4 ms·

My two biggest problems are all the example code that doesn’t even compile and the lack of ability to have a pdf so I can print it or use an e-ink device. My e

My two biggest problems are all the example code that doesn’t even compile and the lack of ability to have a pdf so I can print it or use an e-ink device. My eyes are not up to reading off a screen and I am sick of getting headaches because of Apple.

threeseed 7y ago
Do you have a Mac ? Because you can create a PDF from anything e.g. web pages by going to Print, selecting PDF dropdown and "Save as PDF".
- DaiPlusPlus 7y ago
  A PDF-from-a-webpage isn’t the same thing as a well-structured, print-first, paper manual in PDF format with the right annotations. If a webpage doesn’t have a good stylesheet for media=“print” then the browser will end up making the PDF equivalent of a screenshot. Typography and page layout for web vs print are different enough to warrant putting a modicum of effort into making a print media stylesheet for documentation websites.
- ASalazarMX 7y ago
  Wouldn't it be cool if, Apple being the size it is, just made downloadable PDF manuals of their products? IBM still does this in their Information Center. My experience was developing for mainframe and midranges, and even if there are hundreds of PDFs, it's really straightforward to find the right manual for the exact product version you need. You can work for weeks without Googling technicalities. I can't praise enough how clear and well structured their manuals are. For RPG, for example, you have a complete Language Reference[1] to learn the language, and a Programmer's Guide[2] to learn how to use it. They have manuals for everything, there's 5 of them solely for TCP/IP on the IBM i! [1] https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rzasd/sc092508.pdf https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rza... [2] https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rzasc/sc092507.pdf https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rza...
  - threeseed 7y ago
    Actually they do: https://support.apple.com/en_AU/manuals/ https://support.apple.com/en_AU/manuals/ Not all in PDF but most.
    - protomyth 7y ago
      I don't see any developer documentation at the link. IBM, for all its faults, has some amazingly specific documentation and examples that actually work.
    - ASalazarMX 7y ago
      These are consumer product manuals and warranties they are legally required to provide, it's not even remotely the same.
  - jonhendry18 7y ago
    PDFs used to be available. Usually at the top right of the page there'd be a link to get it as a PDF.
- protomyth 7y ago
  The way Apple splits its pages and the horrible print that results make this a non-starter. Also, why would I need Apple developer documentation if I didn’t have a Mac?
lstamour 7y ago
I went searching for PDF docs, because there was a time when Apple had a number of PDFs, guides & books available. Stumbled over https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2140/tn2140_QuickTimeDevelop7Article.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2140... from 1991. This from 1992: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/mac/pdf/MacintoshToolboxEssentials.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/ma... And this from 1993: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/mac/pdf/MoreMacintoshToolbox.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/ma... This from 1994: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/mac/pdf/ImagingWithQuickDraw.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/ma... 2001, on WebObjects: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/LegacyTechnologies/WebObjects/WebObjects_5/GettingStartedOnWindows/WOGettingStarted.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Le... and https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/LegacyTechnologies/WebObjects/WebObjects_5/DirectToWeb/DirectToWeb.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Le... This from 2002: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/QuickTime/QT6WhatsNew/qt6_new6.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Qu... The newest I could find was this from 2017 but it was more because of branding/licensing: https://developer.apple.com/wallet/Add-to-Apple-Wallet-Guidelines.pdf https://developer.apple.com/wallet/Add-to-Apple-Wallet-Guide... Ah, this is what I was thinking of for their PDF documentation. Here's an example from 2018: https://developer.apple.com/metal/CoreImageKernelLanguageReference11.pdf https://developer.apple.com/metal/CoreImageKernelLanguageRef... -- it used to be that when you visited a page like https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Miscellaneous/Conceptual/MetalProgrammingGuide/Introduction/Introduction.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Mi... it would have a link to a PDF version of the same guide, most likely auto-generated. It wasn't great, but it served a purpose when what you wanted was a PDF to read or download for offline reference... Also, a unique PDF: https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Guidelines.pdf https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Gui... (particularly fascinating to page through for the diagrams alone, including iPhone XS, AirPods and Apple Watch Lug Assembly...)

threeseed 7y ago

Do you have a Mac ? Because you can create a PDF from anything e.g. web pages by going to Print, selecting PDF dropdown and "Save as PDF".

