Building the User Interface

For one thing, you need to consider the memory limitations and display orientation of the iPad. That's why the Xcode templates are so useful - they take care of the display and memory management so that you can focus on what your app can do. After seeing how easy it is to add graphics and interface elements to the template-based project, you may think the user interface for your app will be a piece of cake - and to some extent, it probably will be, thanks to Interface Builder.

The template you select for your Xcode project provides the skeleton of a user interface. For example, the View-based Application template for the DeepThoughts app offers a view and a view controller that you can customize. Other templates offer rudimentary interface objects - for example, the Navigation-based Application template offers a Navigation controller, and the Utility-based Application template offers a Flipside view that a user opens by tapping an Info button and closes by tapping a Done button. The Split View-based Application template offers a Split view controller as well as the two view controllers you'd use to manage a master-detail-style display.

Make sure you choose the appropriate template so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel. And before you start coding, examine how the template's interface works and how to add your custom interface objects and graphics.