#510: website: How Ruby Programmers Should Learn Cocoa ----------------------------------------+----------------------------------- Reporter: ernest.prabhakar@… | Owner: lsansonetti@… Type: task | Status: new Priority: minor | Milestone: Component: MacRuby | Keywords: ----------------------------------------+----------------------------------- [From the mailing list - someone should add to the docs] Brian Chapados wrote: If MacRuby is your first exposure to mac programming and all of the associated tools and techniques, starting out by jumping into an IB-based project that uses CoreData & Bindings is going to be really confusing. I'd break up the tasks into pieces small enough that you can actually understand what's going on. You shouldn't feel like things are happening "magically". If that is the case, then try to take a step back and figure out how the magic trick works. For example, if you want to tackle CoreData first, then start with just CoreData. Build a command-line program that creates a CoreData stack by reading in your compiled .xcdatamodel (or create the model in code!), add some data, and save it. Once you've got that working, then make it download data from your web service and save it. Here is the approach I would take: 1. If you haven't already, read through the Core Data Programming guide: http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/CoreDa... At the very least, browse through this to get a feel for what's going on. You won't understand everything, but at least you'll have some sense of where to look when you get stuck. 2. Read the Core Data Utility tutorial: http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/cocoa/conceptual/CoreDa... This gives you a basic Obj-C version of a program the uses CoreData entirely through the API. Everything is done in code, even creating the model, so it should get you started on something basic. 3. As it turns out, Matt Gallagher (cocoawithlove.com) recently posted an excellent article on parsing CSV files and importing the data into CoreData: http://cocoawithlove.com/2009/11/writing-parser-using-nsscanner- csv.html I highly recommend you also download and read through his code to see how it works. 4. Use the code from #2 & #3 to write a minimal implementation in MacRuby that imports data into your model. 5. After getting #4 to work, go back and read the section on efficiently importing data in the CoreData programming guide and refactor your import code appropriately. At least this way, if you get stuck on #4 & #5, you'll have a fairly short, self-contained example program that you can put in a gist, post a link, and ask for help on specific parts. _________________________________ And 6. Once you believe you understand how everything works, submit a sample code to us! :-) -- Ticket URL: <http://www.macruby.org/trac/ticket/510> MacRuby <http://macruby.org/>