exercises in parallel with your study of the book). I love it!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn Obj-C, perhaps on the way to learning the iPhone (as in my case).
- His text is clear and well presented.
- His examples are relevant and easy to follow.
- He actually explains WHY he is doing something!
(How many of you have read detailed technical books and by the end of it you are just typing stuff in like a monkey with no clue why the syntax is what it is, etc.?)
- Every chapter ends with exercises that are interesting, fun, and actually cement your learning.
After much mental debate, I bought the Kindle version of this book (which I was pleasantly surprised to see available!). Although I find the weight of a textbook somehow comforting, in this case I was getting a bit weary of carrying around multiple 3" thick books. I can say now that I am very pleased with the Kindle version (which I actually read via "Kindle for PC"). The text is very clear, the code examples are well formatted, and the illustrations are excellent (and some are even in color!).
And what better way to learn: I have this book open on the PC (on a MacBook Pro running in a VM window) right next to XCode (where you can enter and test the examples and exercises in parallel with your study of the book). I love it!
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn Obj-C, perhaps on the way to learning the iPhone (as in my case).
Steven @ 2009-04-19 The book is the perfect primer for people interested in learning Objective-C from scratch
I don't have very time to write a long review, I essentially wanted to lend some support to Stephen Kochen because he did an amazing job with this book.
I Started learning Objective-C with the online iphone.stanford.edu class, but once the class moved beyond the scope of my existing knowledge, I picked up this book and it filled in all the gaps. This book is 5 stars all the way.
I Started learning Objective-C with the online iphone.stanford.edu class, but once the class moved beyond the scope of my existing knowledge, I picked up this book and it filled in all the gaps. This book is 5 stars all the way.
Anthony Lawrence "Un @ 2009-01-02 Sloppy typos but overall excellent
This book begins with a typo in the first program listing presented. My eyes blinked when I saw it. It's not a big deal - they just left out the beginning "<" in an #import line. There were a few more problems I noticed as I skimmed along through the first part of the book. A clumsy explanation of the size of data types made me blink again.
But does it matter? Were these little glitches serious enough to confuse a new reader? It's impossible for me to see this with fresh eyes - heck, I read my first C book nearly three decades ago and who knows how many other books I've read on C++ and other object oriented variants since then. I can skim a lot of this part.
I have to wonder how much of its intended audience will skimming along too. I can't imagine too many people with no prior exposure to object oriented C are going to pick this up for their first venture into Mac OS X programming. More likely they'll come from a background even deeper and stronger than mine and will be rushing through the first 300 pages even faster than I did: classes, check - good analogies, not over drawn, basic types, check, inheritance, polymorphism, check, check.. let's get to the OS X stuff!
Don't skim too fast though: this really is OS X stuff and the easy familiarity of having been through similar languages before could cause you to miss a thing or two. Just resign yourself to a little boredom and plod along.
As noted, the real meat starts about 300 pages in and consumes the rest of the book. And as I've surely noted elsewhere, I hate this stuff.
Oh, I don't mind object oriented C. That's cool. It's the long class names that make my eyes glaze over. There's also the regrettable fact that I don't like windowing interfaces - oh, I like using them (well, for some things, anyway), but I sure don't like writing programs for graphic displays. I'm stuck in character mode in the terminal. Windowing is rather necessary for a work like this but I drag my heels and clutch at anything handy to keep myself from being drawn in. Yeah, yeah: I have to get over this stuff. I know. But then I see "matr = [NSMutableString stringWithString: str1 ] and I get a headache.
Of course that's why this book encourages you to use XCode. Start typing NSMu and Xcode starts giving you possible completions. See, Tony, it's not that bad.. give it a chance!
Yeah, OK. I will. Kochan continues this part with practical examples - he really does do a good job with this and dives into the tasks typical to most any program. As much as I resist, he's a good teacher and a good writer. The typos in the first part of the book make me a little wary, but Xcode will surely get me by those if there are any.
So - looks like a keeper. Who knows, I may even grow to like programming this way. There's a scary thought!
But does it matter? Were these little glitches serious enough to confuse a new reader? It's impossible for me to see this with fresh eyes - heck, I read my first C book nearly three decades ago and who knows how many other books I've read on C++ and other object oriented variants since then. I can skim a lot of this part.
I have to wonder how much of its intended audience will skimming along too. I can't imagine too many people with no prior exposure to object oriented C are going to pick this up for their first venture into Mac OS X programming. More likely they'll come from a background even deeper and stronger than mine and will be rushing through the first 300 pages even faster than I did: classes, check - good analogies, not over drawn, basic types, check, inheritance, polymorphism, check, check.. let's get to the OS X stuff!
Don't skim too fast though: this really is OS X stuff and the easy familiarity of having been through similar languages before could cause you to miss a thing or two. Just resign yourself to a little boredom and plod along.
As noted, the real meat starts about 300 pages in and consumes the rest of the book. And as I've surely noted elsewhere, I hate this stuff.
Oh, I don't mind object oriented C. That's cool. It's the long class names that make my eyes glaze over. There's also the regrettable fact that I don't like windowing interfaces - oh, I like using them (well, for some things, anyway), but I sure don't like writing programs for graphic displays. I'm stuck in character mode in the terminal. Windowing is rather necessary for a work like this but I drag my heels and clutch at anything handy to keep myself from being drawn in. Yeah, yeah: I have to get over this stuff. I know. But then I see "matr = [NSMutableString stringWithString: str1 ] and I get a headache.
Of course that's why this book encourages you to use XCode. Start typing NSMu and Xcode starts giving you possible completions. See, Tony, it's not that bad.. give it a chance!
Yeah, OK. I will. Kochan continues this part with practical examples - he really does do a good job with this and dives into the tasks typical to most any program. As much as I resist, he's a good teacher and a good writer. The typos in the first part of the book make me a little wary, but Xcode will surely get me by those if there are any.
So - looks like a keeper. Who knows, I may even grow to like programming this way. There's a scary thought!
