NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Core Data

Core Data is part of the Cocoa API in Mac OS X, first introduced in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger. It allows any sort of data organized by the relational entity-attribute model, to be serialized into XML, binary, or SQLite stores. The data can be manipulated using a higher level set of objects representing entities and their relationships. Core Data manages the serialized version, providing object lifecycle and object graph management, including persistence. Core Data interfaces directly with SQLite, insulating the developer from the underlying SQL. A Cocoa application being developed using Xcode. ... API may refer to: In computing, application programming interface In petroleum industry, American Petroleum Institute In education, Academic Performance Index This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page â€” a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Mac OS X (official IPA pronunciation: ) is a line of proprietary, graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. ... Mac OS X version 10. ... In computer science, in the context of data storage and transmission, serialization is the process of saving an object onto a storage medium (such as a file, or a memory buffer) or to transmit it across a network connection link, either in binary form, or in some human-readable text... The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a general-purpose markup language. ... A Hexdump of a JPEG image. ... SQLite is an ACID-compliant relational database management system contained in a relatively small C library. ... In computer science, the object lifetime (or life cycle) of an object in object-oriented programming is the time between an objects creation (also known as instantiation or construction) till the object is no longer used, and is destructed or freed. ... A data model is a model that describes in an abstract way how data is represented in a business organization, an information system or a database management system. ... SQLite is an ACID-compliant relational database management system contained in a relatively small C library. ...

Just as Cocoa Bindings handles many of the duties of the controller in a Model-View-Controller design, Core Data handles many of the duties of the model. Among other tasks, it handles change management, serializing to disk, memory footprint minimization, and queries against the data. This article or section should include material from Model view controller triad Model-View-Controller (MVC) is a software architecture that separates an applications data model, user interface, and control logic into three distinct components so that modifications to the view component can be made with minimal impact to...

Usage

In use, Core Data allows the developer to describe their data with a high level data model expressed in terms of entities and their relationships, plus fetch requests that retrieve entities meeting specific criteria. Code can retrieve and manipulate this data on a purely object level, without having to worry about the details of storage and retrieval. Further, the controller objects available in Interface Builder, the standard GUI building tool for Cocoa, can retrieve and manipulate these entities directly. When combined with Cocoa bindings, the UI can display many components of the data model without needing background code. Interface Builder is a software development application on Apple Computers Mac OS X operating system. ...

For instance, a developer might be writing a program to handle vCards. In order to manage these, the author intends to read the vCards into objects, and then store them in a single larger XML file. Using Core Data the developer would drag their schema from the data designer in Xcode into an interface builder window to create a GUI for their schema. They could then write standard Objective-C code to read vCard files and put the data into Core Data managed entities. From that point on the author's code manipulates these Core Data objects, rather than the underlying vCards. Connecting the Save menu item to the appropriate method in the controller object will direct the controller to examine the object stack, determine which objects are dirty, and then re-write a Core Data document file with these changes. The correct title of this article is . ... Xcode is Apple Computers IDE for developing applications and other software for Mac OS X. It is shipped free with Mac OS X. First introduced on October 24, 2003 along with the release of Mac OS X v10. ...

Storage formats

Core Data can serialize objects into XML, Binary, or SQLite for storage. The details of how these are stored vary between formats - the XML store tries to make a file readable by other programs, while the SQLite store generates rather opaque files. This portion of Core Data is similar to the original EOF system, in that one can write fairly sophisticated queries. Unlike EOF, it is not possible to write your own SQL, likely because this would not be supported by the XML and Binary storage types. SQLite is an ACID-compliant relational database management system contained in a relatively small C library. ... The Enterprise Objects Framework (or more commonly, EOF) was introduced by NeXT in 1994 as a pioneering object-relational mapping product for its NeXTSTEP and OpenStep development platforms. ...

Core Data schemas are standardized. If you have the Xcode Data Model file, you can read and write files in that format freely. Unlike EOF, though, Core Data is not currently architected for multiuser or simultaneous access. Schema migration is also non-trivial, virtually always requiring code. If other developers have access to and depend upon your data model, you may need to provide version translation code in addition to a new data model if your schema changes.

