Pro Core Data for iOS from Xcode 4 to Xcode 3
Last summer, Apple released a developer preview of Xcode 4 under NDA. When Michael Privat and I began writing Pro Core Data for iOS in August, we figured Apple would release the final version of Xcode 4 and lift the NDA by the time we completed the book. After all, it had taken about a year to write The Definitive Guide to SWT and JFace. We used Xcode 4 for screen shots, instructions, guides, examples — in short, we based the book on Xcode 4.
Well, we didn’t take a year to write the book; we took nine weeks. Of course, various editing tasks ran past the initial writing, but we finished those tasks, if I recall correctly, in November. And then we waited.
And waited.
And waited a little longer, and then we and Apress realized that Xcode 4 probably wasn’t coming out for awhile, so we discussed and decided to backport the book to Xcode 3. I thought the effort would be trivial — 20–30 minutes a chapter to redo screen shots and a bit of narrative — but it consumed more time than I thought. After two weeks, though, we had made all the changes necessary, and the reviewers and editors vetted it all, and publication day is near! Amazon claims January 31, 2011. We’ll have a few more review tasks between now and then, but we’re happy that the book will soon hit shelves and mailboxes. Look forward to it!
Congratulations. I bet the majority of your readers will also have Xcode 4 and will probably rip you for using Xcode 3. 🙂
Maybe we can embed the Xcode 4 version as an easter egg, though that doesn’t work too well in print books 😉
Lucky for us, though, we’ll be able to release the Xcode 4 version of the book so fast after Apple releases Xcode 4, it will make your head spin!
I can say taking screenshots this early in the game (especially pre-DP6) is risky. I’m having to go back through and change some stuff in the Xcode 4 book I’m writing ( http://xcodebook.com ). Huge PITA but not at all unexpected. 🙂
Yes–lesson learned!
I need to download DP6 tonight . . . good luck on your book. I put myself on the mailing list.
Thanks. DP 6 does seem to be much improved but changes a lot of things I’d already written. Damn. 🙂
OK, Rob. XCode 4 is now out and I am about to start learning iOS development.
It seems to me that I should start fresh with XCode 4. How do I get your book in XCode 4 form? An eBook for iPad consumption would be fine. If I buy the paper one can we make a deal?
Thanks.
Thanks for the interest! Enough things have changed in Xcode 4 that we are redoing what we originally wrote. In addition, we are adding additional material to make the next edition of the book more than just an update for Xcode 4. Not sure yet when it will publish, but we have some significant work ahead of us first.
If you’re just starting to learn iOS development, could I suggest that you start with a more general iOS development book? Pro Core Data for iOS focuses on the persistence aspect, and makes a terrific follow-up book once you’re up to speed on general iOS development. I learned iOS development from Apress’s Beginning iPhone Development–the latest edition is Beginning iPhone 4 Development, found here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/143023024X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0N8GZ9BFBNXYA3VAMAFN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
I wish I could make deals, but I don’t think anything I could do could beat Amazon’s discounts!
Thanks again, and good luck on your iOS development!
Hi Rob,
So today it’s march 18th and apple is shipping xCode 4 since 9 days. We are really in an early stage 🙂
But what about your fantastic book “pro Core Data for iOS” with regards to the xCode 4 version? Is it possible to buy an ebook preview? Or a beta version? Or what ever 🙂
I’m definitely looking forward to get some information from a third party like you and I’m definitely willing to pay for it. But it should be the latest and greatest, at least for the next couple of weeks 🙂
Many, many Thanks so far, looking forward to get some xCode 4 stuff from your end,
Franky
We’re working hard on the Xcode 4 version! The plan is not only to update for Xcode 4, but also to include some additional material to make the book worth buying.
The good news is, although the IDE has changed, the modeler has changed, and some of the generated code is different, Core Data itself has remained largely the same, so the information in the existing book still applies. I’ll blog soon on our progress.
Hi Rob,
ok, i couldn’t wait and get a kindle version of pro core data current release in the meantime.
It’s great and it’s worth buying it alright. If the new version is ready I’ll go for that as well 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Rob,
I’m also eagerly waiting on your Xcode 4 update. I already have the book but struggle with getting Xcode 4 setup in a way I can follow the book. Maybe I’m just too much of a newbie to get it.
Do you have any idea if it’s going to be days, weeks or months until an update will be available? Is it going to be another full purchase?
Otherwise, I might have to downgrade to Xcode 3 in order to follow the book, I guess.
Keep up the great work!
Cheers, JB
Once you get familiar with the Xcode 4 environment, the book should be pretty easy to follow. Xcode 4 is a big change, though, so getting there may not be worth the trouble. Downgrading to Xcode 3 may be your best option.
Another possibility is this set of free Xcode 4 screencasts from The Pragmatic Studio: http://pragmaticstudio.com/screencast-tags/xcode4
I’ve watched a few, and they’re well done. I’ve learned a few things, too.
Realistically, it will be a few months before the Xcode 4 book will be completed and available. We’re about halfway through the draft, and have made quite a few changes. After the draft comes the technical editing and other editing steps before the manuscript goes to final production. It’s an amazing process, but it takes awhile. It will be the second edition of the book, so projects to be a full purchase.
The good news is, the code and examples will compile and run fine with either version of Xcode, so you’re not sacrificing your projects by using Xcode 3. That way, you can focus on Core Data and not the IDE.
Hope this helps!
Hi Rob,
Thanks for the quick reply. I had a feeling that’ll take much longer than a few days. I wished Apress had a similar system to Pragmatic (with Beta eBooks), so that your updates would flow into the eBook version whenever they are done and be available for download.
Anyway, in order to keep things simple. I downgrade to Xcode 3 now and focus on Core Data. I hope that once I get a hang of it I can easily adapt to the new IDE.
Cheers, JB