Raghuram Krishnaswam @ 2011-04-29 Best programming teacher in the Industry
Since I first started to program in the late 80's, Stephen Kochan has always been there, like a lighthouse in the messy port of call that harbors programming books. I first used his C book, then his Unix book and like a good student should, who goes back to a teacher of yesteryear that stood him in good stead, I purchased the kindle edition and once again he has maintained that bar of excellence in teaching difficult subjects. Mind you, he has always been there to take you through challenging topics (C, Unix, Shell programming, Obj-C) and not watered down pap like some languages I daren't mention. He is like one of us who wants to understand the subject himself and then tells you how he did it. This is a rare talent in technology writers. I have not bought the 2nd ed in printed book form but intend to buy his 3rd ed in print as that is coming out soon, and I think it will have even more (hopefully) to do with the iOS strides being made out there. Look forward to more stuff from his eloquent pen.
Kelly J. Conger @ 2010-09-09 This is my first try at programming in any language. This book is AWESOME!
I tried reading a few other books that teach objective-c via iphone development before picking this book up. I think this book is a better way to go for Newbies and Beginners. I had no previous background in programming and I was able to follow along with each example with relative ease. If you are just starting out with objective-c or OOP in general you can't go wrong with this book.
The only thing that prevented me from giving this a 5 star rating is because of the many typo's and error's in coding. When you are like me and completely trust the printed code you will be VERY frustrated when you click "Build and Run" and your code contains multiple errors. Yes, I know there is a website with corrections and the errata, but it's a maze like forum environment and very difficult to find out if the code you typed actually has an error or if you are just doing something wrong.
Don't let this prevent you from getting this book. I knew absolutely nothing about OOP and Objective-c and I'm well on my way to writing my first app for my iphone/ipod touch..
One other thing. I skipped some of Chapter 4. After reading only a few pages I had the biggest headache.. Read Chapter 4 at your own risk. (grin)
The only thing that prevented me from giving this a 5 star rating is because of the many typo's and error's in coding. When you are like me and completely trust the printed code you will be VERY frustrated when you click "Build and Run" and your code contains multiple errors. Yes, I know there is a website with corrections and the errata, but it's a maze like forum environment and very difficult to find out if the code you typed actually has an error or if you are just doing something wrong.
Don't let this prevent you from getting this book. I knew absolutely nothing about OOP and Objective-c and I'm well on my way to writing my first app for my iphone/ipod touch..
One other thing. I skipped some of Chapter 4. After reading only a few pages I had the biggest headache.. Read Chapter 4 at your own risk. (grin)
Nathan Boyd @ 2009-09-18 Excellent resource
When I first bought this book and started reading it, I thought I made a mistake and was frustrated. I bought this primarily for assisting me in creating iPhone applications. The challenge is having to learn the MVC design pattern and then doing the coding in Objective-C. Going through the examples and exercises in the book at first was tedious and frustrating. New language, new OS platform, console/command line apps (visually ugly), etc. Was it worth it?
Then I switched to another book and it was more rewarding because doing the examples in this book was against the iPhone and you can actually "see" things happening. But the examples are slightly junior of course. Now when it comes time for you to convey your own ideas to code.... "this is where the fun begins"
More and more, I kept coming back to this book. After a month, this book never leaves my side. A book with bookmarks all over the place, dog ears, sticky notes, etc...is a necessity whenever I'm doing something on the mac or in GNUstep.
It's an excellent reference and I highly recommend this book for anyone who is trying to develop their own iPhone applications.
Then I switched to another book and it was more rewarding because doing the examples in this book was against the iPhone and you can actually "see" things happening. But the examples are slightly junior of course. Now when it comes time for you to convey your own ideas to code.... "this is where the fun begins"
More and more, I kept coming back to this book. After a month, this book never leaves my side. A book with bookmarks all over the place, dog ears, sticky notes, etc...is a necessity whenever I'm doing something on the mac or in GNUstep.
It's an excellent reference and I highly recommend this book for anyone who is trying to develop their own iPhone applications.
dharma @ 2010-03-27 Strongly recommended!
OK, this is THE book if you want to start with Objective-C programming for Mac OS X, the iPhone, and now the iPad. In fact, you should read it as a prelude to any book about Cocoa programming, because having a good foundation in Objective-C is fundamental. Don't let anybody tell you that you should learn C first, Objective-C is a superset of C and you pick up enough C in the process. You can always dive into C a little bit more later. Learning C first can be even detrimental as it sometimes goes against good object oriented programming practice. There's an online forum in support of the book, where some concepts can be talked about in more detail. (Even the author is around!) Strongly recommended.
Michael Peddycord @ 2009-01-19 Absolutely WONDERFUL Book For Complete Programming Newbies...
First of all, let me just begin by saying that I know very little about computer programming. I took a Java programming class in college that I had to drop because the professor was too difficult to understand and abstract.
This book (hefty, at nearly 600 pages) starts with the basics. You will be creating your own version of "Hello World!" in Objective-C from the very first page.
I love that there are exercises at the end of each chapter (usually around 10 questions each) to help you understand and make sure that you know the material covered in the chapter before going forward.
The first 300 pages cover the Objective-C 2.0 programming language. It isn't until you get past that part that you actually start covering things like the Foundation Framework, Core Graphics, and other frameworks.
If you already know Objective-C, this book MAY be too entry-level for you, but there are plenty of other books that cover more advanced topics, I'm sure.
I believe that Steve Kochan truly has a gift of writing these types of textbooks because he explains things in such a way that takes a lot of the excessive jargon out of the subject so that the material is easily accessible to all.
I think this book is perfect for anyone who is trying to learn Objective-C 2.0 to be able to program for the mac or for the amazing possibilities of the iPhone. There are a few issues, though, with typos or sections of code left out completely (but, honestly, in a textbook this long and this comprehensive, it's next to impossible to have 0 typos).
One of my favorite aspects of the book, though is that Steve is willing to help you if you should have a problem understanding the concepts in the book. I've been in contact with him, and he is very knowledgable! I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could! It's just an A+ book that I will refer to again and again...
Do yourself a favor and stop looking on Amazon and click 'Add to cart" now. You absolutely WILL NOT regret this.