History and genesis

Core Data owes much of its design to an early NeXT product, Enterprise Objects Framework (EOF). Image File history File links Circle-question. ... Look up Next in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Enterprise Objects Framework (or more commonly, EOF) was introduced by NeXT in 1994 as a pioneering object-relational mapping product for its NeXTSTEP and OpenStep development platforms. ...

EOF was specifically aimed at object-relational mapping for high-end SQL database engines such as SQL Server and Oracle. EOF's purpose was twofold, one to connect to the database engine and hide the implementation details, and two to read the data out of the simple relational format and translate that into a set of objects. Developers typically interacted with the objects only, dramatically simplifying development of complex programs for the cost of some "setup". The EOF object model was deliberately set up to make the resulting programs "document like", in that the user could edit the data locally in memory, and then write out all changes with a single Save command. Object-Relational mapping (aka O/RM, ORM, and O/R mapping), is a programming technique that links databases to object-oriented language concepts, creating (in effect) a virtual object database. ... Mostly it refers to the Microsoft SQL Server, which was actually derived from Sybase SQL Server ... An Oracle database consists of a collection of data managed by an Oracle database management system. ...

Throughout its history EOF "contained" a number of bits of extremely useful code that was not otherwise available under NeXTSTEP/OpenStep. For instance, EOF required the ability to track which objects were "dirty" so the system could later write them out, and this was presented to the developer not only as a document-like system, but also in the form of an unlimited Undo command stack. Many developers complained that this state management code was far too useful to be isolated in EOF, and it was moved into the Cocoa API during the transition to Mac OS X. NEXTSTEP is the original object-oriented, multitasking operating system that NeXT Computer, Inc. ... The OPENSTEP desktop. ... A Cocoa application being developed using Xcode. ... Mac OS X (official IPA pronunciation: ) is a line of proprietary, graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. ...

Oddly what was not translated was EOF itself. EOF was used primarily along with another OpenStep-era product, WebObjects, an application server originally based on Objective-C that was in the process of being ported to the Java programming language. As part of this conversion EOF was also converted to Java, and thus became much more difficult to use from Cocoa. Enough developers complained about this that Apple apparently decided to do something about it. WebObjects is a Java Web application server by Apple Computer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Objective-C, often referred to as ObjC or more seldomly as Objective C or Obj-C, is an object oriented programming language implemented as an extension to C. It is used primarily on Mac OS X and GNUstep, two environments based on the OpenStep standard, and is the primary language... Java is an object-oriented applications programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in the early 1990s. ...

One critical realization is that the object state management system in EOF did not really have anything to do with relational databases. The same code could, and was, used by developers to manage graphs of other objects as well. In this role the really useful parts of EOF were those that automatically built the object sets from the raw data, and then tracked them. It is this concept, and perhaps code, that forms the basis of Core Data.

