Andreas Walsh

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Xcode and Interface Builder on Windows


Introduction. Xcode is the software development environment provided by Apple to write programs for the Mac and IOS devices (iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad). It's origin lies in the NeXTStep development environment called ProjectBuilder, which shipped with the original NeXTStep systems in 1989. The open-source equivalent of Apple's Xcode is called ProjectCenter. ProjectCenter is GNUStep's rough workalike of the original NeXtStep design of ProjectBuilder.

Apple's Interface Builder, now integrated into Xcode, is a tool to create GUI interfaces for applications for the Cocoa ecosystem. Interface Builder also dates from the 1980's when Jean-Marie Hullot ported some of his early work to NeXtStep. The open-source equivalent of Interface Builder is named GORM (Graphical Object Relationship Modeller).

Once basic GNUStep has been installed and tested as described on GNUStep Page One, acquire the version of ProjectCenter and Gorm that matches the GNUStep you installed. They are available for free download at http:/www.gnustep.org/experience/Windows.html In the NextStep tradition from the 1980's, they follow a multi-window paradigm that's seldom used in modern software and may take some time to get used to.

The basic tutorial for learning Project Center and Gorm is here: http:/www.gnustep.org/experience/PierresDevTutorial/

Once the basic usage is learned, you should be able to use these GNUstep tools to go through basic project walk-throughs in any book that teaches Cocoa for Mac Programming. Cocoa for touch devices (Cocoa Touch) uses a different class framework called UIKit. GNUStep doesn't provide an equivalent to UIKit.

Because my system has a conflicting C Programming environment installed, I had to work around some problems by doing things manually in GNUSteps Bash shell - namely program start-up and app building and running. Those instructions detailed on the second page of these GNUStep instructions.


1. Launch the Project Center app. If this fails because of system conflicts, open a GNUStep Bash shell and go to the applications directory. To make this easier, create a Bash alias: $ alias gnustepapps='cd c:/GNUstep/GNUstep/system/applications' Open Project Center $ openapp ./ProjectCenter & Select Project->New ( choose c:\GNUStep\msys\1.0\home\ Before pressing OK, make sure "Project Types" is Application. 2.Edit the Interface (projectName.gorm) file. In the ProjectCenter Window,