DaiPlusPlus 7y ago
A PDF-from-a-webpage isn’t the same thing as a well-structured, print-first, paper manual in PDF format with the right annotations. If a webpage doesn’t have a good stylesheet for media=“print” then the browser will end up making the PDF equivalent of a screenshot. Typography and page layout for web vs print are different enough to warrant putting a modicum of effort into making a print media stylesheet for documentation websites.
ASalazarMX 7y ago
Wouldn't it be cool if, Apple being the size it is, just made downloadable PDF manuals of their products? IBM still does this in their Information Center. My experience was developing for mainframe and midranges, and even if there are hundreds of PDFs, it's really straightforward to find the right manual for the exact product version you need. You can work for weeks without Googling technicalities. I can't praise enough how clear and well structured their manuals are. For RPG, for example, you have a complete Language Reference[1] to learn the language, and a Programmer's Guide[2] to learn how to use it. They have manuals for everything, there's 5 of them solely for TCP/IP on the IBM i! [1] https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rzasd/sc092508.pdf https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rza... [2] https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rzasc/sc092507.pdf https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/ssw_ibm_i_72/rza...
- threeseed 7y ago
  Actually they do: https://support.apple.com/en_AU/manuals/ https://support.apple.com/en_AU/manuals/ Not all in PDF but most.
  - protomyth 7y ago
    I don't see any developer documentation at the link. IBM, for all its faults, has some amazingly specific documentation and examples that actually work.
  - ASalazarMX 7y ago
    These are consumer product manuals and warranties they are legally required to provide, it's not even remotely the same.
- jonhendry18 7y ago
  PDFs used to be available. Usually at the top right of the page there'd be a link to get it as a PDF.
protomyth 7y ago
The way Apple splits its pages and the horrible print that results make this a non-starter. Also, why would I need Apple developer documentation if I didn’t have a Mac?

lstamour 7y ago

I went searching for PDF docs, because there was a time when Apple had a number of PDFs, guides & books available. Stumbled over https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2140/tn2140_QuickTimeDevelop7Article.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/technotes/tn2140... from 1991. This from 1992: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/mac/pdf/MacintoshToolboxEssentials.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/ma... And this from 1993: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/mac/pdf/MoreMacintoshToolbox.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/ma... This from 1994: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/mac/pdf/ImagingWithQuickDraw.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/ma... 2001, on WebObjects: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/LegacyTechnologies/WebObjects/WebObjects_5/GettingStartedOnWindows/WOGettingStarted.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Le... and https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/LegacyTechnologies/WebObjects/WebObjects_5/DirectToWeb/DirectToWeb.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Le... This from 2002: https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/QuickTime/QT6WhatsNew/qt6_new6.pdf https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Qu... The newest I could find was this from 2017 but it was more because of branding/licensing: https://developer.apple.com/wallet/Add-to-Apple-Wallet-Guidelines.pdf https://developer.apple.com/wallet/Add-to-Apple-Wallet-Guide... Ah, this is what I was thinking of for their PDF documentation. Here's an example from 2018: https://developer.apple.com/metal/CoreImageKernelLanguageReference11.pdf https://developer.apple.com/metal/CoreImageKernelLanguageRef... -- it used to be that when you visited a page like https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Miscellaneous/Conceptual/MetalProgrammingGuide/Introduction/Introduction.html https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Mi... it would have a link to a PDF version of the same guide, most likely auto-generated. It wasn't great, but it served a purpose when what you wanted was a PDF to read or download for offline reference... Also, a unique PDF: https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Guidelines.pdf https://developer.apple.com/accessories/Accessory-Design-Gui... (particularly fascinating to page through for the diagrams alone, including iPhone XS, AirPods and Apple Watch Lug Assembly...)