External links

v • d • e

Mac OS X

Applications
Address Book • Automator • Calculator • Chess • Dashboard • Dictionary • DVD Player • Finder • Front Row • Grapher • iCal • iChat • iSync • iTunes • Mail • Photo Booth • Preview • QuickTime Player • Safari • Sherlock • Stickies • TextEdit Mac OS X (official IPA pronunciation: ) is a line of proprietary, graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. ... An address book or a name and address book (NAB) is a book or a collection of data storing contact details (for example: address, telephone number, e-mail address, fax number, mobile phone number). ... Automator is an application developed by Apple for Mac OS X that implements point-and-click (or drag-and-drop) creation of workflows for automating repetitive tasks. ... Calculator is a basic calculator application made by Apple Computer and bundled with Mac OS X. It has three modes: basic, scientific, and programmer. ... Chess is a chess game for Mac OS X, featuring a high quality graphical display and support for chess variants such as crazyhouse and suicide chess. ... Dashboard is an application for Apples Mac OS X v10. ... Dictionary is an application introduced with Mac OS X v10. ... This page relates to Apple software. ... The Finder is the default application program used on the Mac OS and Mac OS X operating systems that is responsible for the overall user-management of files, disks, network volumes and the launching of other applications. ... Front Row Music menu screenshot Front Row is a software application for Apples Macintosh computers that acts as a front-end for QuickTime, DVD Player and the iTunes and iPhoto libraries and allows for users to browse media on their computers using the Apple Remote. ... Grapher is a software program bundled with Mac OS X v10. ... The correct title of this article is iCal. ... iChat is an AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), ICQ and Jabber client for Mac OS X. Using a Jabber-like protocol and Bonjour for user discovery, it also allows for LAN communication. ... iSync 1. ... The correct title of this article is . ... Mail (aka Mail. ... Photo Booth is a small software application for taking photos with an iSight camera by Apple Computer for Mac OS X. It features 16 built-in effects that can be applied to photos. ... Preview is Mac OS Xs application for displaying images and Portable Document Format (PDF) documents. ... QuickTime is a multimedia technology developed by Apple Computer, capable of handling various formats of digital video, sound, text, animation, music, and immersive virtual reality panoramic images. ... Safari is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. ... Sherlock 2 for Mac OS 9 showing the Files channel Sherlock, named after Sherlock Holmes, is the file and web searching tool made by Apple Inc. ... Stickies is a Macintosh application for putting Post-it note-like windows on the screen, with short reminders, notes and other clippings. ... A screenshot of Apples TextEdit. ...

Utilities
Activity Monitor • AirPort Admin Utility • Audio MIDI Setup • Bluetooth File Exchange • BOMArchiveHelper • Classic • ColorSync Utility • Console • Crash Reporter • DigitalColor Meter • Directory Access • DiskImageMounter • Disk Utility • Font Book • Grab • Help Viewer • Image Capture • Installer • Internet Connect • Keychain Access • Migration Assistant • NetInfo Manager • Network Utility • ODBC Administrator • Printer Setup Utility • Software Update • System Preferences • System Profiler • Terminal • Universal Access • VoiceOver • X11 Activity Monitor is the name of a utility for performing different tasks to a computer process in the Mac OS X operating system. ... The AirPort Admin Utility in Mac OS X serves to allow the user to configure AirPort Wifi Base Stations to create a wireless network. ... The Audio MIDI Setup utility is a program that comes with the Mac OS X operating