Nib files?

[Paul Scobell]

Hi,

I have a question about NIB files.

My understanding, which may be incorrect, is that they are
produced by the IB and that they contain the interface of my app, and in
addition they also contain information on what messages are passed
between interface elements?

If this is correct, does it mean that I could change the
functioning of a program by using IB to edit its nib file(s), and could
I even have it use code I have created instead of the apps normal code?

If the above is true, how do I stop this from occurring? I want
people to get (buy) improvements from me not from someone else's free
hacks, selfish I know, but I have to feed the family some how.

Paul :-)

[Ian Stephenson]

In article <1997060214...@d-134852.spirit.com.au>

scob...@spirit.com.au (Paul Scobell) writes:
> My understanding, which may be incorrect, is that they are
> produced by the IB and that they contain the interface of my app, and in
> addition they also contain information on what messages are passed
> between interface elements?

Basically yes. If you've got powerfull enough palletes (as in say EOF),
you can go further, and get something OpenDoc like, where the components
are doing REAL work.

> If this is correct, does it mean that I could change the
> functioning of a program by using IB to edit its nib file(s),

You can change some of the layouts, hide or (perhaps) add menu items and
buttons to trigger functions, add cmd key sequences.

> and could
> I even have it use code I have created instead of the apps normal code?

Thats a bit harder, but not beyond possibility.

> If the above is true, how do I stop this from occurring? I want
> people to get (buy) improvements from me not from someone else's free
> hacks, selfish I know, but I have to feed the family some how.

You can't.

However in practise it doesn't really happen (appart from the odd trivial
tweak - I'm really tempted to redefine the cmd-f key in parabase). Only
the top layer of objects that the UI talks to are exposed (though the
experienced hacker can get round this), and the lack of inside information
which only you have prevents any real funcitonal changes.

Unless your program is (a) trivial, or (b) brilliantly stuctured then it's
impossible to add functionality of any real depth from the nib file
(unless of course that functionality is already there, and you've just
unhooked it). If you're program is so popular that you're worried about
this, then enough people will probably pay for new features to keep you
busy.

$an