Modding Mac OS X

Plug-ins

When applications support plug-ins, Apple encourages developers to include their default sets within the application wrapper. This is why you’ll find the basic iMovie plug-in set inside its bundle (/Applications/iMovie.app/Contents/PlugIns) rather than in ~/Library/iMovie/Plug-ins, where you might otherwise expect it to reside. Instead, that folder is earmarked strictly for third-party offerings. This allows iMovie to retain the integrity of its default plug-in set without compromising the ease of adding new items.

The reason for this is straightforward. As with help documentation, Apple wants to promote fully compartmentalized applications that can be installed by dragging. Applications that depend on external libraries and other folders are more complicated to install or delete.

TOOLS YOU NEED

For working through the examples in this section, you’ll need the following applications:

• iMovie (/Applications)

• Calculator (/Applications)

You can peek at an application’s factory-installed plug-ins without cracking open the application bundle. The Finder provides a handy shortcut; just follow these steps to use the Get Info window to reveal application plug-ins:

1. Open a Finder window, go to the Applications folder (Shift-⌘-A), and select one of the many applications that support plug-ins, such as iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD, or Calculator.

2. Choose File → Get Info (⌘-I); an Info window opens, showing information about the selected item. Information about the application includes its kind, size, ...