This book (hefty, at nearly 600 pages) starts with the basics. You will be creating your own version of "Hello World!" in Objective-C from the very first page.
I love that there are exercises at the end of each chapter (usually around 10 questions each) to help you understand and make sure that you know the material covered in the chapter before going forward.
The first 300 pages cover the Objective-C 2.0 programming language. It isn't until you get past that part that you actually start covering things like the Foundation Framework, Core Graphics, and other frameworks.
If you already know Objective-C, this book MAY be too entry-level for you, but there are plenty of other books that cover more advanced topics, I'm sure.
I believe that Steve Kochan truly has a gift of writing these types of textbooks because he explains things in such a way that takes a lot of the excessive jargon out of the subject so that the material is easily accessible to all.
I think this book is perfect for anyone who is trying to learn Objective-C 2.0 to be able to program for the mac or for the amazing possibilities of the iPhone. There are a few issues, though, with typos or sections of code left out completely (but, honestly, in a textbook this long and this comprehensive, it's next to impossible to have 0 typos).
One of my favorite aspects of the book, though is that Steve is willing to help you if you should have a problem understanding the concepts in the book. I've been in contact with him, and he is very knowledgable! I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could! It's just an A+ book that I will refer to again and again...
Do yourself a favor and stop looking on Amazon and click 'Add to cart" now. You absolutely WILL NOT regret this.
Albert Chang @ 2009-01-11 A must-have for serious iPhone programmers
If you are new to Objective C and want to learn iPhone programming, GET THIS BOOK!
I am a java programmer trying to learn programming with iPhone SDK. Although I know OOP concepts very well, I know nothing about Objective-C. Also, since I program on Windows platform, I am not familiar with The Foundation Framework and Cocoa. I am pretty sure that I can get some example iPhone code on the internet and make a small app without understanding key concepts in Objective C. However, I chose not to do that. A serious programmer won't be satisfied with hacking and modifying others codes. Moreover, without clear concepts of Objective-C 2.0, I might end up writing a bad iPhone app that freezes up the device.
So I was looking for a book that can TEACH me key concepts, foundation framework, cocoa, and help me understand all cool features of Objective C 2.0, and jump start my iPhone programming. Kochan's book is exactly the ONE. It is comprehensive, well organized, with excellent examples and well-thought out exercises at the end of each chapter to test your understanding of the material.
Unlike other texts, this book doesn't assume you already know how to program in C. It doesn't assume that you know X-Code or Cocoa. Part I of the book teaches The Objective-C 2.0 Language, If you are a first time learner like me, I guarantee that you will understand all concepts crystal clear, no confusions, from class, object, and methods to inheritance, polymorphism, and dynamic binding. This will lay a solid foundation for your future iPhone programming.
Part II of the book provides in-depth coverage of the Foundation Framework, teaches how to work with basic number objects, collections, archive and copy objects, and memory management. Part III introduces Cocoa and iPhone SDK. With knowledge learned from the previous chapters, it is really easy to understand and extend the concept to iPhone SDK and Cocoa Touch.
After explaining the iPhone OS and Cocoa Touch framework, Kochan shows how to use the Fraction and Calculator classes developed in the book to write a fraction calculator app for the iPhone. He shows how to design the UI using Interface Builder and how to get the application running on the iPhone simulator. This is a great chapter and sets the stage for continuing with text devoted to Cocoa or iPhone programming.
With Objective C, Foundation Framework, Cocoa, and introduction to iPhone programming all covered, this book is a must-have and could also serve as a reference guide for other iPhone books that assume objective C or Cocoa knowledge.
Definitely a 5 star book!
I am a java programmer trying to learn programming with iPhone SDK. Although I know OOP concepts very well, I know nothing about Objective-C. Also, since I program on Windows platform, I am not familiar with The Foundation Framework and Cocoa. I am pretty sure that I can get some example iPhone code on the internet and make a small app without understanding key concepts in Objective C. However, I chose not to do that. A serious programmer won't be satisfied with hacking and modifying others codes. Moreover, without clear concepts of Objective-C 2.0, I might end up writing a bad iPhone app that freezes up the device.
So I was looking for a book that can TEACH me key concepts, foundation framework, cocoa, and help me understand all cool features of Objective C 2.0, and jump start my iPhone programming. Kochan's book is exactly the ONE. It is comprehensive, well organized, with excellent examples and well-thought out exercises at the end of each chapter to test your understanding of the material.
Unlike other texts, this book doesn't assume you already know how to program in C. It doesn't assume that you know X-Code or Cocoa. Part I of the book teaches The Objective-C 2.0 Language, If you are a first time learner like me, I guarantee that you will understand all concepts crystal clear, no confusions, from class, object, and methods to inheritance, polymorphism, and dynamic binding. This will lay a solid foundation for your future iPhone programming.
Part II of the book provides in-depth coverage of the Foundation Framework, teaches how to work with basic number objects, collections, archive and copy objects, and memory management. Part III introduces Cocoa and iPhone SDK. With knowledge learned from the previous chapters, it is really easy to understand and extend the concept to iPhone SDK and Cocoa Touch.
After explaining the iPhone OS and Cocoa Touch framework, Kochan shows how to use the Fraction and Calculator classes developed in the book to write a fraction calculator app for the iPhone. He shows how to design the UI using Interface Builder and how to get the application running on the iPhone simulator. This is a great chapter and sets the stage for continuing with text devoted to Cocoa or iPhone programming.
With Objective C, Foundation Framework, Cocoa, and introduction to iPhone programming all covered, this book is a must-have and could also serve as a reference guide for other iPhone books that assume objective C or Cocoa knowledge.
Definitely a 5 star book!
Steve Gomer @ 2009-04-01 Great Way to Learn Objective C
Before this book I did not really understand objects. This book made them clear to me. The first hundred pages or so is mostly introduction to programming in general. Since I have some experience with c, I was able to skim them. A bonus is the forum for this book[..] where besides the example code and errors, you can ask questions to the author.
