Metrowerks is providing Mac OS developers at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) being held next week, early access to new CodeWarrior tools for Mac OS X.
The Early Access tools support the Mach-O object file format, providing developers with access to the full set of native Mac OS X APIs, and will allow developers to create Java 2 applications on Mac OS X for the first time, according to John Smolucha, vice president of marketing, Metrowerks. The tools, which will be included in an upcoming version of CodeWarrior for Mac OS due out this fall, will be given out to WWDC attendees at no cost.
With improved debugging capabilities for Mach-O and the Preferred Execution Format (PEF), the tools provide Mac OS developers with increased performance and reliability, Smolucha said. This release is the company’s response to what the Mac developer community has told them they need.
The Early Access release includes a new CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with support for Mac OS X frameworks. The IDE includes updated Mach-O compilers, the first Java debugger for Mac OS X, updated Metrowerks Standard Libraries (MSL), an updated PowerPlant framework and many other updated components for targeting PEF and Mach-O on Mac OS X. At the same time, developers can use the same CodeWarrior tools to develop for Classic Mac OS.
Approximately 90 percent of the Macintosh applications on the market today were developed using Metrowerks’ CodeWarrior IDE. The Early Access release will be distributed on CD only. WWDC attendees will receive the CD upon registration at the conference. The Early Access CD can also be ordered from Metrowerks after May 21 for a handling fee of US$9.95.