Appearance/Graphical Tools

By: Mikio Moriyasu - Revised: 2006-08-03 devin

Introduction

Learn about graphical tools used by Student Computing Labs including Button Builder Extreme, iHook, and Interface Builder.


Button Builder Extreme

Developed by REALMac Software, "Button Builder Extreme" allows users to create their own "Aqua" buttons. Button characteristics such as color, text color, text font, text size, and size can all be selected and modified by the user.

Some of Button Builder Extreme's key features include:
  • Live button and window re-sizing and drag and drop creation.
  • The ability to create three state rollover effects (normal, over and down).
  • The freedom to create without any knowledge of complex javascript or web editing applications.
  • Point-and-click web site creation.
Button Builder was used to create graphical elements in the User Interfaces for our Authentication Login Panel and our Maintenance In Process Panel.

For additional information on Button Builder Extreme, please click here to visit the manufacturer's pages. You may also download a trial copy of the application from this site.

iHook

Developed by the University of Michigan Information Technology Division, iHook is a graphical interface designed as a front end for commandline executables. It gives scripts an "Aqua" face, and allows script writers to provide graphical feedback without having to learn one of the higher APIs available for Mac OS X.

iHook accomplishes this through its ability to understand a set of directives. When a script writes an iHook Directive to stdout, iHook will modify its own interface based on the content of the Directive. In this way, a simple shell script can have an Aqua interface, complete with a progress bar and drawer.

iHook was used to create GUIs for our Radmind related scripts.


For information on iHook, please click here to visit the dedicated iHook pages at the University of Michigan Research Systems UNIX Group site. You may also download a copy of the application from this site.

Interface Builder

Interface Builder is Apple's graphical editor for designing user interface components for both Carbon and Cocoa applications. It provides the user with a powerful graphical editing environment that manages virtually every aspect of Aqua user interface design and creation.

Some of Interface Builder's key features include:
  • Help for users to design Aqua-compliant user interfaces with the "Snap to Aqua Guidelines" feature.
  • The ability to creates both Cocoa nibs and Carbon nibs (that work in CarbonLib 1.2 and up).
  • Simplified usage of CarbonEvents by allowing you to associate command/control IDs with your controls/menu items directly in Interface Builder.
  • Application development processes that allow users to subclass, connect objects, and establish default values.
  • A "Test Interface" mode lets you try your UI without writing any code.
  • A built-in spellchecker to check a users UI text on the go.
Interface Builder was used to create customized user interfaces for our Authentication Login Panel and our Maintenance In Process Panel.

For additional information Interface Builder, please click here to visit the dedicated product pages at www.apple.com.