Philip G. Roth @ 2009-03-30 Recommended for anyone who wants to write Mac and iPhone programs with little or no coding experience
Objective-C is a difficult first programming language. Steve Kochan has a lot of ground to cover in this book -- the basics of programming, object orientation, memory management, Obj-C syntax, and the Foundation framework that's at the core of Mac and iPhone programs -- and he covers it successfully and thoroughly, with a thoughtful approach that generally introduces the important concepts at the right moment.
If you have no previous experience with programming (or, like me, relatively little experience), you'll find this book hard work, and I'm sure there are other books out there that will hold your hand more. (Maybe not for Obj-C specifically, though.) But if you want to sweat a little bit, and cover as much ground as possible in a single book, this one fits the bill.
As others have said, Kochan has been posting on his book's forum at http://classroomm.com/objective-c/index.php, answering questions from readers and assessing student work. This is a huge help to learning and adds immense value to the book. He's also compiled a long list of typos and errata, which are fixed in the second and third printings -- so you probably shouldn't worry much about reports of mistakes in the other reviews.
If you have no previous experience with programming (or, like me, relatively little experience), you'll find this book hard work, and I'm sure there are other books out there that will hold your hand more. (Maybe not for Obj-C specifically, though.) But if you want to sweat a little bit, and cover as much ground as possible in a single book, this one fits the bill.
As others have said, Kochan has been posting on his book's forum at http://classroomm.com/objective-c/index.php, answering questions from readers and assessing student work. This is a huge help to learning and adds immense value to the book. He's also compiled a long list of typos and errata, which are fixed in the second and third printings -- so you probably shouldn't worry much about reports of mistakes in the other reviews.
Vajda P @ 2009-02-16 Great book for people new to Objective-C!
I've just got a new Mac, and I had an iPhone for a while, but this book really made development a breeze.
I'm coming from a .Net environment, so I was using Visual Studio, and it was hard to accept how things work, but after some time, you'll just start to get it.
Generally, it is a good thing to have some knowledge in the C programming language, but I found the book very diverse to satisfy beginners, and professionals.
I'm coming from a .Net environment, so I was using Visual Studio, and it was hard to accept how things work, but after some time, you'll just start to get it.
Generally, it is a good thing to have some knowledge in the C programming language, but I found the book very diverse to satisfy beginners, and professionals.
dragonz @ 2009-01-26 Just what I needed for programming iphone with objective-c 2.0
The book is well organized. The author is very smart at using examples
progressively to introduce important concepts. Worked with example
codes in the text, great!
All objective-c concepts and framework concepts are explained clearly
before the iphone chapter, cannot wait to dive in the sample
calculator iphone application.
Glad I bought the book.
progressively to introduce important concepts. Worked with example
codes in the text, great!
All objective-c concepts and framework concepts are explained clearly
before the iphone chapter, cannot wait to dive in the sample
calculator iphone application.
Glad I bought the book.
Popp Armino Catalin @ 2011-05-06 Great book for learning Objective-C
I am a c, c++ programmer and recently I decided to code for mac and iphone, but I've run into some syntax and concept problems with Objective-C. I must say this book is really great written, good explanations and learning through the power of example.
I think every one that is willing to learn programming for iphone or mac should have it.
I think every one that is willing to learn programming for iphone or mac should have it.
Kris Jones @ 2011-02-11 Read this first
As a newcomer to programming, I found "Programming in Objective-C" to be an excellent introduction. The instruction is clear and effective. Coupled with the tutorials available on Apples developer site, I was able to get started right away on developing my first application. I highly recommend this book to others interested in learning Objective-C.
Reem Banafea @ 2010-11-21 why the criticize?
I bought this book and I love it! if you're looking for "from C to Obj-C" book! then this is not your book!! this is a book who wants to start programming from the scratch and decided to go with the obj-c to design iphone apps!
unlike most of the obj-c books here! this one doesn't assume for the reader to have any programming experience! and yet it is educating and fun to read, this book isn't some cheap pocket trap like the one I bought "objective-c for absolute beginners" written by a total losers!
although sometimes you'll have hard times to get things clear in some section in the book due to his subtraction method! as I've read stephen parta's "C++ premier" book it was a lot easier to understand and managed to finish 1/4 of the book despite the double amount of pages! "of course this part is important for non-native english people...like me!"
overall 5/5 this a book to start with!!
and I'm sorry for any language errors!!
unlike most of the obj-c books here! this one doesn't assume for the reader to have any programming experience! and yet it is educating and fun to read, this book isn't some cheap pocket trap like the one I bought "objective-c for absolute beginners" written by a total losers!
although sometimes you'll have hard times to get things clear in some section in the book due to his subtraction method! as I've read stephen parta's "C++ premier" book it was a lot easier to understand and managed to finish 1/4 of the book despite the double amount of pages! "of course this part is important for non-native english people...like me!"
overall 5/5 this a book to start with!!
and I'm sorry for any language errors!!
T. H. Shaw "Aesir of @ 2010-10-29 Repetition is key
Not since the Learning Visual Basic 6 Step by Step book I read nearly a decade ago has a programming guide been so well thought out and written.
Mr. Kochan starts out by explaining that he set out to write a book to teach the Objective-C language in a way that would be comprehendable to those that have no prior language with any programming language. Again, having had some experience with Visual Basic may have helped so that I could skip certain areas of the book (i.e., the Decision-Making chapters with if...then, for...next, and do...while loops), but I have to say: Mr. Kochan hit the target on the mark. Not once did I ever feel like anything was being left out, and the only time that I felt particularly thick was during the chapter on various math-related concepts (I'm no math major, and I never will be).
The chapters are laid out in perfect order, each building upon lessons taught by the previous. And at the end of each chapter, you're given various exercises to solidify your grasp on the content you just learned. Adding further insult to injury over my severe lack of math prowess, the ongoing project that you're adding to through each chapter is a calculator that becomes increasingly complex, though not without more than sufficient explanations en route to the final product (which looks to receive a GUI makeover in the final chapters).
I have yet to finish the book, but from what I've seen through actual reading as well as skimming through various points of interest, I think that this was money well spent.
