What's still wrong with Apple Maps?
I’ve been thinking about Apple Maps. It’s the only map software I use on my iPhone — I haven’t installed Google’s app — but I don’t like it as much as Google Maps on iOS 5. I tried to unpack why that...
View ArticleGoals revisited
To anyone who just reads my blog for the tech content, here’s another one you’ll want to skip over. This is an update on my blog post from three months ago, where I listed four medium term goals.1:...
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Integrating the Omni frameworks into an app
The OmniGroup, makers of apps such as OmniGraffle, have released a lot of their code as the open source Omni Frameworks. This is great: there are things like a document picker with support for...
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Omni Frameworks Part 2: Using the Document Picker
Here’s part two of a series of posts chronicling my experiences using the Omni Frameworks. As before, I’d like to add the disclaimer that I don’t know if what I’ve done is best practice: the Omni...
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Threads — an idea for an App.net client
For those of you who don’t know, App.net is like Twitter but for money. No, wait, that’s not how we’re supposed to introduce it — it does other stuff too, like file hosting and chat rooms. And there...
View ArticleAuto-boxing with performSelector:? Nope, but KVC works.
While trying to debug some code I encountered, I came across this article by Marcus Zarra: Does Objective-C Perform Autoboxing on Primitives? The article has been retracted. It initially stated that...
View ArticleOmni Frameworks part 3: saving some data
This is a quickie, but I thought I’d write up a small stumbling block that I encountered. It probably came from my being relatively unacquainted with UIDocument, rather than an Omni-specific problem,...
View ArticleSlides for my iOSDevUK talk on Templateable apps
At iOSDevUK last week, I gave a talk on making templateable apps — that is, apps with a single codebase but different content, theming or features. As promised, I’m sharing the slides:Download the PDF...
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Predicting an Apple event
It’s prediction time again: Apple have sent an invitation for their October event. I just read Nick Heer’s predictions for what we’ll see. The thing that struck me was how many of them there are. From...
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Using auto-layout to calculate table cell height
Table cell height is one of the tricky bits of UITableView. You have to calculate it manually, in advance of creating your cell. Here’s a method that uses auto-layout to help you calculate it.First of...
View ArticleAn introduction to Cocoa Bindings
After learning about Key Value Observing, you might be wondering if there is any way of automatically keep two properties synchronised. Cocoa Bindings, a Mac-only technology, provides this missing...
View ArticleThoughts on Apple Watch
I wear a Pebble. I’m part of the Smartwatch Revolution™, as it were. I find my Pebble really useful for a few things: not missing phone calls when my phone is on silent and in my bag; receiving certain...
View ArticleScripting Bridge predicates and enums
I’m working with the Scripting Bridge and AppleScript-ObjC at the moment, so expect a longer article soon! For now I’ll share a quick tip.If you’re trying to filter an SBElementArray using a predicate,...
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Non-Tech Hobbies
I haven’t posted much here recently. Granted, I’m now working for a certain large tech company, and have a daily commute of 200 miles. But that’s not the entire reason. So what have I been doing?As I...
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Non-Tech Hobbies: Tabletop Roleplaying
I’m on a train again. This time, just my normal commute. Today, I’m rushing back in order to attend a session of Dungeons and Dragons.For the uninitiated, tabletop roleplaying involves a group of...
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On being a creative generalist
The other day, I created a flyer for my opera society’s upcoming play. I created it using dip pens and inks, tracing the pictures. Within the theming of our show, the flyer is meant to look as if it...
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Subclassing UIResponder
I wanted to make a popup date picker for my app, like so:Since I wanted it to slide up onto the screen like the keyboard, my immediate thought was to use an inputView and an inputAccessoryView to...
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Please rate my app
I used to really dislike the door-slam dialog boxes that many apps pop up when they’re updated, saying “Please rate my app”. They happen when you open the app, which usually means you’re wanting to use...
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UK Transport 2.0
It’s been a long time coming.UK Transport is my app for multimodal public transport journey planning. When I worked for Agant Ltd., and developed UK Train Times, we often threw around ideas for an app...
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An In-Character Programme
Last summer, I was producer for Grosvenor Light Opera Company’s production of Pirates of Penzance. For those that don’t know, most of the female roles in the play comprise Major-General Stanley’s...
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