[DotGNU]Cocoa#

[Oscar Papel]

Hello,

 

I want to announce that I'm starting work on a c# implementation of the Cocoa framework.

The Cocoa framework includes hundreds of classes that perform a variety of tasks and is the recommended library for new development on the Mac.

 

The name is tentatively Cocoa#

 

By necessity, it will initially be a (rather limited) subset of the entire Cocoa framework but should include enough to provide native GUI elements (aka Aqua) and provide native drawing (Quartz and maybe OpenGL).

 

I know this is comaing a bit late to the party but no one else seems to be doing it so i've decided to take up the gauntlet.

 

The initial target will be Mac OS/X 10.2 and above.

 

Since the Cocoa framework is implemented in objective-C, the toolkit needs to be divided into 2 sub-projects:

 

(1) CocoaAPI.framework - This is unmanged code written in C & Objective-C that provides an interop target to Cocoa.  Until interop can directly support objective-C classes (not too likely) this will be necessary. 

 

(2) CocoaSharp.dll - a one-to-one mapping of NS* classes that are usable from any managed language. Relies on (1).

 

The managed classes will be thin (think SWT instead of SWING for you java developers) and will deviate only where usage of c# features makes sense (i.e. change get/set into Properties and usage of event handlers).  The goal is not to abstract functionality but to expose it.

 

Eventually, this assembly will be the basis for a System.Windows.Forms and System.Drawing.  However, that is not the initial goal.

 

If you have access to a Mac and would like to contribute, please contact me and introduce yourself.

 

Until things change, co-ordination will occur via e-mail

 

Here's to making the Mac a great managed platform for GUI apps... 

 

Oscar Papel