HIGHLY recommended.
Mr. Kochan starts out by explaining that he set out to write a book to teach the Objective-C language in a way that would be comprehendable to those that have no prior language with any programming language. Again, having had some experience with Visual Basic may have helped so that I could skip certain areas of the book (i.e., the Decision-Making chapters with if...then, for...next, and do...while loops), but I have to say: Mr. Kochan hit the target on the mark. Not once did I ever feel like anything was being left out, and the only time that I felt particularly thick was during the chapter on various math-related concepts (I'm no math major, and I never will be).
The chapters are laid out in perfect order, each building upon lessons taught by the previous. And at the end of each chapter, you're given various exercises to solidify your grasp on the content you just learned. Adding further insult to injury over my severe lack of math prowess, the ongoing project that you're adding to through each chapter is a calculator that becomes increasingly complex, though not without more than sufficient explanations en route to the final product (which looks to receive a GUI makeover in the final chapters).
I have yet to finish the book, but from what I've seen through actual reading as well as skimming through various points of interest, I think that this was money well spent.
HIGHLY recommended.
Dvir Cohen Julius @ 2010-08-22 The best you can get !!!
Well my review is not English native and even when my English is not native I can rate this book as 5 stars which means that EVERY one can read learn and implement code in Objective c when reading this book. If "classes", "object oriented programming" and such terms make you dizzy and sick, this book is certainty for you. This book is well written, flows and everything is understandable, amazing job. On chapter 3 you will start your object oriented programming (classes) and after completing this chapter you will actually code in object oriented, again amazing. Thank you Mr. KOCHAN.
Cody @ 2010-02-28 Excellent Introduction
I've read other books devoted to the C language by Stephan Kochan which is why I purchased this one. As expected, I wasn't disappointed. With over 30 years software design/development and 20+ years of teaching as an adjunct faculty member I've recommended and relied upon Stephen's prior books in the classroom and on the job. "Programming in Objective-C 2.0" is well thought out and the material is presented in an easy to understand format. The examples worked (though I did not try them all). The ones I did try however, were presented at what I thought was the appropriate time. This (or a similar book) is a must read if you're new to iPhone development or the XCode environment. I had extensive C-Language experience prior to the Java explosion and this book was able to reawaken those skills. The syntax is a bit different but not so far removed that it can't be mastered using Kochan's book.
This is a great text. I only wish (if Stephen is reading) that he expand on this text and provide an advanced version. I enjoyed his early C books in the 1980s and hope that more on Objective-C are in the works. If you're new to the language you're not going to find a better text to start your study!
This is a great text. I only wish (if Stephen is reading) that he expand on this text and provide an advanced version. I enjoyed his early C books in the 1980s and hope that more on Objective-C are in the works. If you're new to the language you're not going to find a better text to start your study!
Corey Canfield @ 2010-01-15 Outstanding Product. End to End Steven Kochan is a great author
Six months ago I had never touched a piece of code, I started with a couple of the Apress books and got rather frustrated with their approach to learning C first.
I ended up finding Steve's book at a local Barnes and Noble just by chance and went cover to cover with it. After finishing the book I paid for the screen casts and went through all of those just to reinforce the ideas and thought process of programming in this new environment.
Since then I've published 4 apps to the app store. To this day I still continue my studies, and with every app I develop I'm learning new frameworks and different approaches to common problems.
I can honestly say the content Steve has put here is well worth the time energy if you're dedicated to being successful at this. No other author has put forth so much effort in providing quality content.
For that I thank you Steve.
Good luck to all the future developers out there.
I ended up finding Steve's book at a local Barnes and Noble just by chance and went cover to cover with it. After finishing the book I paid for the screen casts and went through all of those just to reinforce the ideas and thought process of programming in this new environment.
Since then I've published 4 apps to the app store. To this day I still continue my studies, and with every app I develop I'm learning new frameworks and different approaches to common problems.
I can honestly say the content Steve has put here is well worth the time energy if you're dedicated to being successful at this. No other author has put forth so much effort in providing quality content.
For that I thank you Steve.
Good luck to all the future developers out there.
MacInTX @ 2009-09-14 Great book for starting Objective-C development
This book walks you through the very basics of Objective-C programming to Mac OS X development and even touches on iPhone development. As an experienced C/C++ programmer I bought this to speed up the learning of the Objective-C language and haven't been disappointed.
It isn't a thorough reference to the language but it walks you exercises that allow you to become familiar with many aspects of the language. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn how to program in Objective-C.
If you are interested in iPhone development this will get you a taste of that also.
It isn't a thorough reference to the language but it walks you exercises that allow you to become familiar with many aspects of the language. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn how to program in Objective-C.
If you are interested in iPhone development this will get you a taste of that also.
D. Yu "Idealist" @ 2009-09-12 Great overall book for learning Objective C
Just a quick note for anyone looking to buy this book, you'll probably want to develop Objective C using a mac.
The book is very well written, and for someone like me who hasn't done coding for a couple of years, it was a great re-entry back into development. The book definitely approaches things from a beginners aspect since I managed to blow through the first couple of chapters that focused on fundamental coding knowledge. Once you get into the meat of the information, the organization is great and the explanations are well thought out. I wish some information was covered, like multithreading, rather than going over the fundamentals of the iPhone SDK, but I guess even great books have to include elements to expand it's marketability. Other pieces of information could have been laid out in a more "reference" like manner, but that's just my subjective opinion.
Overall, the book has some minor issues (in my opinion), but you will not find a better book that covers the basics of Objective C.
The book is very well written, and for someone like me who hasn't done coding for a couple of years, it was a great re-entry back into development. The book definitely approaches things from a beginners aspect since I managed to blow through the first couple of chapters that focused on fundamental coding knowledge. Once you get into the meat of the information, the organization is great and the explanations are well thought out. I wish some information was covered, like multithreading, rather than going over the fundamentals of the iPhone SDK, but I guess even great books have to include elements to expand it's marketability. Other pieces of information could have been laid out in a more "reference" like manner, but that's just my subjective opinion.