system for adjusting the computers audio input and output configuration settings and managing MIDI devices. ... Bluetooth File Exchange is an aptly-named utility that comes with the Mac OS X operating system, used to exchange files to or from a Bluetooth-enabled device. ... BOMArchiveHelper is the default archive file handler in Mac OS X. It is a service application that has no GUI when double-clicked, rather it is invoked by opening its associated files or by choosing Create archive of file in the Finders contextual menu. ... Classic, or Classic Environment, is a hardware and software abstraction layer in Mac OS X that allows applications compatible with Mac OS 9 to run on the OS X operating system. ... ColorSync Utility is an interface for Apples ColorSync specification on the Mac OS X operating system. ... Console is the default log viewer in Mac OS X. Categories: | ... A crash reporter is an application whose function is to report crash data to a third party, usually to the party responsible for the crashed program. ... DigitalColor Meter is a utility for measuring and displaying the colour values of pixels displayed on the screen of a Macintosh computer. ... Directory Access is a Mac OS X utility for connecting to network services. ... DiskImageMounter is the utility that handles mounting disk images in Mac OS X. Like BOMArchiveHelper it has no GUI when double-clicked, in fact doing so does nothing. ... Disk Utility is the name of a utility created by Apple for performing disk-related tasks in Mac OS X. These tasks include: the creation of disk images; mounting, unmounting, and ejecting disks (including both hard disks, removable media and disk images); enabling or disabling journaling; verifying a disks... Apples Font Book includes fonts, and dividing them into groups. ... Grab is an application by Apple Computer used to make screenshots of the users computer. ... Help Viewer is a WebCore based HTML viewer aimed at displaying help files and other documentation. ... Image Capture, first introduced in Mac OS X version 10. ... Installer is an application included in Mac OS X which extracts and installs files out of . ... The Internet Connect in Mac OS X serves to allow the user to activate connections to the internet via an ISP or VPN. It also provides a simple way to connect to an AirPort Network. ... Keychain Access in Mac OS X serves to allow the user to configure keychain passwords - unlocking, locking and displaying passwords saved by the system which are dynamically linked to ones login password. ... Migration Assistant is a/an utility by Apple Computer that imports users, applications, settings, various files and volumes to a new Macintosh computer from a (presumably) older one. ... NetInfo Manager is a utility that comes with Mac OS X. It is found in /Applications/Utilities/NetInfo Manager. ... Network Utility is a an application included with Mac OS X that provides a variety of computer network information. ... ODBC Administrator is a utility in the Mac OS X operating system for administering ODBC. Category: ... The Printer Setup Utility in Mac OS X serves to allow the user to configure printers physically connected to the computer, or connected via a network. ... Software Update is a software tool by Apple Computer that install the latest version of Apple software on computers running Mac OS X (there was also a Software update tool for classic Mac OS). ... System Preferences is the application used by Mac OS X to set user preferences. ... System Profiler is a software utility that has been bundled with Mac OS since Mac OS 7. ... Terminal is an application included with Apples Mac OS X operating system. ... Universal access to education is the ability of all people to have equal opportunity in education, regardless of their background or physical disabilities. ... VoiceOver is a feature built into Apple Computers Mac OS X v10. ... X11. ...

