Re: Starting window instead of a new untitled document?

FROM : PGM
DATE : Tue Aug 01 04:34:09 2006

> I have a document-based Cocoa applcation that doesn't create 
> untitled documents (document windows can only be opened for 
> existing document files -- which are essentially databases -- and 
> can't exist without physical set of files).
>
> So I've overridden newDocument: to create a file and overridden 
> applicationShouldOpenUntitledFile: to return NO so that a new 
> document isn't created when the user starts the application or 
> activates it via its dock icon.
>
> But now I'd like to implement a "getting started" window that 
> prompts the user to create a new file or open an existing one. I 
> want this window to appear ONLY when the application is started 
> without opening an existing document. Searching the archives, the 
> advice has been to create this window in 
> applicationWillFinishLaunching:. But I don't want to see the window 
> every time. I only want it to appear if the application was 
> launched without a document to open.
>
> What's the best way to approach this?


The way I do it (so not necessarily the best way) is as follows:

When a new document is created, loadDataRepresentation:ofType: is 
called pretty early, so I implement this as follows:

- (BOOL)loadDataRepresentation:(NSData *)data ofType:(NSString *)aType
{
    dataFromFile = [data retain];  //(NSData *)dataFromFile is an 
instance variable
    return YES;
}

Then in windowControllerDidLoadNib, I do something like this:

if(dataFromFile){
   //do something with the data
   [dataFromFile release]; //if you don't need it anymore
}
else{
   //popUp a dialog to set-up new document (I use a modal here)
}

The good thing is that at this point, the document window is not yet 
visible, so there is no empty document to distract the user.

Best, Patrick