Overall, the book has some minor issues (in my opinion), but you will not find a better book that covers the basics of Objective C.
David Giacomini "Ent @ 2009-08-22 The best book for true iphone beginners
First of all, I'll share a bit about myself to help put this review in context. I am in the process of starting a small business selling high end travel gear for kids called Jr. Luggage. I also own a small web development and design company. My background is primarily in marketing and web development. However, as my agency grew, I began to rely more on employees as they were both quicker and more efficient. However, I'm the type of personality that likes to continually learn new things. We just hired an iphone developer to build an alarm clock app and have several more travel related games and apps in store. I felt this was as good of time as any to take on the challenge of learning Objective C 2.0 which is the core language for building iphone apps. I am fairly tech savvy, pick up programming fairly well, familiar with HTML, PHP, some javascript, filemaker, some flash. I don't consider myself an expert in these areas but I can get by. I picked up a C++ book once about 10 years ago and never read it so that is the extent of my knowledge with C/C++.
So as with most projects I commit to, I studied every review and bought several books to start my learning process. The books I bought are:
- Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (3rd Edition)
- iPhone Cool Projects
- Beginning iPhone 3 Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK
- (this book) Programming in Objective-C 2.0 (2nd Edition) (Developer's Library)
Again, I am a true beginner. Those already familiar with C, C++ or Objective-C, would probably benefit from different types of books. I was really looking for something for a true newbie but would provide a good foundation to build on and have enough substance so that I felt I was making progress.
I started with 'Beginning iPhone3 Development' which is well written and looks very promising. However, it was clear very early on that the reader should already be familiar with Objective-C and Xcode (I didn't even know what Xcode was). So I backtracked and starting reading Programing in Objective-C.
I'm only through a few chapters so far but I am very pleased. The author is very good about spelling things out in clear and easy to understand detail. I quickly learned about the Apple developers program, xcode, and wrote my version of "Hello World."
I also like the philosophical approach the author takes. Here is a quote from the book about the overall philosophy:
"First, learning the entire C language before learning Objective-C is wrong. C is a procedural language containing many features that are not necessary for programming in Objective-C, especially at the novice level. In fact, resorting to some of these features goes against the grain of adhering to a good object-oriented programming methodology." "So I decided neither to teach C first nor to assume prior knowledge of the language. Instead, I decided to take the unconventional approach of teaching Objective-C and the underlying C language as a single integrated language, from an object-oriented programming perspective."
This is exactly what I was looking for. Something basic enough for a true beginner but not so thorough that I would have to learn the foundation of C/C++. I am totally confident that once I work through this book and the others on my list, I will be able to develop my own iphone apps. At a minimum, I will have a better technical understanding of what can and can't be done when working with an iphone programmer.
So as with most projects I commit to, I studied every review and bought several books to start my learning process. The books I bought are:
- Cocoa(R) Programming for Mac(R) OS X (3rd Edition)
- iPhone Cool Projects
- Beginning iPhone 3 Development: Exploring the iPhone SDK
- (this book) Programming in Objective-C 2.0 (2nd Edition) (Developer's Library)
Again, I am a true beginner. Those already familiar with C, C++ or Objective-C, would probably benefit from different types of books. I was really looking for something for a true newbie but would provide a good foundation to build on and have enough substance so that I felt I was making progress.
I started with 'Beginning iPhone3 Development' which is well written and looks very promising. However, it was clear very early on that the reader should already be familiar with Objective-C and Xcode (I didn't even know what Xcode was). So I backtracked and starting reading Programing in Objective-C.
I'm only through a few chapters so far but I am very pleased. The author is very good about spelling things out in clear and easy to understand detail. I quickly learned about the Apple developers program, xcode, and wrote my version of "Hello World."
I also like the philosophical approach the author takes. Here is a quote from the book about the overall philosophy:
"First, learning the entire C language before learning Objective-C is wrong. C is a procedural language containing many features that are not necessary for programming in Objective-C, especially at the novice level. In fact, resorting to some of these features goes against the grain of adhering to a good object-oriented programming methodology." "So I decided neither to teach C first nor to assume prior knowledge of the language. Instead, I decided to take the unconventional approach of teaching Objective-C and the underlying C language as a single integrated language, from an object-oriented programming perspective."
This is exactly what I was looking for. Something basic enough for a true beginner but not so thorough that I would have to learn the foundation of C/C++. I am totally confident that once I work through this book and the others on my list, I will be able to develop my own iphone apps. At a minimum, I will have a better technical understanding of what can and can't be done when working with an iphone programmer.
G. Ellisberg @ 2009-07-09 Best Pathway to iPhone Development
If you are like me (and probably tens of thousands of other software developers), you are wanting in on the meritocracy that is Apple's App Store. Write the right app for the iPhone or iPod Touch and you can make decent money with little business overhead. Getting there is to climb a tall mountain of learning, though--especially if you have never coded on the Mac OS X platform before (or even in C, as was my case). Every book I have read on iPhone development requires you to know more than even I, an experienced developer on other platforms, know. If you are new to C, Objective-C, OOP, Xcode, Cocoa or a subset of these required knowledge bases, there simply is no better way to build this foundation than Kochan's book (as far as I have found, anyway).
I have been buying and reading (and then trying to apply the concepts) of programming books since 1980. I guess that I have read over 20 books on programming and development on various platforms. This book ranks as the BEST programming book I have ever used. Even for an experienced developer (albeit from the past) this book will logically step you through the C programming language, an easy-to-understand explanation of Object-Oriented concepts and programming, into the Objective-C extensions, and finally into the Cocoa and iPhone libraries and classes. Kochan eases you into each new topic without making you first confront all of the complexities of Interface Builder and linking UI elements to your code. By first using simple Xcode console output (and limited console input), you learn the underlying programming language before putting it all together with Apple's classes and interface elements. When you have to confront things like Objects, messages and the cryptic C syntax and the somewhat arcane pointers and in-your-face memory management tasks on top of the iPhone/iPod Touch interface and thousands of APIs, it is easy to be completely overwhelmed. Get there step-by-step with Kochan's book, and you will be a far more able iPhone developer with only occasional thoughts of slashing your wrists. It will take time, but your patience will pay off in a deeper understanding of how and why you build an iPhone app the way Apple requires.
