 |
This chapter provides an overview of Navigation Services, a new suite of file browsing services for the Mac OS. You should read this chapter if you develop Mac OS applications which open or save files. You will find that Navigation Services is useful in new applications and updates of existing applications.
Navigation Services is an application programming interface that allows your application to provide a user interface for navigating, opening, and saving Mac OS file objects. Navigation Services is provided as a Carbon-compliant replacement for and enhancement to the Standard File Package, which was introduced with the original Macintosh System. Prior to Navigation Services, file browsing in the Mac OS was often confusing to users in light of the differences between Standard File Package dialog boxes and the Finder's file interface. Also, users must navigate much larger volumes than those which existed when the Standard File Package was developed. These large data spaces require extended functionality.
Navigation Services provides tools for you to implement a greatly enhanced user experience in the area of document management. One enhancement is the ability for users to select and open multiple files simultaneously. There are buttons that let users easily select mounted storage volumes, choose recently opened files and folders, or build their own list of favorite items. You can take advantage of translation services offered by the Translation Manager or opt for deferred translation, which gives your application the ability to save interim changes in a file's native format and avoid the time-consuming task of translation until the user closes the document.
The enhanced functionality of Navigation Services is easy to adopt. Functions are simple and flexible; they are designed to help you avoid writing custom code. Navigation Services also provides automatic support for the Appearance Manager's extended suite of dialog boxes and user controls to ensure a more consistent and comprehensible user interface across applications.
