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iOS Questions about iPhone app development

M

mynameinc

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 28, 2010
7
0
I have some questions about iPhone app development, which I hope you will be able to answer:
1) For someone experienced in C++, how hard is it to learn Objective C?
2) When an app of mine is sold, do I get all of the proceeds?
3) How hard is it to learn to program specifically for the iPhone?
 
qwtyu

Hey there to answer your questions the language is pretty damn hard, i moved from vb which is a walk in the park to this and i was like OMG :eek:
But i got onto youtube and followed the guides, also apples site has an amazing amout of guides.
You get 70% of all profits apple take 30%
Correct me if im wrong but i believe in the uk anyway after £6500 of earnings you need to pay a furthur 30% tax i amy be wrong im only getting my first payment this week so can someone maybe clear that up please :D

So yea my advice go for it the internet is full of knowledge about it and i have made some serious money in one month (£9,500)($14,400) in one month
so go for it :D
:apple::apple::apple:
 
Since you know C++, then it won't be that big of a switch for you to learn Objective-C. While VB to Objective-C is a much bigger learning curve of course (but I think VB to any C syntax-type languages, which are most common, is hard for most).

You'll probably already have a handle on pointers, memory management and the like so Objective-C, while it does things in it's own way, it won't be alien to you. Objective-C is layered on top of C, so if your knowledge of regular C is good then you've got a head start. You just need to get familiar with the Objective-C syntax, which differentiates itself from C, like using [] for calling methods, memory management (through the use of retain/release), etc. The apple dev site has a primer on Objective-C. Read browse through a Objective-C book, like the one by Stephen Kochan.

For people coming from scripting languages, ie PHP, VB, etc, they have more challenges to overcome to learn Objective-C but C/C++ developer who deals with lower-level coding regularly, they should have the easiest transition, IMO.
 
Dodge901 said:
Hey there to answer your questions the language is pretty damn hard, i moved from vb which is a walk in the park to this and i was like OMG :eek:
But i got onto youtube and followed the guides, also apples site has an amazing amout of guides.
You get 70% of all profits apple take 30%
Correct me if im wrong but i believe in the uk anyway after £6500 of earnings you need to pay a furthur 30% tax i amy be wrong im only getting my first payment this week so can someone maybe clear that up please :D

So yea my advice go for it the internet is full of knowledge about it and i have made some serious money in one month (£9,500)($14,400) in one month
so go for it :D
:apple::apple::apple:
Click to expand...

Thank you for answering my questions.

I would like to make at least $20 (£13.19) a month. This will probably serve as a hobby from which I would like to reap financial benefit (third mini-job?)

I have experience with C++, but I previously used Python. That switch was challenging, but how challenging will switching from C++ to Objective C be?

I have an idea for an app that I think could sell enough to meet that meager goal. It's pretty simple, the only hard part will be utilizing the accelerometers. How long would it take to learn to develop that, rough estimate?
 
If you know the fundamentals of the C subset of C++, as well as the general OOP concepts of C++, then learning Objective C, and it's completely different looking form of punctuation abuse, could take as little as a couple weeks to get up to speed.

You don't get to sell apps. Apple sells them, and then sends your bank (up to 75 days later) 70% of the proceeds, if you make certain minimums ($150 per region).

Learning the UIKit and Cocoa Touch libraries will likely take longer than just learning Objective C. But if you've used an OOP UI toolkit before, it's still on the order of a few weeks for an experienced programmer.

Start by reading all the docs you can find on developer.apple.com
 
flyingturtle said:
Since you know C++, then it won't be that big of a switch for you to learn Objective-C. While VB to Objective-C is a much bigger learning curve of course (but I think VB to any C syntax-type languages, which are most common, is hard for most).