I have been buying and reading (and then trying to apply the concepts) of programming books since 1980. I guess that I have read over 20 books on programming and development on various platforms. This book ranks as the BEST programming book I have ever used. Even for an experienced developer (albeit from the past) this book will logically step you through the C programming language, an easy-to-understand explanation of Object-Oriented concepts and programming, into the Objective-C extensions, and finally into the Cocoa and iPhone libraries and classes. Kochan eases you into each new topic without making you first confront all of the complexities of Interface Builder and linking UI elements to your code. By first using simple Xcode console output (and limited console input), you learn the underlying programming language before putting it all together with Apple's classes and interface elements. When you have to confront things like Objects, messages and the cryptic C syntax and the somewhat arcane pointers and in-your-face memory management tasks on top of the iPhone/iPod Touch interface and thousands of APIs, it is easy to be completely overwhelmed. Get there step-by-step with Kochan's book, and you will be a far more able iPhone developer with only occasional thoughts of slashing your wrists. It will take time, but your patience will pay off in a deeper understanding of how and why you build an iPhone app the way Apple requires.
Christopher Keane @ 2009-06-11 Excellent Book for Folks New to Objective-C
For those of us just now getting our feet wet in iPhone development, this book helps enormously. While online tutorials and Apple's tremendous documentation got me started in my efforts to create a great app, this book helped me get past the hurdles.
It explains almost all of the conventions I've come across in the Apple sample code and online tutorials. And the author's tone and style are much easier to take than "textbook-style" programming books.
If you're not an experienced Objective-C programmer, you will not regret buying this book.
It explains almost all of the conventions I've come across in the Apple sample code and online tutorials. And the author's tone and style are much easier to take than "textbook-style" programming books.
If you're not an experienced Objective-C programmer, you will not regret buying this book.
P. Polomsky @ 2009-04-25 Great to Start With
I was brand new to Objective C and this book gave me the definitions I needed to understand the language. It would have been nice to have some more "real world" application practice in it. Many of the practices teach concepts of the chapters, which is great, but not something you would actually write the application with. Regardless, a must have as a reference and a great foundation to start with.
garyw @ 2011-05-19 Excellent book and support
Steve has written a very clear and concise book on Objective-C 2.0. I have purchased other books on this subject but they aren't as structured
and are often confusing at times. Steve supports his book on his website, classroomm.com, which offers a forum with support from a large
Objective-C user base. I couldn't get any support from the authors of the other Objective-C books that I purchased.
He also offers online courses using his textbook as the basis for the course outline. Previously I had programmed in Visual Basic, in the past,
when it was object-based. I decided to learn object programming and picked up Steve's book. He's an excellent teacher and supporter for his books.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn Objective-C and wanting to learn object programming for the first time. He also gets you
started on learning iOS programming for iPhone and iPad in latter chapters of his book.
It isn't necessary to know how to program in "C", a Procedural Language, in order to learn Objective-C. You can jump in with both feet and get
into the present learning object programming. If you want to learn to program the iPhone and iPad this is the language to learn and the book
to use to learn it!
Thanks Steve!
Gary
and are often confusing at times. Steve supports his book on his website, classroomm.com, which offers a forum with support from a large
Objective-C user base. I couldn't get any support from the authors of the other Objective-C books that I purchased.
He also offers online courses using his textbook as the basis for the course outline. Previously I had programmed in Visual Basic, in the past,
when it was object-based. I decided to learn object programming and picked up Steve's book. He's an excellent teacher and supporter for his books.
I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn Objective-C and wanting to learn object programming for the first time. He also gets you
started on learning iOS programming for iPhone and iPad in latter chapters of his book.
It isn't necessary to know how to program in "C", a Procedural Language, in order to learn Objective-C. You can jump in with both feet and get
into the present learning object programming. If you want to learn to program the iPhone and iPad this is the language to learn and the book
to use to learn it!
Thanks Steve!
Gary
bunders @ 2011-04-26 BEST OBJECTIVE-C BOOK
Kochan's book is the best Objective-C Programming book available. For beginners, it is very clear and easy to understand, but is also comprehensive for the more advanced or those wanting a reference. I also bought some Apress and other books and none of the others were in the same league as this one.
Matthew Linebaugh @ 2011-03-14 Good Primer
I've been programming in a variety of languages for over 15 years, but had a hard time learning to think in Objective-C so I could develop on OS X. In my mind, I kept hitting pitfalls as I tried to think and implement Objective-C as if it were C or C++. The book approached Objective-C as though the reader knew nothing about C. Even though I am very well versed in C and C++, the "ground-up" approach was extremely helpful in breaking my tendency to treat Objective-C as simply a different C syntax. I did skim over several sections, but I feel like I have a solid foundation in Objective-C on which which to build my understanding of higher level frameworks.
Timothy J. Gurske "T @ 2011-03-12 Really good book!
I have good programming experience with PHP and Javascript. I found this book to be perfect for my skill level.
Brandon Wall @ 2011-03-01 Excellent pace
Well written and perfectly suitable for people (such as myself) that have no C based language experience. I'm on my second read through now and thoroughly enjoying it.
BBohanon @ 2011-02-15 The one to get if you are a total newbie to programming
This one is a big one to tackle, but if you are not familiar with OOP or Programming in General, this is the one that you need to start with. It covers everything you need to know about Objective-C as well as basic programming structure and OOP. I wish the examples were a bit less math based(I hated Fibonacci numbers and fractions!) but I was still able to work through the examples with no issue.
All in all, if you are a total newbie and want to start learning the Cocoa/Cocoa Touch frameworks, start here. Its a long read, but well worth it!
All in all, if you are a total newbie and want to start learning the Cocoa/Cocoa Touch frameworks, start here. Its a long read, but well worth it!
Eric Ries @ 2011-02-10 Finally!
