Example code programming Objective-C with Cocoa in Xcode and Interface Builder (Leopard)
4: TextField first responder and NextKeyView
Implement two simple text fields: NSTextField objects and set first responder.
In XCode: File->New Project->Cocoa Application
Call it: TextApp
Next do: File->New File and choose Objective C Class.
Call the files MyNSControl.h and MyNSControl.m, code them as shown below and save. Note these are subclassed as NSControl.
// MyNSControl.h // 004-TextFieldApp #import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h> @interface MyNSControl : NSControl { IBOutlet NSTextField *textField1; IBOutlet NSTextField *textField2; } - (IBAction)doText:(id)pId; - (IBAction)doText2:(id)pId; @end // MyNSControl.m // 004-TextFieldApp #import "MyNSControl.h" @implementation MyNSControl - (IBAction)doText:(id)pId; { NSString *tvarNSString = [pId stringValue]; NSLog(@"Hi There %@",tvarNSString); [pId setStringValue:@"Thank you"]; } // end doText - (IBAction)doText2:(id)pId; { NSString *tvarNSString = [textField2 stringValue]; NSLog(@"Hi There from text2 %@",tvarNSString); [textField2 setStringValue:@"Text 2 thank you"]; } // end doText2 @end
Now bring up Interface Builder by double clicking on MainMenu.nib in the Resources section of SliderApp
Drag two NSTextFields onto the Window panel. Click on the Window Panel (not the title bar) to select it.
In the Inspector chose the MyNSControl class. The actions doText and doText2 will appear in the action panel and the outlets textField1 and textField2 will appear in the outlets panel.
Interface Builder NSTextField create
Choose the Connections display in the Inspector.
Drag from the connection circle next to the textField1 outlet to the top textField. Do the same for textField2 and the bottom textField.
Drag from the connection circle next to the doText action to the top textField. Do the same for doText2 and the bottom textField as shown in the figure below.
Interface Builder action and outlet connections from NSTextfield to NSControl
Click on the Window icon in the MainMenu.nib panel to select it.
Choose the Window Connections display in the Inspector.
Drag from the Initial First Responder outlet to the lower of the two text fields. This will give the focus to the lower field.
Interface Builder: set First Responder
Interface Builder: first responder has been set
Save Interface Builder.
Return to XCode. Choose Run->Console. Now Build and Run.
As you move the slider a sequence of 'Hi There value = ....' will appear in the Console log.
Go back into Interface Builder.
Click on the lower text field to select it (as TextField and not as TextFieldCell!).
In the connection pane of the inspector drag from next Key View to the top text field. Now select the top field and drag from next Key View to the bottom text field. This allows one to tab betwen fields.
Interface Builder, NSTextField nextKeyView
Build and run.
Xcode, Interface Builder, NSTextField example running
Note that two IBOutlets have been defined, one for each of the text fields. These allow us to output to the text fields from anywhere in MyNSControl, i.e. without having to pass the id's obtained via the IBActions.
If you want to download the code
Click the Download Link to obtain 004-TextFieldApp.zip file of this whole OS X 10.5 Leopard program.