You'll probably already have a handle on pointers, memory management and the like so Objective-C, while it does things in it's own way, it won't be alien to you. Objective-C is layered on top of C, so if your knowledge of regular C is good then you've got a head start. You just need to get familiar with the Objective-C syntax, which differentiates itself from C, like using [] for calling methods, memory management (through the use of retain/release), etc. The apple dev site has a primer on Objective-C. Read browse through a Objective-C book, like the one by Stephen Kochan.

For people coming from scripting languages, ie PHP, VB, etc, they have more challenges to overcome to learn Objective-C but C/C++ developer who deals with lower-level coding regularly, they should have the easiest transition, IMO.
Click to expand...

Do you know how long the learning curve is from C++ to Objective C?

Also, is the $99/yr subscription fee necessary?
 
firewood said:
If you know the fundamentals of the C subset of C++, as well as the general OOP concepts of C++, then learning Objective C, and it's completely different looking form of punctuation abuse, could take as little as a couple weeks to get up to speed.

You don't get to sell apps. Apple sells them, and then sends your bank (up to 75 days later) 70% of the proceeds, if you make certain minimums ($150 per region).
Click to expand...

I understood that, but what do you mean by "up to 75 days later?"

Learning the UIKit and Cocoa Touch libraries will likely take longer than just learning Objective C. But if you've used an OOP UI toolkit before, it's still on the order of a few weeks for an experienced programmer.

Start by reading all the docs you can find on developer.apple.com
Click to expand...

I shall.
 
I also have many ideas for apps that i would love to implement but i just struggle with Objective-C. I am a more than capable programmer, I'm currently studying Computer Science and my marks for programming modules are as high as 95%. Starting in July i will be writing software for military attack helicopters.

My problem with Objective C is the online guides and tutorials just take you through step by step of what you have got to do to accomplish a task, never explain why you do it as a result i don't learn very much.

Can anyone suggest a set of tutorials that give good explanations of the steps involved?

Thanks.
 
Rhalliwell1 said:
My problem with Objective C is the online guides and tutorials just take you through step by step of what you have got to do to accomplish a task, never explain why you do it as a result i don't learn very much.

Can anyone suggest a set of tutorials that give good explanations of the steps involved?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I struggle with that, also.
 
Rhalliwell1 said:
I also have many ideas for apps that i would love to implement but i just struggle with Objective-C. I am a more than capable programmer, I'm currently studying Computer Science and my marks for programming modules are as high as 95%. Starting in July i will be writing software for military attack helicopters.

My problem with Objective C is the online guides and tutorials just take you through step by step of what you have got to do to accomplish a task, never explain why you do it as a result i don't learn very much.

Can anyone suggest a set of tutorials that give good explanations of the steps involved?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Yeah I am/was in the same boat. Once I picked up the Hillegass books, both the "Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X" and the new "iPhone Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide". Things started clicking more as it gives more theory behind things. Why certain things are done because of how they are built. Design pattern issues (from the Cocoa book), like how you should do "composition" instead of "inheritence" in Cocoa (pointing out that whereas in C++, a strongly typed language, inheritence crucial). The iPhone book also goes a bit deeper than other iPhone books into the behind the scenes stuff, which a longer chapter on memory management, more explanation of the xib and nib internals, etc.

I also have the Objective-C book by Kochan and I kind of glossed over it at first, but I'm referring to it more and more as it's been helping of my understanding of Objective-C a lot more. What helped was reading the parts about how Objective-C is different than C.
Maybe those books, will help you more about the reasoning behind things.
 
flyingturtle said:
Yeah I am/was in the same boat. Once I picked up the Hillegass books, both the "Cocoa Programming for Mac OS X" and the new "iPhone Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide". Things started clicking more as it gives more theory behind things. Why certain things are done because of how they are built. Design pattern issues (from the Cocoa book), like how you should do "composition" instead of "inheritence" in Cocoa (pointing out that whereas in C++, a strongly typed language, inheritence crucial). The iPhone book also goes a bit deeper than other iPhone books into the behind the scenes stuff, which a longer chapter on memory management, more explanation of the xib and nib internals, etc.