Finally someone who can write a book to learn a programming language that doesn't frustrate me to death. I've purchased about 8 books on Objective-C and this one is by far the best. This book is so approachable. It's the only programming book that doesn't make learning a language painful. I'm so happy that I bought it. I can't believe I didn't find this earlier. Thank you!!
Joel @ 2011-02-05 Very Well Written Book By Someone Who Understands How To Teach
This book was recommended to me by Aaron Hillegass who is a notable iPhone and iPad IOS Developer who's authored many Cocoa developer books. I needed to learn Objective-C before I began his books and picked up this book.
It is fantastic. Very well written. Very easy to read. This book doesn't seem like a "textbook" at all and the author clearly has a talent for teaching. Again, this book is great!!!
It is fantastic. Very well written. Very easy to read. This book doesn't seem like a "textbook" at all and the author clearly has a talent for teaching. Again, this book is great!!!
John M. Horn @ 2011-01-27 Awesome especially if you're a beginner
In my 5 years of buying products I have never felt the urge to rate a product since none of them have really changed my life. This book changed that. This book communicates effectively for new programmers how to get up and running quickly without using unnecessary examples or roundabout methods. This book is empowering and as I read about 15 - 20 pages a day I feel like accomplished something even if I just read a few pages. Before you can really start using apple SDK you should read this book if you haven't used objective C before. It will get you up to speed on syntax and shortcuts.
AdColvin @ 2010-11-26 Easily the Best Book on Objective C For Beginners
As someone coming from background of almost no programming experience at all, this book is a god send.
It's structured in such a way that doesn't introduce you to the more difficult concepts straight away. It builds up to them as you move through the book.
I think the book's biggest strength is in the exercise sections. This is what has been missing from all other texts I've seen on this topic. It allows you to engage with the material much more than simply reading through each chapter. Not to mention the forum that the author has set up to accompany the book! Meaning that if I have any very specific questions, there's a strong chance that I can get it answered.
All in all a fantastic resource, I can't praise the author enough for it.
Adam
It's structured in such a way that doesn't introduce you to the more difficult concepts straight away. It builds up to them as you move through the book.
I think the book's biggest strength is in the exercise sections. This is what has been missing from all other texts I've seen on this topic. It allows you to engage with the material much more than simply reading through each chapter. Not to mention the forum that the author has set up to accompany the book! Meaning that if I have any very specific questions, there's a strong chance that I can get it answered.
All in all a fantastic resource, I can't praise the author enough for it.
Adam
Brian Connors @ 2010-11-21 Closest thing Objective-C has to a K&R
Now, strictly speaking, the original definitive book on Objective C is Brad Cox's book, but it's vastly outdated, based on the original ICpak API and not the standard-since-1995 FoundationKit. But Cox doesn't have much to do with his baby these days, and Apple's ebooks on the language, while required reading, tend only to define the language in terms of its extensions to C. There are other books, but this one seems to be the closest thing available to a cross-platform Objective C book. (Kochan did make a deliberate choice for the second edition to focus on Xcode 3 as the development environment, but GNUSTEP's ProjectCenter is just similar enough that translating between the two is easier than you'd think.)
I might have brought in the FoundationKit earlier; it's the de facto standard library for Objective-C, and as Bjarne Stroustrup has pointed out, standard libraries are there to be used. I'm also a bit mystified at the choice of iOS rather than Mac OS X as the host OS for the Fraction Calculator project in the GUI section of the book; the only thing that comes to mind is that an iOS app is likely to be somewhat easier to wire up and has a wider market, but at the same time Cocoa Touch has no direct equivalent on GNUSTEP or Cocotron. I can see both sides on this one, but I still think desktop Cocoa would have been a better choice.
Overall, though, this is probably the first book to buy. You'll want to supplement it with the OPENSTEP spec or the Apple Foundation and AppKit documentation, but with the exception of the blocks construct introduced in Snow Leopard, this book tells you pretty much everything you need to get started.
I might have brought in the FoundationKit earlier; it's the de facto standard library for Objective-C, and as Bjarne Stroustrup has pointed out, standard libraries are there to be used. I'm also a bit mystified at the choice of iOS rather than Mac OS X as the host OS for the Fraction Calculator project in the GUI section of the book; the only thing that comes to mind is that an iOS app is likely to be somewhat easier to wire up and has a wider market, but at the same time Cocoa Touch has no direct equivalent on GNUSTEP or Cocotron. I can see both sides on this one, but I still think desktop Cocoa would have been a better choice.
Overall, though, this is probably the first book to buy. You'll want to supplement it with the OPENSTEP spec or the Apple Foundation and AppKit documentation, but with the exception of the blocks construct introduced in Snow Leopard, this book tells you pretty much everything you need to get started.
Victor Quintanilha @ 2010-05-19 What is the best book for learning Objective-C? This one, is the one !
This is the greatest book for learning Objective-C. Every page is a self-contained "very well written", with examples and screen shots and exact directions to process.
The book is divided into chapters for each of the different major topics with complete Table of Contents, make it very easy to find exactly the help you're looking for.
Talking about help. The author made a super, incredible website "forum type" that you can get support and great assistance followed with quiz and many other goodies.
The writing is in a very light and non conversational style, that make the reading fun and easy - each chapter has some kind of humorous, and then dives right into how2. You can either read through thes cover to cover or use it as a reference manual in the future.
I personally find the book to be the easiest one I have ever used. But even so, I picked up several good tips and tricks from this book and his great website that come with this book.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to all future newbie coders who want to get started with Objective-C.
Victor.Q
The book is divided into chapters for each of the different major topics with complete Table of Contents, make it very easy to find exactly the help you're looking for.
Talking about help. The author made a super, incredible website "forum type" that you can get support and great assistance followed with quiz and many other goodies.
The writing is in a very light and non conversational style, that make the reading fun and easy - each chapter has some kind of humorous, and then dives right into how2. You can either read through thes cover to cover or use it as a reference manual in the future.
I personally find the book to be the easiest one I have ever used. But even so, I picked up several good tips and tricks from this book and his great website that come with this book.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to all future newbie coders who want to get started with Objective-C.
Victor.Q
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