Technology & User interface (future features italicized)
⌘ • ⌥ • Apple menu • Apple Advanced Typography • AppleScript • Aqua • ATSUI • Audio Units • Brushed metal • Bonjour • Boot Camp • Carbon • Cocoa • ColorSync • Core Animation • Core Audio • Core Data • Core Foundation • Core Image • Core OpenGL • Core Video • CUPS • Darwin • Dock • Exposé • FileVault • icns • Inkwell • I/O Kit • Keychain • Mach-O • Menu extra • Preference Pane • plist • Quartz • QuickTime • Rosetta • Smart folders • Spaces • Speakable items • Spotlight • Time Machine • Uniform Type Identifier • Universal binary • WebKit • Xgrid • XNU The Command key The Command key, known as the open-Apple key in documentation previous to the Apple Macintosh family of computers, is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. ... The Option key The Option key, known to latent PC users as Alt key, is a modifier key present on Apple keyboards. ... The Apple menu in Mac OS X Tiger. ... Apple Computer has been attentive to the typefaces used in its marketing, operating systems and industrial design. ... AppleScript is a scripting language devised by Apple, Inc. ... Mac OS X 10. ... The Apple Type Services for Unicode Imaging (ATSUI) is the Mac OS set of services for rendering Unicode-encoded text. ... Audio Units is a plug-in API developed by Apple Computer to add functionality to audio creation and recording software. ... Brushed metal is metal that has been abraded (brushed), most often with a fine grit sandpaper. ... Bonjour, formerly Rendezvous, is Apple Computers trade name for its implementation of Zeroconf, a service discovery protocol used in Apples Mac OS X operating system from version 10. ... Boot Camp is a software assistant made available by Apple Inc. ... Carbon is the codename of Apple Computers API for the Macintosh operating system, which permits a good degree of forward and backward compatibility between source code written to run on the classic Mac OS, and the newer Mac OS X. The APIs are published and accessed in the form... A Cocoa application being developed using Xcode. ... ColorSync is Apples color management API for the Mac OS and Mac OS X. // Apple developed the original 1. ... Core Animation is an Apple Computer technology to create animations, to be released as part of Mac OS X v10. ... Apples Core Audio interfaces Core Audio is a fairly low-level API for dealing with sound in Apples Mac OS X operating system. ... Core Foundation (also called CF) is a Mac OS X framework and API. CF provides: Primitive types for data (raw bytes, Unicode strings, numbers, calendar dates, UUIDs) and collections (arrays, sets, dictionaries) Application preferences management (CFPropertyList, Preferences Utilities) XML parsing Bundle handling File system I/O (CFReadStream, CFWriteStream, CFURL) Network... Core Image is a technology in Mac OS X that heavily leverages the machines GPU for image related effects. ... Core OpenGL, or CGL, is Apple Computers Macintosh Quartz windowing system interface to the Mac OS X implementation of the OpenGL specification. ... Core Video is a new pipeline model for digital video in Mac OS X. Partitioning the processing into discrete steps makes it simpler for developers to access and manipulate individual frames without having to worry about translating between data types (QuickTime, OpenGL, and so on) or display synchronization issues. ... The Common Unix Printing System (CUPS) is a modular computer printing system for Unix-like operating systems that allows a computer to act as a powerful print server. ... Hexley, the mascot of Darwin Darwin is a free, open source, Unix-like operating system first released by Apple Computer in 2000. ... Mac OS X Dock OPENSTEP Dock The Dock is a graphical user interface feature first introduced in the NeXTSTEP and OPENSTEP operating systems, and radically changed and refined in Mac OS X, where it behaves more like the Apple Newtons Newton OS Dock. ... Mac OS X 10. ... FileVault is a system that protects files on a computer. ... The Apple Icon Image format is the icon format used in Apple Computers Mac OS X. It supports icons of 16Ã—16, 32Ã—32, 48Ã—48 and 128Ã—128 pixel icons, with both 1- and 8-bit alpha channels and multiple image states (example: open and closed folders). ... Inkwell, later renamed Ink, but still mostly referred to as Inkwell by Apple is the name of the handwriting recognition technology built into Apple Computers Mac OS X. It was introduced in version 10. ... The I/O Kit is an open-source framework in the XNU kernel that helps developers code device drivers for Darwin-enabled operating systems (one popularly known as Apples Mac OS X.) The I/O Kit framework was originally introduced at the release of Mac OS X along with... Keychain is Apple Computers password management system in Mac OS X and Mac OS 9. ... Mach-O, short for Mach object file format, is a file format for executables and object code. ... A Menu extra in Mac OS X is a small icon or sometimes a word that appears at the right of the menu bar. ... Preference Pane icon A Preference Pane (often abbreviated as prefpane) is a special dynamically loaded plugin in Mac OS X. Introduced in Mac OS 10. ... In the Mac OS X Cocoa, NeXTSTEP, and GNUstep programming frameworks, property list files are files that store serialized objects. ... Quartz is the marketing name of the proprietary graphics layer that sits on top of the open source Darwin core of Mac OS X. Quartz is part of the Core Graphics framework. ... QuickTime is a multimedia framework developed by Apple Inc. ... Rosetta is a lightweight dynamic translation emulator for Mac OS X distributed by Apple. ... Virtual Folders are a feature of Microsofts upcoming operating system Windows Vista. ... Spaces is a virtual desktop feature developed by Apple to be included in Mac OS X v10. ... The Speakable Items window, executing the Tell Me a Joke command. ... Spotlight is an as-you-type, system-wide desktop search feature found in Mac OS X v10. ... Time Machine is a backup utility announced and first demonstrated on August 7, 2006 at Apples Worldwide Developers Conference, and is scheduled to be included with the Mac OS X v10. ... A Uniform Type Identifier (UTI) is a string that uniquely identifies the type of a class of items. ... Universal Binary Logo A Universal binary is â€” in Apple Computers parlance â€” an application bundle that runs natively on both PowerPC- and x86 (Intel)-based Macintosh computers. ... WebKit is an application framework included with Mac OS X v10. ... In computers, Xgrid is software (Apple Computer, Inc. ... XNU is the name of the kernel that Apple acquired and developed for use in the Mac OS X operating system and released as open source as part of the Darwin operating system. ...

Contents

Usage GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Storage formats

History and genesis

External links

Usage