I also have the Objective-C book by Kochan and I kind of glossed over it at first, but I'm referring to it more and more as it's been helping of my understanding of Objective-C a lot more. What helped was reading the parts about how Objective-C is different than C.
Maybe those books, will help you more about the reasoning behind things.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much. I will check those books out. Cheers.
 
mynameinc said:
... but what do you mean by "up to 75 days later?"
Click to expand...

Could be up to 79 days.

Apple's fiscal months are usually 28 to 35 days long. Say an app sells the 1st day of a fiscal month. According to the contract, Apple has up to 45 days from the end of that month (34 days after the 1st) to pay you for that sale, if the monthly amount is over $150 (cumulatively) per region.

34+45 = 79

Usually it's a few weeks faster, but not always.
 
firewood said:
Could be up to 79 days.

Apple's fiscal months are usually 28 to 35 days long. Say an app sells the 1st day of a fiscal month. According to the contract, Apple has up to 45 days from the end of that month (34 days after the 1st) to pay you for that sale, if the monthly amount is over $150 (cumulatively) per region.

34+45 = 79

Usually it's a few weeks faster, but not always.
Click to expand...

What if the monthly amount isn't >$150? Do they add the money to next month's sales?

@dejo, they help. Thanks, I frequently overlook stuff.
 
mynameinc said:
What if the monthly amount isn't >$150? Do they add the money to next month's sales?

@dejo, they help. Thanks, I frequently overlook stuff.
Click to expand...

They hold your money until the total accumulated goes over $150. So if you only make $20 each month, after 8 months you'll hit $160 and you'll get paid.
 
hey i just want to ask if the aaron hillegass book on objective c is any good at teaching someone with no programming experience but knows the math ;)

i dont expect to learn fast
i dont expect to live off the earning, hey im not even thinking about earning money from this
and i dont want to pay for a course


i have an objective-c for dummies, read about 1/4 of it... no comment.

i would just like to say this book is kind of confusing and the explanation isint terribly good, for me anyway.


i would just like to know if there are any things i could read on the internet which can teach me how to make a calculator app for example and tell me what to do and why it is done. I think that is the best method of learning.


sorry for hijacking the thread! :D
 
To my knowledge, Hillegass' books are mainly Cocoa & Cocoa Touch (aka iPhone) development, not about learning Objective-C specifically. I have both this Cocoa and iPhone book and they do cover some Objective-C, but you'll need another book dedicated to Objective-C learning, like the one you have. I have "Programming in Objective-C 2.0" by Stephen Kochan, which I like.

The Hillegass books are excellent as well as the Kochan book. For anyone with minor to professional programming experience they are good, but for a beginner with no programming experience, they may be a lot to digest. Kochan books, like most language learning books, deals with making command-line/console apps, so that may bore people at first but it's a necessary step to learning as GUI/Frameworks get in the way of learning the basics. Later on in the book, you'll do stuff with GUI, the Cocoa framework. I don't know if it's too hard for you, it depends how dedicated you are.

Whatever language you learn first will be hard. The good thing is though that you really don't need to know math to get started. Most of the time I use any kind of math is later, if I'm doing any sort of game programming or animation related.

If you don't want to waste money, the apple developer site has tons of guides. There is a Objective-C primer there and more. Check the stickies here for places to learn.

sleyeu said:
hey i just want to ask if the aaron hillegass book on objective c is any good at teaching someone with no programming experience but knows the math ;)

i dont expect to learn fast
i dont expect to live off the earning, hey im not even thinking about earning money from this
and i dont want to pay for a course


i have an objective-c for dummies, read about 1/4 of it... no comment.

i would just like to say this book is kind of confusing and the explanation isint terribly good, for me anyway.


i would just like to know if there are any things i could read on the internet which can teach me how to make a calculator app for example and tell me what to do and why it is done. I think that is the best method of learning.


sorry for hijacking the thread! :D
Click to expand...
 
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